Sorry if this topic is a bit repetitive, but I along with many others have been struck by the curse of VATS
i would hate to have to buy the programers and all the stuff to go along with it just to burn the vats out of my eprom, so to speak.

What is the easiest way to completely remove the vats system
89 firebird 305 tbi
thank you for any help with my 2500 pound paper weight.

 

88 caprice computer fixed mine i used the prom and all runs fine no problem

 

"Easiest way" in my opinion is to purchase a VATS by-pass module that plugs in place of the original. You lose the pass key security obviously. They were $40ish three years ago.

 

I uplugged mine from the steering collumn and soldered in the correct resistor. You should be able to get one at radio shack for > $1.00. I got mine at work.

Hint:
2 resistors in series = add the values together. ie: 100 + 100 = 200 ohms
2 resistors in parallel = product/sum. ie (100x100)/(100+100) = 50 ohms

 

Vats bypass is easy to do. Most people just cut the 2 wires coming from the the lock cylinder and put a resistor across those 2 wires going to the harness, not the lock cylinder. You have to measure the resistance of the chip on the key to get the right value so you know what resistor to put in. Remember when doing this, all you are doing is bypassing the key, not the whole VATS system. I had a starting problem with my iroc when I first got it 12 years ago. It would start up fine most of the time, but when you shut it off and try to start it again, nothing. Did this alot. I had power everywhere but it would not crank. Let it sit for a while and it would usally crank. Got me stuck sitting around alot ,waiting, and hoping it would crank. I thought that the main start wire coming from the switch was going straight to the starter solinoid. Well It's not. It goes to the VATS module or the VATS relay and they send the 12 volt signal to the starter solinoid. The way I bypassed the whole system was bypass the key with a resistor so my security light would stay out. Get up under the dash and find the main ignition harness. It will have bigger wire in it. I think like 12 gauge wire mixed with smaller gauge wire. Colors to look for are a couple red wires, yellow, brown, I think pink and maybe a purple or orange wire. All of these will be the bigger gauge wire. Find the yellow wire, which is the crank wire and cut it in half. Run a new piece of wire the same gauge to the starter solinoid engage terminal(the smaller one, not the bigger 12 volt terminal) and butt connect the other end to the cut yellow wire at the ignition harness coming from the key, not going to the harness since the harness side is going to the VATS module. I did this to my car and it cranks everytime. The starter solinoid will get a 12 volt signal everytime you turn the key and you dont have to rely on the VATS module to send the 12 volt crank signal.