Well my car was running untl today. We made our own harness for the LT1 swap and it has worked fine until today when the VATs light came on in the dash and now the car will not start or even turn over. Nothing has been changed since the yesterday when it ran. I get no power to the purple wire connected to the starter. I have checked all the fuses but the VATS light will not go out. I had the VATS programmed out of the computer and didnt mess with the system on the car from the factory. As far as I know the key should not be the problem but what do you think? Any other places to check or look at?

Hey Ricky, welcome to Hell !

first check your signal from passkey to ecm, connector 229 ! that might be the prob.

Check for poor ground at the VATS and at the Starter Enable Relay.

Check if the Starter enable relay is crapped out.

Hmmmm.... I'll check tommorow in the sheets that "multtasking" sent me . It should tell what's wrong .. so light stays on all the time ?

And if it is the VATS that's deffective, I have a spare working one I can sell ya.

So, I'll reply tommorow with answer to your problems.

We also thought it wa a bad ground. I am going to look over the entire Vats system once again. Can GM test the resistance of the key? I know this happened once before with an old key it just stopped working and I had to get a new key. However I do not feel this is the case, but still will check it out.

Also didnt even think of checking the starter enable relay. Will definately check it out.
Oh and yes the light stays on all the time. Even with the key out off. Never did this in the 2 months car has been running, but all the sudden it just started doing this. Thanks for your help matt.

Ok, I looked into it with the service manual.

1. Could be a deffective Passkey Module.
2. Cylinder Lock assembly has broken connections.
3. Your key needs to be replaced.
4.Poor connection from key to passkey which result in wrong resistence value.

The Security light indicates your car is in "Fault Enable Mode". Which also means that you have to wait 3 minute +/- 18 sec. before being able to reattempt to start the car.

I hope this helps.

hey ricky, I'll ask my dad later how we did it, but we were able to bypass VATS without getting it programmed out. I dont remember how we did it, and I it may have been some freak accident, but I'll see what he says.

Looked over wiring and checked some grounds. Texas find anything out then? My last option is a new key. I was once told also that I could bypass the entire VATS systems by hooking 2 wires together. Anyone ever hear this? I know it is illegal so if anyone knows anything if you dont want to post you could email it to me.

The VATS system works off a 5 volt source. Trouble is creating a constant 5V source. My question is, or comment I should say ...The Vats system only stops the injectors from firing...therefore I don't beleive your problem is with the Vats. After all you said it won't even turn over. I would check all your fuses, including the fused links on the wires to the sarter itself. Do all the idiot lights come on when you turn on the ignition. Again it really does not sound like the Vats is your problem. CHeck all your fuses and relays. I think you have lost power somewhere. Hope this helps????

Keiran

The vats shut down many things, no spark, no fuel, no injector pulse, no crank.

Okay I have looked at the car more in depth now. I have no power going to the purple wire for the sylinoid. It is hooked up correctly and the security light is still on. My buddy feels it is a bad fuse that is keepong power from this wire, but that doesnt explain the security light. The purple wire always had power until now, when the security light came on. I am still stumped

Okay I have looked at the car more in depth now. I have no power going to the purple wire for the sylinoid. It is hooked up correctly and the security light is still on. My buddy feels it is a bad fuse that is keepong power from this wire, but that doesnt explain the security light. The purple wire always had power until now, when the security light came on. The fuel pump will still kick on if I run a 12 volt constant source to it, but it will not crank and since it wont crank I have no idea about injector pulse. What I dont understand is that it started one day and ran fine. The next day I go out to staret it and nothing, however the day it ran the engine finally got to heat up to full operating temp, something it had never done before. I am still stumped

ricky , the purple wire that goes to the soleniod "starter enable relay" is a ground, it grounds the relay !!! doesn't supply a 12 + source !!!! check it out man !


also, I'm not sure it's purple , my own wiring says
A4 YEL/BLK Starter enable relay control

maybe you are testing the wrong wire .
B7 PPL/WHT Ignition key resistor return

Looks like a bad connection at connector 229 ! just like the problem I had.

it ran fine, I drove home, parked the car, my dad said to move it so he can park another car, I reserved and it died right there...

however the wiring and the optispark where crapped out.

Maybe that would help you


VATS 16 pin
|------------------------|
A8| [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []| A1
B8| [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []| B1
|------------------------|

Slot Wire Color Description
A1 Orn Power feed from ECM BAT fuse #4
A2 Pnk Power feed from ECM IGN fuse #5
A3 DK BLU Fuel enable signal
A4 YEL/BLK Starter enable relay control
A5 GRY "Security" indicator lamp control
B5 BLK/WHT Ground
B7 PPL/WHT Ignition key resistor return
B8 WHT/BLK Ignition key resistor feed