I was driving the other day just fine and shut the car off when I got to my buddies house. When I tried to restart it, the dash lights, AC etc... was working but the car wasn’t cranking. So I went and got my spare key and it started right up. The next day I went outside to drive it and it would not start. Same issue as before, this time with the key that started it last time. So I did a vats bypass by soddering a resistor into the orange wire that has the two little white wires. This did not start the car. I recently bought a new ignition switch and ignition cylinder for the car that are coming early next week. My question is once I install my cylinder and get a normal key made for it, is the vats bypass I did enough to get the car to start. Sorry if I’m not being super clear, if y’all ask questions I can try to clear anything up as to easier address my situation. Any feedback is appreciated. As a side note I don’t really care about the security aspect of vats. I plan on getting rid of it completely eventually with a tune, was curious on if this bypass will get my by for a short time. I have a 94 6 speed.

 

Install nothing that you've 'ordered' without diagnostics. There's much to confirm with an M6 for crank in addition to VATS. Has it continued to crank/run intermittently or does 'nothing' now? How long have you owned car? Do you know your resistor was correct value? Are you aware of the clutch pedal 'safety switch?

**What you might consider when you get your parts is just plug in the cylinder under the dash. Insert your current key in the new lock. IT WON'T ROTATE but you can attempt to crank using the key in the column. That could confirm an issue with the resistor you've added. The cylinder would/should be still returnable. Did you buy an M6 cylinder with the button for rotate to lock?



***I've a friend with a shop and he got a 'tow in' that a fellow had done just what you've done 'EXCEPT' that he soldered the resistor towards the cylinder and not the body harness. When ever VATS is mentioned to him it's certainly 'smile time'.

 

Thanks for you feed back. I’ll try my best to answer all your questions. It does nothing now. It has never cranked and not turned over. For instance when I changed the key after it wouldn’t start the first time it just fired up. I’ve waited over an hour for the vats to “reset” as some on this forum have suggested and that didn’t work. My ignition cylinder is loose, meaning I can wiggle it out and in, which led me to believe that could be the issue. I have owned the car for around 2 weeks. I bought it on vacation in Phoenix and drive it the 17 hours back to Arkansas. While driving it back I had no problems. I’ve only driven it once since then and that was when it wouldn’t start the first time. I’m pretty sure the resistor was the correct value as I measured myself at 681 ohms and then I took my key into a local audio and lighting shop and the guy there measured again and gave me the resisistor and said it would work. I will definitely double check the resistance today though. I am not aware of the clutch pedal safety switch. I will do some research on it today but any feedback on how to diagnose that would be awesome. I am new to corvettes in general, I bought the car for a weekend toy and something cool to work on 😂. You mentioned your friend had an instance when’re he soldered the resistor wrong? That may have been what I have done. I have never messed with much wiring and electronics in vehicles. I was following a procedure that someone on the forum recommend to someone having a vats issue in a 94 as well. I could have done it wrong. Any info on how to do it right would be appreciated 😁

 

You cut the leads coming down the column before the connector to the body harness and then soldered the resistor to the short leads to the connector? The 'tow in' my friend had was soldered to the wires running UP the column

You could 'jumper' the clutch switch (connector is in the image) and see if you get 'CRANK' or with a meter check continuity. There's also Start Enable Relay etc that could create your issues. I was mainly interested in stopping you from just tossing parts at it.

The jumper is a pretty straight forward fabrication, the switch is a very hard find. Lots to check before you just toss parts at it. Odd that changing key coincidentally worked one time but it did get you to where you wanted to be.


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I believe I may have wired it wrong 😂. I will get a new resistor today and redo it. What should I get a 5% tolerance one? I believe the one I have is 2% tolerant.

 

I believe most often 1/2W & 5% is used, 681Ω is a design value and when the CCM is programmed I believe it will tolerate 650 - 728. Band colors and resistor color should ID what you have now. Cut a couple inches up the column from the connector, do your solder and plug the connector back in.

When key is turned to RUN does everything else work? Lights, radio, DIC etc?

 

I did the bypass right this time as my security light is gone. The car did not start however. My Ac works... I’m not quite sure about my radio as it’s a little dodgy when it works or notz I think the head unit is messed up. How do I check for a clutch safety switch issue?

 

I have a new ported intake base from tpis .it does not have threaded hole in back driver's side to attach this . What is this? Do I need it I have already taken off smog pump .

 

The switch is on the clutch pedal assembly, up top by the pivot point. reach up and feel the connector and unplug it. Bring the connector down and make up a jumper for the contacts in connector. You have effectively gotten rid of the switch, give it a try just remember it will now start in gear so be careful.

Flip side of that, to check the switch: make up some connectors to fit the switch and add a light in the middle. The light should go on and off whether the clutch is depressed or not.

 

OP - I answered your PM!!!!!