Sometimes when working on the IROC, it may take a few tries to get it started. If it takes more than 5 or so, it is like the security system kicks us out from the motor even trying to turn over. We have to wait 5-10 minutes and it'll try for us again. What causes this, and can this be stopped?

 

Long slow cranks, fast cranking with no starting, rough starts, what exactly is it doing?

Do you have spark/fuel when it has these episodes?

 

I believe it is long slow cranks. It may just be that there were issues with the car so hopefully I won't run into it again.

 

any cranking at all leads to something other than a VATS issue, unless the start enable relay has been bypassed.

 

Ill let my car sit in the parkinglot while im in school and it wont start when i get to it at the end of the day. but then i hook up a battery starter, and it fires right up. What i dont understand is, that it'll sit all night and start up like a champ. We have replaced the battery, starter, ignition control module, ignition cylander, battery wires, spark plugs, soon the wires too. we also checked for any draws. Any ideas?

 

when it doesnt start, is the security light in the dash lit solid?

 

Nope. we thought the V.A.T.S. system was locking us out for 15 minutes every time but it would crank too slow to start the car and we had fuel pressure so that wasn't the case. it's intermittent crank no start. the car will work perfectly in every way for about a week and then it wont start. i hook it up to a battery charger and then the whole process starts over.

 

Have you checked the alternator? Sounds like your battery isnt being fully cahrged.

 

Yep. The alternator is good. The starter was drawing 400 amps and that starter eventually went bad so it has a brand new starter. so now it isn't drawing anymore but that didn't solve the problem. we checked for other draws and there aren't any.

 

For a draw test, I assume you have connected an ampmeter between one battery post and the disconnected battery cable with the key off. Look for any more than .2 amps draw, assuming you have an aftermarket stereo. You say your alternator is okay but have you tested its voltage and amp output on the car while running all your lights and accessories? You may have a wiring or fuse issue that causes it not to work on the car even though it tests okay on the bench.

Your battery, even if it is new may have a bad cell that prevents it from maintaining a charge. I see it often with certain major chain store batteries. If you have performed the draw test as detailed above and checked the alt output on the car, you may just need to try a different battery. If the car starts well for days after the battery is charged then one day wont start, and you've verified no excessive draw and a healthy start/charge system, you have to suspect the battery.

 

Our next step was the battery. we originally changed the battery when the problem first started. What we are starting to think is that the battery we got was junk. but yeah we would check the alternator with everything on. Im going to change the battery this week, as well as put a fuel pressure gauge on there to see if the fuel pump is giving off enough pressure because it does prime, but we just want to be sure.