Ok, here's my problem. When you turn the ignition to start the engine there is sometimes a hesitation but the engine starts. Sometimes it wont start at all. If it wont start after it sits for 20 minutes or so it starts. I thought I had a battery problem, but I replaced the battery and the problem came back. The system is charging, so the only thing I can think of is that something is draining the battery while it sits. Or maybe problems with the security system? Anyone had similar problems?

 

When does it happen exactly? After you've driven it or after its been sitting over night. One thing that you might want to look at is possibly the starter. Solenoids take a beating in our cars due to the amount of heat generated. Just some food for thought. Let us know whats up.

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'91 Z-28 5.7, SLP 1 3/4 headers, 4 inch Mufflex/Flowmaster cat back, gutted cats, Edelbrock intake, 8.5mm Jacob wires, MSD Blaster coil, S&W subframe setup, Jacob Pro Street Ignition, complete Kenwood system.

 

Could it be a problem with your VATS (vehicle anti-theft system)?

 

It does it off and on. I don't think it's the solenoid because it will start right up when it's hot(when it does start). I was thinking it might be the VATS system, because the car engine doesn't turn over at all when this happens. It will have less than twelve volts on the guage, but should be enough to start. If you hook up jumper cables to the car it will start perfectly. And I mean as soon as the cables touch, not giving it time to charge the battery any. It's not something that happens all the time.
It happens off and on. Friday it wouldn't start, but I let it sit for a few hours and it started right up. It's done this five or six times. Sometimes you can give it two minutes and it starts. I'm going to check for loose connections and such on the wiring to the starter, but other than that I'm stumped. Maybe the VATS??

 

hey man i have the same problem except that mine does it only after getting hot. sometimes it will turn off by itself while waiting at a stoplight! shift to nuetral, turn the key, and it will start again. if u find out what the problem is, PLEASE let me know! this problem is driving me crazy!. my car also has the VATS. i beginning to get scared of driving it for fear of getting stranded at a stop light! so let me know if u find a solution. thanks!

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"WARNING: Objects in mirror are about to disappear VERY quickly!"

 

This might sound very simple, but I had a 91
firebird and it wouldn't crank but a little later it did. It was a loose connection on the battery terminal.

hope this kinda helps

 

I'm pretty sure that it's not the battery cables. I checked them pretty well, and when I installed a new battery the problem dissappeared for a while.

 

I have three trans ams and don't have that problem with them, but my 89 mustang started doing that, after changing the battery, come to find out that the positive cable on the inside around the post hade corroded really bad,(it was a gray color) so I couldn't tell
but after a serious wire brushing and a changed cable, the problem went away. hope this will help!

 

Ok, I'm pretty sure that I have an alternator/charging problem. I've got to check some things out, but I'll post when I figure it out.

 

I've been thru this myself... It first started about a year ago. Car was sitting in a cool parking garage and wouldn't start. I started playing around with wires here and there, tried it again and vroom - started right up. A few other times it did it - all when the car had been running - mostly in warm weather. I let it sit for a few minutes and again, it started right up. One time it did it and would not start, so I got under there and fidget'd with the wires at the starter, heard a little click and vroom - it started right up. I went home and cleaned every terminal on the battery and starter and it was great - for awhile. Then it did it again. I replaced the starter enable relay, and it did it again. This past weekend I replaced the starter / solenoid and so far it's all good. I never had the car die out on me at lights or anything like that - it just wouldn't start when I wanted it to... Maybe this'll help, maybe it won't, just my experience with it...

KAM

 

I had the same problem. The car would do the exact same thing you describe -mostly after driving the car for 1/2 hour or more. I changed the starter solenoid and it worked great for a while...now it's back to doing the same thing again. My guess is the heat is messing the solenoids up...my next attempt to solve will be a heat shield...hope this helps...

 

You probably need a heat shield. I'm not having problems with hot starting, so I'm pretty sure it's not the solenoid. What has me guessing is that it is very unpredictable.
It hasn't done it for weeks now, but I might go outside and not be able to start it right now. Then wait 20 minutes and it would start.

 

I've got the exact same problem with my car. I know that it's not VATS, but I think it may be something with the ignition switch. Usually, when the car does this, I just pull the key out, open and close the door hard, monkey around for a few seconds, and it'll work right away usually. It doesn't always happen to me when the car's hot, so it coud be the starter solenoid. I'm gonna replace it soon just to see if it helps.

 

Ok, I replaced my alternator yesterday. The bearings in the back decided to take a vacation. I'm not sure if the alternator was connected to the problem of the car not starting, but if I don't have any more problems than I guess that was it. I'm thinking it might be a problem with the ignition switch itself, but I really don't want to tear into the steering column. I've done it before on my 79 camaro and I definately don't want to mess with this one if I don't have too.

 

im surprised noone mentioned the neutral safety switch.

 

Good idea. I'll check it out.

 

My 91 gta has done the same thing, not starting at random times, A friend of mine that has practically been there, done that with ta's told me that my colum tilt system was loose. the ign. assembly works with a plunger-type system to actually start the car. and i needed to tighten the colum up.
check in to that if your still searching....

 

Ok, after a couple of weeks with no problem, it did it again today. I have put in a new alternator, but not because of this problem. I don't think it's the neutral safety switch. If you put it in drive there is absolutely no response. If you put in park or neutral, there is a click when you turn the key. I'm thinking of changing the side post cables to top post. I have a battery with both anyway, and I've talked to a lot of people who say side posts are crap.

 

I just checked my solenoid and cleaned the connections for the battery cables. The solenoid is working when you turn the key. I charged the battery and it is good. The car won't start at all today. It is activating the solenoid, but there is no attempt to start. I've tried jumping the car, which always worked until now. There is some sort of relay in the kick panel which has made noise today for the first time. It had the numbers 14093107 on it and had two yellow, a green, and a black wire with a yellow stripe on it. I have no idea what this is, and I don't know if it has anything to do with the starting circuit. As of right now I have no wheels until I get this figured out. I've pretty much narrowed it down to the ignition switch or the starter. I haven't had hard start problems or slow turning or the starter, so I'm pretty sure it might be the ignition switch, but if anyone has any other ideas I can try I would appreciate it. I don't want to tear into the steering column if I don't have to.

 

Alright here's the problem. It was the ignition switch. I've had charging system problems lately so it took me longer to track this down. I got the switch for about $40.00 and I had to buy the tool to depress the spring in the steering column, so it's about a total of $75.00 or so after I got the new key made. If anyone is having occasional problems starting their car that they can't find an answer for, this might be it. If there is any wear in the ignition switch I would replace it.

 

When I bought my 84 Byrd the ign. switch would'nt operate the starter and a samarai had unleashed under the dash, so I ran an extension cord to the battery and the starter then added a cheap Radio Shaft switch (not intended for this purpose).Two weeks then the switch went poof.Added heavy duty 12v switch, one week then it started to hum.Installed a Wally World universal push button switch ( $5),at three weeks, operation became erratic. Thought it might be the gauge of the wire so I went with 10 gauge wire ($3) and added a Ford starter relay ($6) using the extension cord (requesitioned from girlfriends' spare tv)as the gate voltage at the S terminal, positive battery terminal and starter wired to the main lugs. It works beautiful so far and yes I know you can't do this to your pride and joy, but if its sunday and you got to drive to work, this can be done in two hours with no holes and the duck tape comes right off when you get your next check.
Remember,We're all in this together.