ok heres the deal. i bought this 92 camaro off a guy and when he got it the lock cylinder was replaced to old stlye. he has the key and to start the car u have to touch the two wires to the chip on key. but ive noticed sometimes this dont work?? i read the ohms on my key. i have a FLUKE 334 digital tester and i cant set it to 20k ohms reading but when i test the key my meter reads 522.4 ohms can anyone tell me what number that would be on the vats key list? or should i go to oreillys auto store and buy the vats bypass module for $25. if i got the module would i not have to worry about the resistors? also is their a diagram to show u how to install the module?

 

522 is going to be #2 resistor on the chart. https://www.thirdgen.org/vats_passkey_system

Just get the resistor and solder it to the two wires you are using with the key. Resistor like $1 at radio shack.

 

oh ok. thanks for that. can i just use the resitor on my key? and how would u go about that? and the bypass box does that just do the same thing as buying the resistors? from what i understand the bypass box would hook inton the two wires that u use for the resisitor?

 

also i called radio shack and they have 1/2 watt resistors. so should i get 2 of the 220 and 1 of the 100 right?

 

Can't use resistor in key - just buy one at radio shack. Well, I guess you could maybe - but just buy one.

This is the other link: https://www.thirdgen.org/vats

The bypass boxes do the same thing, but they also get wired into the ECM - only time folks use them is if they have an issue with their VATS module sending proper signal to the ECM (which you don't). Just buy the $1 resistor and follow those links. Takes maybe 5 minutes.

Wattage doesn't matter - it's the ohms you need. You need to be in the range given in the first link on the chart.

 

ok ill try it tonight. ive got one more question. by my clutch pedal there is a green and purple wire that run to this little box that has a button? im quessing that is my saftey switch? can i just wirenut those two wires together to bypass the switch? i know that has nothing to do with vats i just want it to be bypassed anyway.

 

If you bypass that, then the car will be able to start with it in gear and clutch not pressed - not a good idea - you hit starter when it's in gear and it'll drive away. What if your kid gets in the car, or the neighbors kids - and you accidentally left the key in it? What if you are under the car, and ask your brother, mother, g/f, wife, daddy, baby momma, whomever to start it for you? You'd be run over.

There's no good reason to disable the safety switch, but plenty of good reasons to leave it alone!

 

your right but i belive u would have to be kinda dumb not to rember something that important?? never do i leave my keys in car anyway but i can see your point. my problem is that when i got this car the switch was just hanging there because the original owner was stupid and literaly broke it off so i just wired it together.

anyway i just got back from radioshack and bought a 560ohm 1/2 watt 5% tolerance since my key read 523ohm hooked it up and im good to go now. thanks a ton for the quick help and this site is still number 1 in my book!!!

 

The Bypass box and the resistors 2 completely opposite jobs. Not trying be offensive, just clearing the misinformattion. The resistors basically just take place of the resistor in the key.

The way vats works is when you put youre key in the ignition, the resistor in it completes a circuit. Voltage flows to the VATS module and it reads the amount of resistance offered by the key. If its within the programmed tolerance, it sends a special signal to the ecm. This tells the ecm the correct key is inserted in the column and the ecm allows the injectors to fire and engages the start enable relay to enable the starter to function.

Using the correct resistors in the wiring just tricks the VATS module into thinking the right key is ALWAYS inserted in the column. As you mentioned, this does nothing for people with faulty VATS modules.

The bypass box bypasses (go figure) the entire VATS system by suppling that special signal to the ECM when ignition is on.

 

oh ok thanks travis. the resitor trick worked for me this time but if in the future my module does go bad i can just buy the bypass module and wire it in right? and if a person was to buy that and try to hook it up would i use the two wires im using on the resitor?

 

Yes


No, the bypass is a 3 wire hook up. a 12v switched, a ground, and a signal. the 12v switched gets wired to a hot with key only power supply and the signal wire gets wired to the VATS signal wire on the ECM connector.

A cool option you can do to retain some form of anti theft, is wire the bypass box up to a hidden toggle switch somewhere. that way it only sends the signal to the ecm when that switch is on.

 

ok. i can run the power wire no problem. i can ground it no problem. and as for the signal wire u say goes to the ECM? is that the box behind the passenger kick panel? and which wire (color) am i looking to tap into?

 

ECM is the big silver box under the passanger side dash (its the computer). Youll have to find a pinout for that ECM connector for your year (they change slightly between some years). It should be labeled something like VATS enable or something. It will be the only VATS labeled wire.

 

IF you ever need to buy a complete bypass unit, it will come with instructions. Since the resistor worked, why worry about it now. The resistor isn't a temp fix, my 1997 Z28 has had the resistor in it for 3+ years now with no issue.

 

im not real worried about it now. but like i said... for future use if my module ever goes bad?

 

was lookin for the best place to get bypass module please help gettin frustrated

 

http://www.bakerelectronix.com/products_vats/

http://www.fieroaddiction.com/passkey.html