TripleBlack89

A couple of months ago, I noticed the keys to the '89 were missing. After a
week or so of looking under the sofa and in other obscure places, I decided
that it would be easier to just get them replaced.

I was SO wrong.

Title and registration in hand, I trundled off to my local Chevy dealer to
get a new key made. Yes, I knew it was going to be somewhat expensive -
after all, I used to have two sets, and when I found out how much a VATS
key cost, I hesitated to replace it... for way too long. That was a very
bad decision on my part, and one that I would strongly advise anyone owing
a VATS car NOT to make. Always have two sets... but I'm getting ahead of
myself.

My Chevy dealer was more than happy to look up my key codes using my VIN... For five dollars. He then cut me a door key.. for three dollars. I
figured I'd get gouged a bit, but at this point I didn't mind. Until the
big news. While he had the physical sequence for the 'teeth' of my ignition key, he didn't know which one of the fifteen values the VATS resistor was.
That information was not on file. Well, I wasn't about to have 15 keys cut, so I went home, successfully unlocked the doors, and searched the car. No keys there, either.

I asked this newsgroup about my options, and got some good ideas. I learned all about the 15 values, their resistance values, and other related things - things that my dealer apparently doesn't know about. I went back there and asked them to cut me a key with no VATS resistor. This he gladly did - for three more dollars. I removed the kick panel, found the VATS wiring harness, and hooked some very slick testing jumpers (from the first of my many trips - this one to Radio Shack). A friend of mine who's into Ham Radio provided me with a variable potentiometer, and using my Volt/Ohm meter, I set it to 392 ohms - Key Value #1.

I took my newly-made, VATS-less key and prepared to conduct the first test.
The key would NOT EVEN FIT into the lock.

Doing a little more research (with some other GM ignition keys that I have)
I discovered that the dealer seemed to have used the wrong blank. He used a GM "C" blank, and the only one that would go into the igniton switch was an "A".

I returned to the dealer, but he insisted he'd done nothing wrong. I had
him cut me a GM "A" blank using my registered keycodes. This he was glad
to do.. but would not consider the "C" key to be an error. Another three
dollars.

That key went into the cylinder just fine... But would not turn. At this
point, I re-consulted the newsgroup, but didn't get much in the way of
help. It seemed that someone may have re-keyed this car before I owned it.


So here's where the really fun part begins. Out of the toolbox comes the
steering-wheel puller, and into the steering column I begin to dig.
Fortunately, the '89 doesn't have an airbag. About 20 parts later, I've
got the ignition cylinder in my hand, having first tied a stout string to
the VATS wire before pulling that up thru the column. The number stamped
on it matches the key numbers that I paid the dealer to lookup... numbers
that I later found in my existing documentation anyway.

So, no one's re-keyed the car. (YET.) I take the cylinder to a
knowledgeable expert, and he's got to be one of the coolest, most helpful
people in the world. He cuts a few "A" keys - they don't work. He 'reads'
the lock tumblers with picks, cuts another key - it doesn't work. Taking this as a personal challenge, he takes it home and disassembles it where he discovers a simple secret - one that a few of you have probably already figured out.

THE STANDARD GM KEYBLANK IS 3mm TOO SHORT FOR A VATS SYSTEM! To solve this problem, my locksmith friend grinds the head down so that the key will go further into the cylinder. I have to buy a steering lock compressor to get the column back together, but once done, the key goes in, and turns just fine ! !

Of course, I'm still a long way from a running car. Using the potentiometer, I try a few codes, waiting the obligatory five minutes between attempts. However, I begin to notice a trend. When I set the 'Pot' for a specific value, put it on the car, and try to unsuccessfully start the car, the resistance value has changed before I try to re-adjust it for the next attempt. Figuring that I'd rather be sure about this, I try to find the exact value resistors. Well.. back to Radio Shack, but the 'best' they have is 5% 'gold band' resistors, and they don't have all of the values I'd need anyhow. So, I go back to my Ham friend and he suggests "Mouser Electronics" - for 12 cents each, they have 1/2 watt, 1% 'brown band' resistors, and they have every value I'm looking for. I order two each of all 15. For just over seven bucks, I'm in business.
I got two just so I could measure both and use the closest one. At this point, I figured that I was not going to be cheap and potentially have the car not start. The package arrived quickly, and I went back to work.

Since I'd started at 392 and worked my way up before, I started at 11.8k and worked my way down this time. After a few unsuccessful attempts - just about the time I wondered if everything was connected the way it was supposed to be, I heard the sweetest sound ever as that L98 leapt to life!

As of this writing, I still don't have a genuine key - but I have MADE one of the most interesting oddities. Imagine, if you will, this key. First of all, the head has been ground back to make the shank long enough to properly fit. Secondly, it's wrapped with tape so it won't be conductive. Now, a resistor has been placed thru the keyhole, wires down either side of the key, bent out slightly to make 'bumps' at just the right spot. More tape to hold the resistor in place. Ugly? NO WAY! My Corvette RUNS and that's the most beautiful key I've ever seen ! ! !

Advice: VATS owners, do 2 things. 1) always have at least 2 keys somewhere - even if you've locked one away. 2) Measure the resistance value of your key with a Volt/Ohm meter. Write it down somewhere. On many newer cars, the resistance value is on file with the keycode numbers and your Chevy dealer will have them both, but that wasn't the case for 1989.

Jeers: Only to the dealership. He was *trying* to help, but he could've known (There is a service bulletin out on this exact issue) that the VATS keys are different (there's apparently only two keyway types) and LONGER than conventional GM ignition keys. I also didn't appreciate being charged for the lookup, and for the key that wouldn't even fit, although being charged wouldn't have mattered as much if it'd worked.


Cheers: :cheers: You guys on this newsgroup for your advice, for the resistance values, and your support. - also to my locksmith friend for a whole lot of priceless research. He charged me NOTHING for this. What an incredible guy. Guess I owe him a ride!!!

jfb

You are one persistant bustard (thats a bird, not what you think). Now with that kind of persistance, I would attack the dimbulb dealer and get every penny paid for all of the wrong parts/info. For about $20 you can file a suit in small claims court if he doesn't see his errors.

JasonL

Interesting read. I guess you found out the hard way that good locksmiths know a lot more about keys than the GM dealer.

Oh and don't loose the jerry-rigged mutated key until you get a real copy :lol:

TripleBlack89

Well, I've been a de-bugger for a long time and a hacker for just about as long, so I am pretty stubborn... Then there's the pride thing. I really didn't want to have my 'Vette towed in just because I was dumb enough to loose the keys.

Yes, stupidity should be painful, but I didn't want it to go THAT far - fortunately I didn't have to.

As for 'suing' the dealer.. I have the smug satisfaction that I figured it out (With some well placed help from this group and a few other folks) He can keep the five ill-gotten bucks for the data lookup, and the six bucks for the incorrect keyblanks.

I went to a different business and had the correct key cut this evening.
You should've seen the look I got when I produced my "Original"!

The new one works like a dream - even though it was a bit of a nightmare getting there!!