I bought this car a year ago from a friend whose dad moves cars all the time. I never had any trouble at all from it. I was looking up under the driver side and there was this box. It says "Goodwrench Vehicle Security system" or something on it and looks quite OEM. Its 6inches by 5inches x 1/2 inch or so, and has several wires with connectors, and the color of the wires printed on the PCB that sticks out. Like "Black, Orange, Blk/whi, yel/red, yellow, purple. There are also several spots to the side of those to plug it a connector. a 6 pin, two or three 3 pin and a 4pin. On my car only the 6 pin and the second three pin were connected. Black, orange, blk/whi, yel/red, yellow were also connected, but no purple.

On closer inspection, black and yellow seemed to have been cut off, leaving only orange, blk/whi, and yel/red actually connected. The 2nd 3 pin connector is wired to a pushbutton switch thats under the dash, and some of the wires from the 6-pin connection are wired to a toggle switch.

I've messed with the toggle switch and the push button repeatedly with no apparent affect.

The problem now is: I unplugged this "mystery box" and tried to start the car. I thought it was an old disabled alarm, but I suppose it might have been part of the VATS system.

I unplugged the box completely, and started the car normally. "woohoo!" I think. I turn it off, removed the key, and reinsert to try to start again. Nothing happens. Security light is now off. no starter crank or click from the solenoid. Everything else is normal, fuel pump heard, electrics work, just no starter crank. I hook it back up, thinking this would fix it, but no. Same issue. I wait 10 minutes, try again, same problem. I disconnect negative side of battery for 10 minutes, reconnect and same problem. The box is now hooked up exactly as it was. I fiddled with the switch and the button to no avail. Same issue.

I'm at a loss. Has anybody seen my "mystery box?" If so what is it for, and how can I fix my no-start problem?

 

I've never seen such a device on a factory wiring harness. You may want to contact a dealership service department for information and details.

 

What year is your car?

 

This car is a 1989 2.8L V6. I have yet to find any further information other than it appears it might be a factory alarm. Perhaps by disconnecting it, I have tripped the starter disable and now need the keythingy to disarm it? I have absolutely no idea how to go about resetting it other than unhooking it. Has anyone seen a GM factory alarm that looks like this?

 

Picture of the "mystery box"

OK heres a link to a pic of the "mystery box". This appears to be a "Goodwrench" alarm system installed at the dealer. The way this thing is hooked up is with all kinds of spliced wires, and like I said earlier, just a few of these are hooked up. I do believe I need to get it hooked up correctly, and somehow reset the thing.

Any ideas or resources?

 

Ide have to say jus pull all that grap out an bypass the vats system.

 

it might be a remote starter or aftermarket alarm desiques to look OEM. i think i see an antenna in your pic.

 

Ya now what I found a little black box under my drivers side jus like the one in the pick. But i haveent seen the outher big box, Ill take a look latter.

 

Ha! upon even closer inspection I figured out what this was. It does indeed appear to be an aftermarket alarm. The only wires hooked up were the toggle switch, the push switch (which had nothing to do with the cars electrics), +12V, GND, and two small gauge wires going somewhere up into the dash. One side of this is grounded the other side is hooked into the ignition. Now maybe when I unplugged it all the first time, a couple wires came out, but I doubt it. I don't think the box actually did anything but suck power.

I solved my problem easily enough tho. I found out the VATS wires going from the ignition switch to the harness have a complete short in them. Not sure when or how, but who knows. I found a relatively beefy potentiometer, and got it set exactly to my key's resistor value, wired it in, security light came on for a second, shut off, and the car started right up. I secured it with the ultimate tool... DUCT TAPE!

Will work well enough till I get a new cylinder from somewhere.

 

a potentometer, ill have to remember that one