3D-Aircrew

Yesterday I went to my car to drive home and when I turned the key to start there was no sound or crank ... all the dash lights were normal but there was no voltage drop when I turned to crank.. It had happened before and I disconnected the battery and it restarted OK. Yesterday I disconnected it and it did NOT restart immediately.

I left the car for 15 minutes and returned and it started right up. It started at the store yesterday and it started this morning. I have a VATS bypass installed but I'm wondering if my VATS module is going bad. Help! This makes me not trust the car

Tom400CFI

What does the "Security" light do when you turn the ignition to "Run"/on?

3D-Aircrew

It comes on.

Tom400CFI

My bad, the Security light on an '86 isn't connected to the starting system.

I'd unplug the Theft Dterent system two pin plug under the driver's dash, and run an continuity check through that circuit up through the column and back down. Need the key in the ignition for that test.

hcbph

If the security light is not on when you turn the key to start then I doubt it's Vats. At one point my 86 was doing somewhat similar actions. In my case it turned out the battery was going bad, once replaced the problem went away.

3D-Aircrew

I don't think the battery is the culprit since when it is working, most of the time it draws the voltage down to ~11V while cranking. When it fails there is no draw on the battery. One thing I haven't tried is to tap on the starter solenoid with a stick.

playsdixie

two things have happened to me to make my 85 do the same thing....1, I installed battery cut offs on my side post battery to better access the cables....occasionally it wouldn't start yet simply attaching cables allowed it to start...removed them and have no further problems....also, I broke the transmission cable a couple of years ago...a real pain to install, and ever since, even in park, it won't start....I have to give it a little push on the gear shift to get it to start....never found out why it does that, figured it made a good "kill switch"....couldn't start it without a tiny push on the shifter.....

Pa'svette

My 91 did the same thing ( left me stranded a few times) . After cooling off for a while it would start fine. It turned out to be the starter. I think heat kills them.
Just my .02 cents worth.