Gentlemen,

We are looking for knowledgeable advice from those who have successfully removed their steering column locks.

We understand this involves disabling VATS, and we are also hoping to learn how to replace those $50 chipped keys with a simple "push-to-start button".

Please do not simply write, "Take the column apart and take the lock out." The ignorant side of me is looking for step-by-step instructions. The more detail - the better!

Thanks,
Ed LoPresti

 

Hmm, piling on adding a quick release steering wheel would be a good set of instructions to have.

Ed - if no one has this readily available I'm sure hours of pouring over the wiring diagram in the FSM would be useful.

What year are you converting to track only?
I figure on my 92 I have to leave in the CCM
Have a power on switch for fuel
Have a run switch
Then a button to engage the starter.

Shoot - I just remembered, there was another guy with a C4 that was trying to get rid of his CCM alltogther. Maybe do a search for CCM here and in road racing section. If I run across it on other forums I'll let you know.

 

I did this on my former '85 a while ago.

As I recall after disassembling and inspecting the mechanism I ended up cutting the teeth off the lock plate (the heavy steel plate you use the special tool to retain while you remove the C-clip retaining it). I recall cutting off the teeth as the steel plate is an integral part of the steering column stack (holds pressure against the upper bearing via the C-clip) and the column could not be assembled properly without it.

As I recall I also had to devcon a piece inside the column as well but, this part escapes me. I believe this had to do more with the ignition lock removal than the steering lock bypass.

Fortunately, I have the column apart in my '93 today as I am replacing the multiswitch. I will see if anything jars my memory but most of the job was cutting the teeth off the ring gear.

I did remove the ignition switch as well. Cut a nice piece of carbon and bonded it over the hole. That part was fairly straight forward, sans a part I had to devcon which I cannot recall why.

For VATS, I used a bypass module from these guys:

http://www.bakerelectronix.com/products_vats/

May have had to jump the starter relay as well can't recall. That may depend on the year of your C4 - early or later. I've done so many of these it all kind of blends together.

hope this helps,

 

Hi James,

Glad to hear from you, and I hope things are going well with your projects!

Our racer is a 1995, and we replaced the OEM steering wheel and hub with a smaller diameter OMP unit several months ago. At that time, we looked into tackling that maze of mechanisms and wires that makes up the steering column, and decided other items had priority. Well, now this has bubbled to the top.

Exactly as you say, we already have toggle switches for FUEL and COIL. We believe we need to bypass those very fancy keys to engage the starter "manually", and I was hoping to be lazy, and NOT have to read wiring diagram after wiring diagram of the FSM.

We intend to retain the CCM, Opti, fuel injection, etc., at least for now. I would like nothing better than to rid this car of ALL the computers that control other computers!

When I search for "steering column lock" here, I find lots of advice on repairing or replacing, but little about REMOVING ENTIRELY.

As always, we appreciate your suggestions and insight.
Ed

 

Ed -

This should help you.

Push To Start Install

If you come up with something better than I did to make the transmission shifter lock work properly, I would be very interested and appreciative!

 

I hate to tell you this, but you're going to have to get the FSM and likely going to have to dig into the wiring diagrams, because the VATS and associated circuits goes through at least a relay or two along with the ECM. Basically, it gives the ECM 'permission' to start the car. Not sure about the 95, but I know on the 87' the VATS circuit was also involved in enabling some of the systems that involve the car even running!

Here's a qoute from this thread. "If the VATs can't read it the car won't start. It disables the starter and fuel injectors"

"http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-tech-performance/532454-1990-wont-start-alarm-vats.html

I think that you need to reproduce the output from the VATS to the relays responsible for enabling the car to run to get around this problem.

 

Hello, Brian,

As I mentioned in the message back to James, we are working on a 1995, so the fact that your 1992 is currently on the operating table, may be very beneficial for us. I am certain that once we have this piece disassembled, I'll be better able to visualize your instructions.

With more discussion here, it has helped to crystalize what we are after:
[1] Disable or remove steering column lock, so there is NO CHANCE that the column could stick in a single position.

[2] Disable, remove, or bypass the key mechanism for starting, and replace with a simple push-to-start ignition button.

[3] Disable the steering wheel's ability to be "adjusted" up and down. Make its position FIXED.

I also appreciate your offer to keep walking us through the process. I shall post back when we have more questions.

Thanks,
Ed

 

Wow, that may help him, but it doesn't look like an easy job!

 

Flame Red,

That looks like enough "meat" to keep us busy for awhile, and is precisely what we are hoping for in the realm of "do this, then do this, do not do this".

I am hoping you are open to questions as we wade through this.

Thanks!

--------------------------
Regis,

I was afraid you were going to burst my illusions by directing me to the FSR. The trouble with much of that writing, for our purposes, is that the instructions are intended to RESTORE these systems, rather than REMOVE or REPLACE. And, after the third wiring diagram has referred me to a fourth, I sort of lose track of that yellow wire!

I'm trying to be lazy . . . . .

Ed

 

Ed, I hear ya and this is a tough deal, but I still think the FSM can be of help. I don't think there's a lazy way, unless you have a really good auto electrical guy in the area who's highly knowledgeable about this (we have one and he's good!). But back to the FSM.

First, the troubleshooting section will provide you with the test voltages and relays that are involved. For example a certain condition will call for a certain response from the system. From that, I believe you can 'fool' the VATS system downstream from the VATS module itself (which is buried deep in the dash) into believing it does have a legit input, by applying the voltage signals to the relays responsible for starting the car (the starting system and injectors). The VATS may be inoperable, but the relays downstream from the VATS won't know the difference!

After dealing with the VATS issue on our 87', I had to become proficient at the wiring diagrams, because they do tell you what wires go to what relays and where they are! When that yellow wire number 187 ends on page 1, just keep scanning for it on page 2. At first it's hard, but then after you scan the whole page repeatedly, you'll start to find that wire and then where it goes to and then the wires branching out from that.

I'd say get the FSM and at least you'll have some 'hard' data on the wires, the voltages and the troubleshooting proceedures that will give you clues as how to 'fool' the system.

 

Anyone know if the '90- up uses a Starter Relay like the '84 - '89 does?

VATS works in two ways - it disables cranking of the starter motor and also prevents firing of the injectors via the ECM.

I know earlier '84-'89 cars had a VATS module which, once signal was received from the key, the module enabled the starter relay to allow cranking and also sent signal to the ECU to allow the injectors to fire.

IIRC for '90-up the CCM replaces the VATS module which on the earlier cars was a stand alone unit. What I don't recall exactly is if the '90-up cars still have a stand alone Starter Relay to control cranking. The good news is the Starter Relay is an easy bypass - for crank you will need to bypass the relay (cut the two starter wires to the relay and splice them together permanently. These are two large wires leading to the relay, green and yellow IIRC on early cars). This will enable you to crank the engine over without the VATS key.

BUT -

The ECU still will not fire the injectors. To bypass this VATS feature you only have two options (assuming you retain a stock ECU) 1) Obtain a VATS bypass module like the one I linked to the the post above or 2) Have VATS flashed out of the PROM via a re-flash.

Even if you eliminate the ignition switch completely, VATS must still be bypassed by one of the two operations above. The VATS module in earlier cars and the CCM in later cars works on a square wave signal pattern. There is no way to bypass this by modifying the stock wiring harness.

Hope this helps,

 

Gentlemen,

This is exactly the assistance we were hoping for! Give me a chance to digest what has been recommended so far, and to work on it some, and I am certain I will be back with a couple specific questions.

You guys are great!
Ed

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/members/13908-zbra.html Hey Ed , this guy knows what you're looking for and how to do it.

 

..... I swapped a '93 LT1 into a C3 ... 1974 ... the donor car was a Trans-Am ... I used most of the TA's wiring harness and retained the VATS by mounting the Pontiac's ignition lock cylinder under the dash with the original chipped key in it ... when the key was removed I had a very stealthy anti-theft system ................ Food for thought ......

 

i did this on my 92 and dont recall having any problems..i just found the power on wire and put a switch on it then i ran the if i remember it was a heavier guage yellow wire to a push button.... flick the switch on,,,,push button...vroom no problems... i know i dont have all the knowledge of vats,codes amd modules to do all that stuff and it works fine..