Starter Discrepancy
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Starter Discrepancy
Hello Fellow Vetters,
I have an 86 coupe 4+3 transmission that has an on going intermittent starter discrepancy. Turn the key and nothing. All interior lights illuminate, everything is powered but the starter. VATS was bypassed in 200 along with a new neutral saftey clutch switch, new battery, second starter replacement in two years.
This passed week after the starter was replaced the car started fine. Today I went to start, after looking at a couple of other vettes for sale, turned the key and nothing. Let it set and walked back to work. After work I walked back to the car for a try. One turn and she fired up. Now it in the driveway and starts. Went through the shop manual for clues. From what I see everything in the system has been replaced. I plan to replace the neutral saftey switch this weekend.
Any suggestions?
I have an 86 coupe 4+3 transmission that has an on going intermittent starter discrepancy. Turn the key and nothing. All interior lights illuminate, everything is powered but the starter. VATS was bypassed in 200 along with a new neutral saftey clutch switch, new battery, second starter replacement in two years.
This passed week after the starter was replaced the car started fine. Today I went to start, after looking at a couple of other vettes for sale, turned the key and nothing. Let it set and walked back to work. After work I walked back to the car for a try. One turn and she fired up. Now it in the driveway and starts. Went through the shop manual for clues. From what I see everything in the system has been replaced. I plan to replace the neutral saftey switch this weekend.
Any suggestions?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 2
From: Austin TX
I would suspect the ignition switch, which is located on the steering column under the dash. Sounds like it is not consistently making good contact. If you can catch it in a state where it won't start with the key, you can put a remote starter switch on the starter and verify the starter works and therefore not getting voltage to the starter solenoid when you turn the key. Or use a test light on the solenoid when you turn the key.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Long story short. On the road in Pax River. Wife had the car. Wouldn't so when I came home on the weekend, push started and drove it to a local vette service dude. He told me when I picked it up the following weekend he bought a bypass kit from Ecklers.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 13
You would have had to push it all the way to the mechanic
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 13
Common fault now in older C4's
Edit
As a footnote the VATs bypass only "fools" the VATS module into thinking the correct key is being used
If the relay controlled by the module is faulty then the bypass will have no effect
Can easily check for a relay fault by jumpering the two thick wires at the relay connector to bypass the relay ;
a common permanent mod to remove one more potential trouble item from the car that could leave you stranded
Last edited by vetteoz; Feb 12, 2013 at 08:03 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Thank you...
that was the point that I was going to make...
the ONLY thing they bypassed was the key switch and the correct repair.<- that got bypassed as well.
The CORRECT way to BYPASS VATS is to jump the enable relay, take the VATS module OUT and place it in your middle desk drawer, and install a VATS signal generator bypass unit to "fool" the ECM into seeing there IS a VATS OK signal coming from the system...then it starts.
Cause IF you just loop around that dumb assed key switch with that little bundle of $3 resistors, you gonna be walkin ....sooner than later,.
For now, Just jump the relay,. and order your module bypass. I'll tell you where to get one brand new, in the box, works everytime, endorsed By Ryan Newman, for as little as ,.......uhmmmmm$14?
Yeah,on a good day. This was not stolen alien technology either, so they won;t come looking for you whenever you use it.Thats a plus...
Then the car will start and you can drive again.
that was the point that I was going to make...
the ONLY thing they bypassed was the key switch and the correct repair.<- that got bypassed as well.
The CORRECT way to BYPASS VATS is to jump the enable relay, take the VATS module OUT and place it in your middle desk drawer, and install a VATS signal generator bypass unit to "fool" the ECM into seeing there IS a VATS OK signal coming from the system...then it starts.
Cause IF you just loop around that dumb assed key switch with that little bundle of $3 resistors, you gonna be walkin ....sooner than later,.
For now, Just jump the relay,. and order your module bypass. I'll tell you where to get one brand new, in the box, works everytime, endorsed By Ryan Newman, for as little as ,.......uhmmmmm$14?
Yeah,on a good day. This was not stolen alien technology either, so they won;t come looking for you whenever you use it.Thats a plus...
Then the car will start and you can drive again.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 13
No disagreement there but the OP's problems is unlikely to be VATS related given when the starter operates the engine starts.
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 519
Likes: 5
Hello Fellow Vetters,
I have an 86 coupe 4+3 transmission that has an on going intermittent starter discrepancy. Turn the key and nothing. All interior lights illuminate, everything is powered but the starter. VATS was bypassed in 200 along with a new neutral saftey clutch switch, new battery, second starter replacement in two years.
This passed week after the starter was replaced the car started fine. Today I went to start, after looking at a couple of other vettes for sale, turned the key and nothing. Let it set and walked back to work. After work I walked back to the car for a try. One turn and she fired up. Now it in the driveway and starts. Went through the shop manual for clues. From what I see everything in the system has been replaced. I plan to replace the neutral saftey switch this weekend.
Any suggestions?
I have an 86 coupe 4+3 transmission that has an on going intermittent starter discrepancy. Turn the key and nothing. All interior lights illuminate, everything is powered but the starter. VATS was bypassed in 200 along with a new neutral saftey clutch switch, new battery, second starter replacement in two years.
This passed week after the starter was replaced the car started fine. Today I went to start, after looking at a couple of other vettes for sale, turned the key and nothing. Let it set and walked back to work. After work I walked back to the car for a try. One turn and she fired up. Now it in the driveway and starts. Went through the shop manual for clues. From what I see everything in the system has been replaced. I plan to replace the neutral saftey switch this weekend.
Any suggestions?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 15
From: Wallingford Vermont
I've had both problems over the years in my '86. I've had intermittent start problems that turned out to be bad contacts in the starter solenoid. And I've had VATS problems which lead to the replacement of the key switch (contact wires for the key resistor broke off).
(with a helper) Check to see if the solenoid is getting voltage (small wire) when the key is turned to "start". If it is, your problem is the starter/solenoid. If it isn't getting voltage, there's a key switch or VATS problem.
(with a helper) Check to see if the solenoid is getting voltage (small wire) when the key is turned to "start". If it is, your problem is the starter/solenoid. If it isn't getting voltage, there's a key switch or VATS problem.