Once again my VATS left me stranded while all the ricers around me started right up and drove away. It used to be if I had not started it in a week or so I would have some trouble, but once I got it started I would be good to go for the rest of the day. Now it may start one minute and then it won't the next. I need some advice. I have already bought a new key, no difference. I bought a VATS by-pass from ecklers and it started like a champ for about a month. But then all of a sudden it is doing the same thing. I guess I will have to change the ignition switch next. My shop manuel says that I need to pull the steering wheel. Is this true? I don't have a puller. Anything else I should try? Please help. :cry

 

Your starter solenoid gets power from this path: battery through a fusible link through the connector on the firewall through the ignition switch start contacts through the VATS relay contacts through the clutch safety switch (gear selector switch if automatic xmsn) back through the firewall connector to the starter solenoid connection on the starter motor. Most likely your clutch switch is defective and you can prove this by jumping the switch (same for the gear selector switch if auto). You can also prove it is or isn't the ign sw and VATS relay by measuring the volts on the clutch switch when in the crank position. There should be 12v. If not, then it is the ign sw or the VATS relay contact. The ign switch can be tested by measuring the volts on the wire from the ign sw starter contact (yellow wire on my 87). Hope this helps. I recommend leaving the VATS feature active because 99% of all thefts are done by bashing the column and jumping the ign sw. VATS prevents this. You can check the VATS contacts in your ign sw by inserting the key and measuring the resistance at the 2 wires at the connector from the steering column (under the carpet in my 87, but you should know where yours are since you installed the bypass kit). The resistance should be the same as the pellet. If over 10k ohms, replace the ign switch. Hope this helps.

 

Thank you for the advice. Just to be sure I should get the same resistance from the point that I installed the VATs bypass as the pellet on the key? Does the ignition need to be switched on for this test? Also do I need to remove the console to check my auto transmisson switch or is it under the car somewhere? Once again thank you for the help. :)

 

Key only needs to be fully inserted into the ign sw. The gear selector sw is on the base of the shift control lever and therefore inside the console. The resistor that bypasses your VATS must be the same value as your pellet. Use a digital ohmeter because it is more accurate than an analog meter.

 

If the problem is really do to the VATS system. The ECM will set a code.