I HAVE AN 89 RS W/ 305 TBI. THERE IS NO FUEL BEING RELEASED BY THE INJECTORS. WHEN I PRIME THE TBI AND PLAY W/THE THROTTLE THEY WILL WORK HOWEVER ONLY WHEN THE THROTTLE IS MOVING. THE TBI GETS NO FUEL WHEN TRYING TO START AND WILL NOT MANTAIN IT IF I GET IT STARTED.
I HAVE HAD THE COMPUTER SCANNED ALL WAS OK A CODE CAME UP FOR THE SECURITY SYSTEM.ON SELF SCAN CODE 53. I HAVE HAD THE FEUL PUMP CHECKED OK. I HAVE REPLACED THE IAC, TPS,COMPLETE ENGINE HARNESS, DIST. BRAIN, PLUGS WIRES ETC. THE DIST IS CORRECT AS WELL AS THE FIRING ORDER. THE ENGINE STARTED ONCE AND HAS NOT STARTED AGAIN. MY WIFE IS GETTING VERY UPSET, PLEASE HELP.

 

Hello 4Monkeys,

Welcome to the board. The problem you are having is that there is a problem with the Vehicle Anti-Theft (VATS) System in your car. When it malfunctions, both the starter and fuel injectors will not work. That is what the code 53 means. You have one of the following things that could cause this. A broken wire on the ignition lock cylinder wire harness, worn contacts on the key, or worn contacts in the lock cylinder. If you do not have a pellet in the key, that means that someone tried to bypass the VATS at some point and did not do a very good job of it.

P.S. When posting on the board, please turn the caps off. It is considered shouting and is very impolite.

 

Is there anyway to bypass the VATS system. Someone replaced the tummbler and key with a standard key.

 

It seems that someone has already tried that and as I mentioned in my first post, they didn't do a very good job of it. Look under the dash for a connector with a black/white wire and a purple/yellow wire. When you find it, see if there is anything stuck in the connector or spliced to the wires.

 

the two wires are spliced together. they had made the car to run carburated and failed. so i picked it up cheap, and have been paying eversense. should i replace the key and tummbler? or is there another way? I really appriciate your help.

 

Do you know if the computer is still installed in the car and is connected. It is located under the dash on the passenger side of the car near the door.

 

yes the computer is still there and i have replaced it, the VATS module is also there.

 

probably the cheapest way is you can get a module that bypasses the vats module to the ecm if you don't want to repair it back to factory specs.

 

o.k i have replaced the tummbler and key. i have also tested the resistance to the key it reads one ohm. i have checked all connections aswell as cleared the codes, i followed all guidlines. the car will now do nothing, no click, or start just fustration. does the computer have to be reprogramed or adjusted. is there anyway to test the vats? the key does not have a chip however the tummbler does have the wires. i had them double check and it is correct. what sould my next step be, or sould i push it off a cliff and call it good??!! needless to say i'm very angry and out of ideas, can you please help.

 

Hello 4Monkeys,

Okay, first things first. That new lock cylinder you bought and installed only comes with a brass key that is used as a template to cut the coded key required to operate the VATS system. These coded keys must be purchased seperately and are not included with the lock cylinder. You have indicated in the first post that the car was a 305 TBI and in another post that a previous owner had tried to make it carburated. Did you switch it back to TBI recently? Now you need to find the proper resistance required for the VATS to operate and get the correctly coded key.

 

yes i did switch it back to tbi in order to register it, smog will not check it if it is not stock, i have put everything back to original specs. where can i get a key and how do i find the resistance needed in order to make it work? thank you for all of your help.

 

Well, you can get the keys at the dealership and they might have the resistance code listed by VIN. Not sure how far back they have them listed. You could have the dealership put their handy dandy interogator on it to find the right code. There are 15 different codes for them check and it takes about 5 minutes to test each code until they find the right one. Or you could go to a junkyard and find a car with VATS installed and a key in the cylinder. Take the VATS control module and the key from that car and put that module in your car and have a key cut using the code from the donor key. The module is located beneath the defrost vents on the firewall under the dash at the drivers right knee. This method is cheaper than going through the dealership.

 

i called the dealership and they don't have the key codes they only go backto 1990. to scan it would be spendy.called a locksmith and it wuold run about 260.00. so i think i shall hit the wrecking yards. thank for the info it's been a big help. i'll let you know how it goes.

 

I just got through talking to the parts dept. of my local dealership and they said they go back to 1989. PM me your VIN and I will ask they about it, they did tell me that some models were not recorded but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

that would would be great. my vin#is





THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

 

you are missing one number in your VIN. There should be 17 numbers & letters, you only have 16 listed.

 

sorry here it is



once again thank you.

 

o.k here is the latest i cant get the code from the the dealership. however they can cut the key

 

sorry i was interrupted, they can cut the key however they can't cut the correct one without the original key. this makes no sense to me. if you have any input on this it would be greatly helpful.
thank you.

 

I tried to get it for you man, they could come up with a key code but not the VATS code. They did give me a phone number to call and see if they could help. You will have to give them a call since it is not my car and I would not have the pertinent information that they would require. The phone number is 1-800-CHEVUSA. Another thing that you could try if this fails is to get some resistors from radio shack or a electronics shop and make up a resistor with the correct value so you can get a key made. I have the resistance value codes that I can PM to you if you decide to go this route. Anything on getting one from a junkyard yet?

 

thank you for the number i'll give them a call. there is an auto electrician here that can bypass it with resisters however,i would prefer to not do that since i spent $90.00 on the new tummbler.
any help you can give on finding the resistance with shorting things out would be great. all of the wrecking yards here will not sell the key without the column even thuogh it wont do any good. i did find one in OR. that i used to work at that let me have one if they have it. my cousin is looking on sat. if they dont have one i will have to find the resistance. thanks for all of your help it has saved me money as will as a few choice words and thrown tools.

 

thanks i shall give that a try. i'll update you on progress

 

well i couldn't get it to work. i could have been doing something wrong i waited a little over five minutes on each resistance.so i will have a locksmith come out and do it. thanks for all of your help it has saved me big time.