By pass VATS?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,011
Likes: 2,250
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
By pass VATS?
My '94 has been acting stupid lately.
For a long time it's been real sensitive to things like opening the door before stopping the car or killing the engine. If I do that it won't start (turn over) when I come back to it. If I walk away from it and let the locks and alarm reset and not touch it for about 4-5 minutes, it restarts fine.
The last two days when I've come out to go home from work, the doors open fine and I sit down in it and turn the key and .... nothing!
I get out shut the doors and walk away for five minutes, come back to it and do the exact same routine and it starts right up.
Does any of this make sense? I don't like a car that's smarter than me! Is there a way to eliminate the sucker easily?
If you know and don't want to post publicly here I'd love an E-mail!
Thanks,
Jim
For a long time it's been real sensitive to things like opening the door before stopping the car or killing the engine. If I do that it won't start (turn over) when I come back to it. If I walk away from it and let the locks and alarm reset and not touch it for about 4-5 minutes, it restarts fine.
The last two days when I've come out to go home from work, the doors open fine and I sit down in it and turn the key and .... nothing!
I get out shut the doors and walk away for five minutes, come back to it and do the exact same routine and it starts right up.
Does any of this make sense? I don't like a car that's smarter than me! Is there a way to eliminate the sucker easily?
If you know and don't want to post publicly here I'd love an E-mail!
Thanks,
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: By pass VATS? (427Hotrod)
Try your spare ign key, its pellet contacts aren't worn like your everyday key.
Most likely you have worn contacts in the ign sw that make contact with the pellet. You can prove this by unplugging the 2 pin connector that comes down the steering column from these contacts and measure the resistance with the key plugged in. It should measure the same resistance as the pellet. If over 10k ohms, then the ign sw contacts are gone and the ign sw should be replaced. The 2 pin connector comes out under the carpet by the steering column on my 87, I don't know if they do on your 94. Also be aware that the starter won't crank if the clutch sw is open (if auto xmsn, its the gear selector sw) and also, the contacts must be good on the start enable relay which is activated by the VATS module reading the correct pellet resistance. Defeating the VATS is not a good idea because a thief can bash your column, jump the ignition and your C4 is his/its. I personally know C4 owners that found their window and column bashed but the car didn't move an inch. Try the ohmeter measurement first.
Most likely you have worn contacts in the ign sw that make contact with the pellet. You can prove this by unplugging the 2 pin connector that comes down the steering column from these contacts and measure the resistance with the key plugged in. It should measure the same resistance as the pellet. If over 10k ohms, then the ign sw contacts are gone and the ign sw should be replaced. The 2 pin connector comes out under the carpet by the steering column on my 87, I don't know if they do on your 94. Also be aware that the starter won't crank if the clutch sw is open (if auto xmsn, its the gear selector sw) and also, the contacts must be good on the start enable relay which is activated by the VATS module reading the correct pellet resistance. Defeating the VATS is not a good idea because a thief can bash your column, jump the ignition and your C4 is his/its. I personally know C4 owners that found their window and column bashed but the car didn't move an inch. Try the ohmeter measurement first.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,011
Likes: 2,250
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Re: By pass VATS? (jfb)
Thanks for the info. That was where I was suspecting, since everything works fine when it works. I've already bought a new lock cylinder/keys since it was starting to act up too. It had to be "jiggled" to turn it off. I figured the two issues were related so it's great to have some confirmation. I'll double check resistance just to be sure before I change it.
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks,
Jim
