I have a '91 Z28 with a 5.7 TPI. A strange thing has happenned. All of a sudden my car won't start. When I turn the key I only hear a faint clicking sound that seems to be coming from behind the kickpanel on the driver's side. My battery is fine, and the car did not give me any previous hints that my starter was on its way. If anyone has any thoughts or ideas, I would greatly appreciate them. Thanks.

 

Last time that happened to me it ended up being the fuel pump, of course this was afte i had filled up the tank, so when the pump was replaced it was a b!tc# to drain the tank first. I hope that it's not that. Check all the fuses? of course the obvious...make sure it's in Park. I am sure you checked that though. Other than that, make sure you have a good ground.

 

You need spark and fuel to make the car run. Check to see if you're getting both.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

13,

The "click" you are hearing may actually be the fuel pump relay on the outside of the firewall. Make sure teh transmission is in NEUTRAL or PARK, or make sure he clutch safety switch is closing if you have a manual.

Does the VATS light on the dash turn on or flash?

Do you have any error codes?

Is the battery fully charged? Connections clean and tight? Do the headlights operate?

I know I'm asking a lot more questions than I'm answering, but it's all important.

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Later,
Vader
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"Make Me Bad"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

 

The battery and the connections to it are fine. I checked. The clicking I am hearing is the fuel pump relay, as Vader mentioned.
The headlights and all accesories work. The fuses are fine. The Vats light comes on and goes off, I don't believe it flashes. There are no codes. I tried starting in neutral and in the other gears. I tried tilting the wheel and starting. Nothing works. The car does not crank. Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

There is one thing you might want to try if it doesn't even crank and if your car is equipped with a "Passkey"(the key with the chip in it)security system. If you have a spare key try it, your old one may be bad.

 

Try "jiggling" your key in the ignition. If you have NEVER replaced the VATS system, it is a likely culprit. With the VATS, it is often between the key and the ignition. I use to have to "jiggle" my key in the ignition to make it work, until I had it fixed.

 

13,

If you can get under the vehicle, try briefly jumping the positive battery terminal on the starter (the large stud on the top of the solenoid) to the "S" terminal on the starter solenoid. Use a small piece of insulated wire stripped back slightly at the ends. The starter should engage and crank.

Be extremely careful not to short the battery terminal to ground!

If the starter operates, you've eliminated that possibility and can move back to the switches, VATS, and wiring system. If the starter doesn't operate, you might as well remove it since you're already under there - it's FUBAR.

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Later,
Vader
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"Make Me Bad"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0