Hi i have an 1987 iroc z28..just recently i tried to turn the key to turn the car on it tool about 2 sec and it cranked...but as i was leaving work it did it again and now it wont turn on with the key only with the push start...took it to a mechanic and he said something about a little gear being broken where the key is....does anybody know what that is....Or how i can fix this problem thanks.

It could be mechanical, could be electronic.

If it turns LOOSE, not with the normal feel of it turning, something mechanical in the ognition switch itself. If it turns 100% normal, just no start, it is electronic defect somewhere.

It turns normal...like i said before it would like take half a second and then turn on but now it does not at all.

If it turns normal to the On position, then to springs back from the Start position, it sounds Electronic.

How did he determine it was a broken gear?

When he checked with a computer for the codes....yeah it does everything normal it just wont start just with the push start button and i wanna fix it..

Push start button? You've got a custom wired accessory that few could diagnose long distance.

what u mean?? yes i wired up a push start button straight to the starter when the key stopped working thats the only way i could start it.

It sounded like you had wired in one of those custom push buttins to start the car, like come in the Lambos & such. I've read threads on doing that here on TGO, so that it what it sounded like.

The push button is a bypass, to get past your current starting problem? It sounded like you meant a push start.

Yes sorry its to by pass my ignition problem but now i wanna fix it to start it with the key...it just randomly stopped starting with the key but in order to start it the key has to be turned to the on position.

i have a 84 camaro and i have the same problem i had to wire a push button starter to i had wiring problems with my lights and gagues but hey were just bad grounds fixed them but still wont start by turn of key

what problems would u have with the gauge lights??

i had an issue with my 87 t/a where it would randomly not start sometimes, then other times it would. the radio worked and the lights worked so i knew i had power but the motor wouldnt crank at all. lo and behold it was the wire to the starter solenoid, it somehow got loose and if it got moved in just the right way, it wouldnt start. its a pretty simple thing to check, just jack up the side and wiggle the wire then check.

umm and what wire goes to the ignition on the solenoid?

Sounds like your ignition switch is intermittenantly shorted out until it fryed completely. That is located on top of the steering column. Now for your push button something go loose wiring somewhere. Another thing is the there is a rod that goes down to the ignition switch that is connected to the cylinder taht turns the gear to move it. That could be out of adjustment. One thing to know that for a fact if the ignition switch is correctly adjusted if if you turn the car to accel and then turn it over does it turn about another 1/4 turn. or does it barely move just like 1/16 turn? But what sounds like your ignition switch is the problem and mos tthink oh boy in the steering column NOPE> its ON top of your steering column. Drop the 2 bolts that holds the steering column up. Then you look down on top of the shaft of the steering column and y ou will see the ignition switch. ITS a pita to get to and to unbolts very challenging as well. I just took out my whole steering column from the gear box to fix it. Which is alot easier

But what if im getting power from the yellow wire that comes from the ignition i checked it with a light tester and when i turn the key i get excellent power from my ignition?

Im having the exact same problem with my colum, i dont have a push button start though. I would have to move the steering wheel around to make it start, then one day it just wouldnt start. we push started the car and it ran fine, but wont turn over.

Just do what Berlin305 says to do guys. Trust me! When I bought my GTA in May 2002, it wouldn't start at all. It had ignition, everything on the dash worked, fuel pump primed, fuel pressure was fine at the fuel rail, and juice to the spark plugs was fine too, but no start. The guy I bought it from said he even had a GM teck check it out and said the ECM was fried and it was too expensive to replace. To make a very long story short, I had absolutely no experience with FI at all, only with carbed cars, but thanks to the help of the fine members of THIRDGEN.ORG I found out that the switch on the column was cracked (literally) and only fed power to half of the items, and the ECM was not one of them. It cost me lest than $20 for a new one at the local auto parts store, and it started right up!!! I bought the car for $600 just 'cause it wouldn't run. When I told the guy I bought it from, he wanted to kill himself, he loved this car and would not have sold it this cheap if it wasn't because he couldn't fix it. Lucky me, and as I said before: thanks to the help of the fine members of THIRDGEN.ORG !!!!

I had the same problem, and there were a few issues. The best bet is to do a wire by wire trace. Check the wiring between every stop. Corrosion builds up and increases the resistance, until the wire won't pass enough voltage to crank the car over.

There were 3 problems with mine, the wire between the switch and starter enable relay was broken, the relay was corroded, and the wire to the switch terminal of the starter had a sh*tty connection.

The best thing you can do is get a multimeter and test for continuty between every step of the circuit (remember to disconnect one end of the section you are starting).
Be sure to check each of the switches in the proper operation position (ie. seutral safety in neutral or park- ignition switch in start). You will find the problem, and it will be a simple fix.