C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

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Old Oct 5, 2016 | 02:26 PM
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Default Vats

Been gone a month and go to mess around with my car and the battery's dead so I try to jump it and just clicks. Almost positive it's vats not sure how to bypass though. Any quick ways I can do without buying anything and what are the other ways. 89 corvette
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Old Oct 5, 2016 | 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Thalhammer
Been gone a month and go to mess around with my car and the battery's dead so I try to jump it and just clicks. Almost positive it's vats not sure how to bypass though. Any quick ways I can do without buying anything and what are the other ways. 89 corvette
I am almost positive it isn't VATS
If it was, you wouldn't be that "clicking".

That is a sign of a week or low battery, or a bad cable connection.

Last edited by RollaMo-LT4; Oct 5, 2016 at 02:41 PM.
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Old Oct 5, 2016 | 03:42 PM
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I took off the terminals cleaned them and put them on the battery the battery has power but it doesn't turn over at all just makes a clicking type noise no turn over
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Old Oct 5, 2016 | 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Thalhammer
just makes a clicking type noise no turn over
I'm with RollaMo here. People always blame that which the don't understand. It sounds just like the symptoms of a starter that is bad, or not getting enough power; either b/c the battery is low, or b/c the wires/connections from battery to starter are failing. You need to get a volt meter, get under the car and find out which.
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Old Oct 5, 2016 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Thalhammer
I took off the terminals cleaned them and put them on the battery the battery has power but it doesn't turn over at all just makes a clicking type noise no turn over
Have you tested the battery?
How?
What is the voltage?

Load Test?

A battery can have enough juice to light up the dash, but as soon as try to start, it will fall flat on its face.

That clicking sound you hear is the starter solenoid not getting enough juice to turn the engine over.

If it was VATS related, you wouldn't get that clicking.
It would just be nothing at all when you turned the key.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 01:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Thalhammer
Been gone a month and go to mess around with my car and the battery's dead so I try to jump it and just clicks. Almost positive it's vats not sure how to bypass though. Any quick ways I can do without buying anything and what are the other ways. 89 corvette
Cover up the pellet in the key and see what you get. You won't even get clicking. That is the starter not having enough juice to turn. Leads to 1 of 4 things

1. Battery is dead
2. Wire to starter is NOT sending enough juice to the starter
3. Starter is dying
4. All or some of the above.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 01:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
I'm with RollaMo here. People always blame that which the don't understand. It sounds just like the symptoms of a starter that is bad, or not getting enough power; either b/c the battery is low, or b/c the wires/connections from battery to starter are failing. You need to get a volt meter, get under the car and find out which.
Or the starter is on the way out. Ask me how I know (Hint: 3 known good batteries later)

Yes, when you jump it, it will finally start but even with the other batteries I hooked up, it still had that problem. The "bad" battery worked fine with other vehicles. Autozone tested the starter and said it was good. Rebuild shop took it apart in front of me and found all kinds of problems.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 02:48 AM
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Engine is locked up! Not funny. I agree, not VATS.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 03:40 AM
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With all above.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 07:29 AM
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Have you done the obvious....put the battery on a battery charger and recharged the battery?

Until you start with a fully charged battery you have no idea if you even have an issue.

As others said, if you have clicking, you do not have a VATS issue.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 09:35 AM
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Bring it to a "Batteries Plus" and have them charge and test it for you.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by aklim
Bring it to a "Batteries Plus"
How is he going to do that. His problem is that the car won't start. He needs to get a meter and diagnose the problem.


Originally Posted by divotdug
Have you done the obvious....
He did! Car didn't start so he blamed VATS!

JUST KIDDING/having some fun.

Last edited by Tom400CFI; Oct 6, 2016 at 09:52 AM.
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Old Oct 6, 2016 | 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
How is he going to do that. His problem is that the car won't start. He needs to get a meter and diagnose the problem.
Sorry, I was assuming he has more than one car. But yes, you are right. First step is a DVOM.
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Old Oct 7, 2016 | 02:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Thalhammer
I took off the terminals cleaned them and put them on the battery the battery has power but it doesn't turn over at all just makes a clicking type noise no turn over
You need to check/clean BOTH ends of the battery cables. The positive cable attaches to the starter solenoid. The negative cable attaches to a bolt on the side of the block above the oil filter.
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