Ever since my son purchased a 92 Firebird a couple of weeks ago he’s had intermittent problems starting it. Generally the first time you turn the ignition key the starter does not turn. You get indicator lights and power on all systems but the engine doesn’t turn over. Most of the time it would start on the second or third attempt but sometimes you’d have to turn the key as much as a dozen times. Once it wouldn’t start after about 50 attempts but he went back 20 minutes later and it started right up.
However two days ago it wouldn’t start and hasn’t since.
The guy he bought it from said it was the ignition lock and just to spray it with some WD40. We didn’t, but we did spray it with graphite. We then went to the forums here and read a lot. Sounded like a VATS problem.
We saw where some people said you could bypass the VATS by jumping two wires on the Starter Enable Relay. We tried that and it didn’t work but in the process we discovered the relay seems to working as you can hear and feel the relay activate when you turn the key. Am I correct in assuming that the relay would not activate if there was a VATS problem? Even though we didn’t think this was the issue we replaced the relay as it was a nasty looking unit. No change.
Next we jumped out two wires in the Neutral Safety Switch but that made no difference either.
We charged the battery so we don’t believe that’s a problem and there hasn’t been a starting problem otherwise.
One other issue is that the cooling (radiator) fan only works when the air is on. We believe this is a temperature sensor problem. Don’t think it’s related.
Otherwise the car has run well. It’s an automatic that originally had a 305 but it was replaced with a 350 from a later model Chevy truck.
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']What do the smart people here think we ought to do next (besides shooting ourselves)?[/font]

 

I am Having a similar problem, have you tried running a jumper from the yellow wire and the tan/white wire from you start enable relay. If it cranks the it is probably a problem with VAT module or Vat related. Thats were I'm at after 4 days of headaches....

 

Well the a/c problem. I believe that is how they are wired. You have one working on temp and one on ac????
I kno that is how my mom's TA is. My z-28 doesnt have a/c and i have a switch hooked to the one that didnt work.

Now for the ignition problem. I had the same problem. I first changed all my electrical(battery alternator etc.) then i changed my starter solenoid. Which seemed to work/help. But two days ago it did the same thing. I have the bypass key thing. Its where u dont need the chip on the key to start the car. I think that it has o be a very good connection in order for it ot start. Imo

 

Pt. 2 of the starting problem

After two more days of not starting my son goes out puts the charger on the battery and it starts immediately. We let it run for about 20 minutes, turn it off, let it sit for 5 then it starts right up again. He drives the car all afternoon starting it several times with no problems, not even the initial problem with turning the key with no response. It starts every time first hit.

The battery’s a little old so we go out and buy a new battery just in case that was the problem. Again it starts fine several times.

So he starts putting the dash panels back on, cranking it after each part is replaced. After he puts the lower driver side dash panel on it won’t start. Just like at the first – turn the key, lights, power no start. Take off the dash panel check all the wiring everything looks fine but still won’t start.

We get under the car to see if we can jump the solenoid but it won’t. There’s juice at the battery side of the solenoid but if you jump it nothing happens? Starter?

Hey, we’re lost. Can anyone tell us what to do next? How do we check/replace fusible links?

Pt. 1

Ever since my son purchased a 92 Firebird a couple of weeks ago he’s had intermittent problems starting it. Generally the first time you turn the ignition key the starter does not turn. You get indicator lights and power on all systems but the engine doesn’t turn over. Most of the time it would start on the second or third attempt but sometimes you’d have to turn the key as much as a dozen times. Once it wouldn’t start after about 50 attempts but he went back 20 minutes later and it started right up.
However two days ago it wouldn’t start and hasn’t since.
The guy he bought it from said it was the ignition lock and just to spray it with some WD40. We didn’t, but we did spray it with graphite. We then went to the forums here and read a lot. Sounded like a VATS problem.
We saw where some people said you could bypass the VATS by jumping two wires on the Starter Enable Relay. We tried that and it didn’t work but in the process we discovered the relay seems to working as you can hear and feel the relay activate when you turn the key. Am I correct in assuming that the relay would not activate if there was a VATS problem? Even though we didn’t think this was the issue we replaced the relay as it was a nasty looking unit. No change.
Next we jumped out two wires in the Neutral Safety Switch but that made no difference either.
We charged the battery so we don’t believe that’s a problem and there hasn’t been a starting problem otherwise.
One other issue is that the cooling (radiator) fan only works when the air is on. We believe this is a temperature sensor problem. Don’t think it’s related.
Otherwise the car has run well. It’s an automatic that originally had a 305 but it was replaced with a 350 from a later model Chevy truck.
What do the smart people here think we ought to do next (besides shooting ourselves)?