Hey Everyone,
My Firebird is having intermittent starting issues. I replaced the starter thinking that was the issue and it is not. When it does decide to start it starts right up and runs strong. However; the car will only start once in a great while at random. When I turn the key over the fuel pump kicks on and the lights even flash on the dash like normal when I go to start it up but there is no sound or engaging of the starter whatsoever. Its just dead. Any idea on what this could be? (p.s. its definitely not the starter,battery or fuel pump)

Thanks

 

Try this troubleshooting article and let us know what you find:
http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=38

 

That does help. Dumb question...my car is an 88 Formula does it have VATS?

 

The answer to that would be no...as I dont have a "chip" in my key.

 

Is your car an automatic? Try wiggling the shifter, shifting in and out of gear, and also try neutral. I've had the neutral/park sense go bad on other vehicles before.

Edit: Just read that link and realized that was covered, sorry.

 

No thats good info. I will try wiggling the shifter around today. Its strange how it sometimes starts right up...

 

No dumb question, this is actually a smart one.
And as you already figured out on your own, you do not have VATS (Pass-Key). GM added it to all F-bodies in 1989.

So you are very lucky here. Replacing these VATS components gets costly very fast. You might have just a switch or relay problem which are easy to obtain and easy to replace.

 

No worries, this was good advice. I don't believe that I covered that in my tech article (I wrote it a very long time ago). It is better to have more info than less.

Come to think of good ways to try things without having to disassemble the vehicle and measure wires, you could also try to adjust the position of the steering wheel up and down. If that helps with the starting problem, you have a problem in the mechanical linkage to the ignition switch down the steering column (under the dash).

Let us know what you find.
Lou

 

Hey thanks, I will let you know what happens when I fiddle with it today. Also am I correct in saying that since I do not have the Vats system, I also do not have the starter enable relay?

 

Yes, you are correct. If the article mentions it unconditionally, I am sorry. I will amend it.

 

No problem at all Lou thanks for the help. So basically on my non-Vats car I should be looking at the neutral switch on the automatic shifter and the ignition switch and wires themselves?

 

Yessir. You can follow the cranking power either downstream (from the ignition switch) or upstream from the starter solenoid. Whatever is more convenient for you. Once you find the component that causes the interruption in the cranking power, troubleshoot the component and if broken, replace it.
For your own financial benefit, you want to avoid "fixing" your problem by throwing new parts at it. I hate seeing that.

Let us know what you find.
Lou

 

Delete

 

Sounds like a plan. Once the snow stops here this weekend out comes the electrical tester. Thanks!

 

Hey, I am having somewhat of a similar issue. My car is suited with a B&M mega shifter but it was being a little fidgety and when I went to pick n pull for window regulators, i stumbled across one that looked nearly brand new. I swapped them last night and it was supposed to be like a 5 minute fix, however my car wont think it is in park now and It wont start! I messed around with it for a while but I could not figure out what went wrong. there are four wires that connect to the shifter that tell my car it is in park, however after hooking them up it did not work. I also tried my old shifter and it wouldn't work either. Is there any chance you know how to look for problems on those?

 

this may sound a little crazy but it will only take a few min remove the ashtray and stick your fingers in the hole as far as you can twards the shifter you will feel some wires that go to the nss try wiggling them as you turn the key . I had an 86 that i had to do this with every time i started the car . I never fixed the problem cause i thought it was a cool antitheft devise ........... those or you that have manual trans with the same type of prob. the button that depresses when you step on the clutch may not be traveling far enough. follow the clutch pedal till you find the button push it with your finger as far as you can then turn the key MAKE SURE ITS IN NEUTRAL.

 

Followed the current from ignition to starter and no issues, so it must be the neutral switch. Going to get at it tomorrow...I believe from what I have read on here that you jump the big purple and yellow wires and if it starts then its definitely a dead switch.

 

It was the neutral safety switch. Wiggled the yellow and purple wires and it started right up. Took it apart cleaned it and rebent the copper tabs (so they contact better) and its working every time now. Thanks everyone.

 

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.
It will help somebody in the future if they find your thread in a search.