i bought a TPI system from an 88 GTA to put in my 88 camaro. apparently the GTA had the VATS system and my camaro doesnt thus the car wont start. is there a way to bypass this or make it work? i would rather not replace the ignition but if thats easier/cheaper then getting a new harness and ECU then ill go that way

thanks in advance

mike

 

Mike,
Unless you have taken the computer and chip from the 88 gta and put it in the camaro, there is no reason that the engine shouldn't work.

 

yea i switched the computer and chip to that from the GTA also....guess i shoulda held on to that

so i guess i should get a computer for an 88 305 tpi auto...what is the service number i should look for? would that work with my 88 GTA harness thats in the car, also would it matter that the TPI system is off a 350 car?

thanks alot guys

 

Mike,
Since you swapped out the computer, chip, & from your comment, I would assume you also swapped out the wiring harness. If you did that, then you should have also put the starter enable relay and the VATS control module in the car. Again, assuming that you included these items you should only need to swap out the ignition lock cylinder and key to make it work.
BTW, the part number for the computer is 1227165.

 

I may be waaaay off the mark here (being the novice.... trickster is the vet) but isn't there a way to 'fool' the VATS system w/o changing your ignition? If you have access to the donor car's key, and you take an OHMs reading from the chip in the key, can't you wire a resistor inline with the VATS control relay? i think.. its an orange wire under your dash... anyways then it always thinks you have the correct key in your ignition?

am i sort of on? eh? maybe i should have just been quiet

goodluck - im little help

 

Along the lines of what EmoDork138 has mentioned, you can wire a resistor in-line with the VATS control module. You can also do like the previous owner of my car. He was either too lazy or stupid to replace the VATS lock cylinder on the steering column. So what he did was take a VATS lock cylinder and a blank un-cut key with the correct code. He connected the lock cylinder to the VATS control module, put the key in the cylinder, wrapped the wires around it, wrapped about a roll of electrical tape around it and then stuffed it above the fuse panel under the dash.

 

heh - ugly...

my car is a wiring mess from the previous owner.. keeps giving me 'fun' projects

 

okwell heres the deal...my mechanic says theres no way that the system came off an 88 cuz there was no VATS in an Fbody that year...i need to find out exactly what year it then came off of. is it true that there was no VATS in 88, even on GTA's? hes checked all the 88 wiring diagrams and cant find anything haveing to do with VATS

 

I think you need to go back to your mechanic and tell him he is full of it. The 1988 firebirds (not all models) came with VATS, I have the service manual with the VATS schematics and have spoken to numerous GM mechanics and dealers about this and they have all told me the same thing. Pontiac put VATS in their high end third gen cars. Chevrolet did not do this until 1989 in the camaros.

 

I am somewhat in the same boat but am using a painless kit.
I switching to tpi and repaced the ecm but what chip can i use that will work with my 91 vats column.The tpi system is pre 90
maf setup.

 

You can use the 1989 computer set up since you are using the MAF instead of the MAP system which came out in 1990 for the TPI's

 

which service manual is it in? ill go pick one up tomarrow and bring it over there.. hes using my camaro one now so thats no good ill get the firebird one

 

On my 90 fbird I HAD VATS all I did was take the VATS module out of the car (mine was under the left kick panel) and throw it as far as I could. Then I butted the wires together, done. the ECM does not read the key the VATS module does.

 

It is in the 1988 GM firebird service manual from Helms. It is in section 8A-133 of the wiring section just like in the camaros.

 

couldnt find a helms at any of my local ***** shops...ex pep boys, autozone......

anybody remember off the top of there head what color the wire is that goes into the ECM that controls the VATS signal?

 

Yes, on the 1988 firebird the wire was purple going from pin "A2" of the VATS control module through pin "L" of connector C207 to pin "B6" of the ECM. BTW, you won't find any of the Helms manuals at any of the auto parts stores. They only carry Haynes or Chiltons. If you want a Helms manual you can either order one from Helms directly on browse E-bay like I did and pick one up cheap. Mine was only $8.00 plus $6.00 shipping. If you go to a pontiac dealership and ask the service manager very politely, he might let you look at one of their manuals if one is available.

 

thanks so much lol, ill bring this info down to the shop tomarrow and see what it gets me

 

Iam having the same problem , mine is a 1992 Z28 5.7 auto , 145 dash , I was under there looking for a two yellow wires , thats what the article in TGO said , but there are a series of yellow wires that have attachments saying warning , air bag stuff , but there is one yellow wire in a blue connector going into column , but there are at least three other wires in the connector with it , I dont know much about schematics and wiring but could someone show me a picture or point me in the right direction of the wire ??

 

The two wires that you are looking for will either be white in an orange wrap or yellow in a black wrap. They will connect to a connector with black/white & purple/yellow wires normally. If I remember correctly the later years used only the white wires in the orange wrap so people wouldn't confuse them with the airbag wires.

 

Thanks , I actually figured the stuff out earlier today , but thanks for the info , it lets me know that I definately have the right wires , but I have one more question , I know that I have to use a resistor but do I use one for each wire or hook it up somehow for both or what Iam unsure??

 

Also how far off can the resistor be from the reading on the key ??

 

You jumper the wires with the resistor and you can have about 5% tolerance on each side of the actual keys value.

 

Sorry Iam alittle confused , you said jumper the wires with the resistor , sorry Iam like one of those newbies that needs everything explained , Iam totally new to doing all the stuff on my own.

 

Sorry about that, it means to connect the two wires (white/black & purple/white) with the resistor. One wire to each prong.

 

Thanks for all your help man , I think I will be ready to go by the end of tommorrow , I hope the problem will continue to be intermittent and not permanent at least until I get home from work.