Hey guys,

First time posting... long time lurkin...anywho...

I recently got my 91 RS off my bro inlaw and he had issues with it starting... you would turn the key and hear it click but no start, you had to do it a few times before it actually cranked over and started the car....

A couple of days ago it finally gave out and no matter how many times i turn the key, it wont turn on... you cant even hear the click...

I took the starter to Autozone and it tested bad so I picked one up from the salvage yard to replace it (Tested GOOD) thinking it was gonna solve my problem, but it didn't.

Battery is good (Even tried Jumping it)
Starter is "good"
VATS is "OK" (Security light turns off after a couple of sec)

What should I look for now??? I had this similar issue when I had a 92 Z28, but it would only do it after I drove it for a while unfortunatly the guy I bought it from took it to his mechanic so I never found out what it was that he fixed.

Hope I can take care of this SOON as its the DD the wifey uses. Thanks in advance for your help.





PS sorry for the long post... oh and I did but most of the articles I read pointed towards the starter or the VATS system, which I don't think are the issue in my case.

 

Sure it was the starter clicking and not the starter relay in the kick panel?
If the relay is faulty it won't pass power to the starter solenoid
Relay location shown in bottom of this link
https://www.thirdgen.org/vats_passkey_system

If it was the starter solenoid clicking and you now have a new starter then that would indicate you are not
getting full 12V there ( purple wire );
bad wiring from Ign switch to the starter , possibly even worn contacts in the Ign switch
Put a DVM on the starter wiring starting at the Ign switch and working through to the solenoid terminal

 

Thanks for the reply.

I'll check the relay... I don't have a DVM though... Where is the starter solenoid located?

How possible is it that I have a faulty neutral safety switch? I have tried turning it on in neutral and it won't start either.

 

Starter solenoid is the round thing on top of starter motor that your main batt cable connect to

 

Very possible, that is also part of the stater wiring from the key to starter that needs checking
Typical GM starter circuit shown below, your actual colors may differ

 

So now I get a buzzing sound and I narrowed it down to a relay by the drvside kick panel and messing with the wiring (gently tugging) I got it to turn on a few times, bad relay? If so what is it called cause I looked for "starter interrupt relay" on AutozoneDOTcom and couldn't find it, but one for the radio is identical.

I'll post pics if needed but I'm sure you know what relay I'm talking about. Does this relay just go bad? Or should I look for something else causing the relay to fail?

 

Did you read the VATS system link I posted for you above?

Any relay can go bad in it's old age. ,
some like yours appear to be won't pass current when the relay closes , some lock in the on position and some plan just don't work at all

You don't even need the relay , can just join the two thicker wires @ the relay together and the relay is bypassed ( also a means of proving if the relay is your only circuit problem )

 

Yeah but I didn't think it had anything to do with VATS... Now I'm not sure, I think its a wiring problem which I know NOTHING about.

****Update****

So according to Autozone the relay is the Anti-theft Relay and upon replacing it the car STILL has the start issue!!! What's irritating me is that with gentle tugs of the wire harness I can get it to start otherwise the relay just buzzes.

Another discovery I made was that there's a rats nest of wires because an aftermarket alarm was installed and there's a double orange wire just cut and hanging there. I suspect it's the VATS wire that was cut bypassing it with the alarm?

 

So you have a bad connection on the relay plug ; just bypass the relay altogether like I suggested above
( VATS will still work by cutting off the fuel so your car is still safe from theft)

Wouldn't work .
VATS still has to give the fuel enable signal to the computer regardless what the alarm does

 

So I bypassed the relay (took off the relay and put a piece of wire connecting the 2 thicker wires... Still Nothing. I then placed the relay back on and put the wire to the 2 wires through the back of where the relay goes and nothing either.

When I said wire harness I meant the one comming in from the firewall, no the one to the relay.... Sorry if I confused you.

 

you really should get a multimeter if you gonna test electrical, its 20$ for a decent one at autozone. then you can have a buddy crank the key and see if you are getting 12v at the starter solenoid. IMO testing wiring without a multimeter is kinda pointless. If you are getting power at the starter you know the starter is bad. If not trace the problem back untill you can find the spot where the power stops. Also check your grounds, make sure you have a ground going from the motor to the body/frame, and also from the battery to the body/frame.

 

Yeah I'm gonna have to get one... Thanks for the help guys.

I'll keep you posted.