Viking

My 89 Iroc has developed an intermittent starting issue.

-battery is fine
-When I turn the key,90% of the time its fine.
-But sometimes, very recently, nothing.
-When I turn the key to run, I hear the fuel pump come on, then to start, nothing.
-I wired a direct line to the starter, and applied the wire directly to the battery, key to run, and engine cranks, but no start.
-come back later, starts no problem with key. Shut it off 2 or 3 times, starts right up
-I removed the battery, cleaned all terminals
-Tried different keys, no security light is coming on

Any ideas? Could be a relay?

backtothe80s

So what you are saying is that 90% of the time, the car will crank and start. In some cases, you have a no crank/ no start? Sometimes the pads in the cylinder will not touch the resistor in the key properly. If that's the case, VATS disables the starter, too. Have you thought about bypassing VATS with a resistor to see if you might have an issue with the lock? I've tried starting my car with a non-security key and it wouldn't start and the security light didn't come on.

Viking

That's probably what's going on, after some other research points in that direction too. I did buy a starter relay, I'll pop that in there when I get a chance and test it out. Right now the car is "sleeping" for a few months in the garage.

Eagle223usa

My 89 has the same problem, and then one day in March it quit. It will not start at all. EVERTHING checks out, starter, starter switch, starter enable solenoid....Everything. I'm thinking new Mustang GT.