hello i have an 87 Trans Am
for the past week i've been having a starting problem
but i think it's not the starter,..
here's the story,
last friday as i turn the ignition to the run position everything seemed fine,
but when i started the car...
everything and i mean everything just ceased
i had no accessories working, no hazard lights nothing!..
while i left the key in the run position i checked out the fuses and tested each one to see if the major ones like the IGN/ECM
have any power....absolutely no power..
so i did a quick bypass by using direct 12 volts to the fuse of the IGN/ECM...
sure enough i had all accesories and power directing to the car, i heard the fuel pump kick on, my gauges was working, everything..
so in the heat of the moment (i actually got my car started this way, which in away i actually did burn the fuse and of couse i was drawing alot of current to the fuse, which was a dumb move) but it was at the heat of the moment...
anyways...after looking over my wiring schematics, it surely does look like it's either the ignition switch or the lock cylinder..i know the cylinder i have hard time trying to start the thing from off,plus also it hard to just get ignition to move freely...
i sometimes have to move the steering wheel in order to get the key to move into the run.
Now yesterday while i was driving down coming to an intersection my car completely shut off again and like before there was no power to any accecories, ignition, nothing..
unless i did it myself at the fuse block..
it was a good thing i was on a turning lane instead of one of the middle lanes! esh!
so any advice would be greatly appreciated..

 

If your key cylinder is worn I would replace it. If you don't have VATS it should be no problem, and it's not that hard with it. You'll have to pull the wheel, and it's a good time to check out the blinker switch and replace it if it's worn. You'll need a steering wheel puller and a tool to remove the spring tensioner, but you can get them from any parts store.

[This message has been edited by 91DropTopTA (edited September 09, 2001).]

 

If you're losing total power to the car (like no working headlights or anything), you may want to make sure the battery cables are clean & tight & the battery isn't flopping around. Another spot to check would be making sure the cables at the starter haven't worked themselves loose somehow.

The ignition switch should be on an independant circuit that, even if the switch broke, wouldn't keep other things powered while the car is off from working (like headlights, hazards,,,).

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well here's what i found out eventually,
it ain't the starter, terminals on both positive and negitive are tight..
however, i did run a test light test to the
starter and whala, i just alot of dirt and corrision building on the ends..
so cleaned them all up and the car is running
all over again...
however i still should replace that lock cylinder...in the future..