I'm sure I should of did a search before I posted but you know i'm having the worst day, so i'm gonna post anyways. I have a 91, 5spd, V6. BRAND NEW ENGINE, BRAND NEW STARTER. ( yes I put the v6 back in, don't ask why). The car started fine this morning as I was going to leave for work. I got one block from my house and realized I needed to pick up something from a buddys house. So I get to his house and turn the car off and get what I needed and try to start the car. NOTHING. No starter noise what so ever. My battery is fine, as the radio still plays and dash lights light up when I turn them on. The head lights still work and arn't dim at all.The security light stays on till the engine starts but that's normal. Tried to jump start it, didn't work. Tried to push start it by my self, didn't work,maybe I need two people to get the car movin faster? I have the VATS system ( but doesn't every camaro?), and an aftermarket alarm with a kill switch. I'm gonna try to replace the kill switch relay, see if that does anything. The other thing I was gonna try to replace the neutral safty switch thingy, see if that will do anything either. Do you guys have any other suggestions as to what might be causing it not to start.

Sorry for being such a grouch but I missed work, The first day of College classes, and im broke. But luckly I have a spare Nuetral Safty switch and Kill switch relay.

 

im pretty sure manuals don't have a neutral saftey switch.

they DO have a switch that only engauges the starter when the clutch pedal is depressed. it is a white plastic looking assembly directly over the clutch pedal.

you can cut the wires going to it, and splice them together, and see if that helps.

but if its a manual car, get a friend to push the car, and you sit in the car, put it in 1st of 2nd gear, hold the clutch in, pop the clutch out and mash the gas.

if it won't push start, your engine isn't getting fuel, or spark. so you should start eliminating those components as problems.

 

I had the same thing happen to me. It was the aftermarket alarm, I had to arm it and then disarm it, then it started.

 

Your problem is most likely VATS or your aftermarket alarm.
Oh, and manuals do have a neutral safety switch... its by the clutch pedal... if you don't depress the clutch your starter wont engauge

 

I"ve had that problem with the aftermarket alarm before. Had to arm and disarm it before. BUT Not this time. Since I have to rip out the underdash to get to the safty switch or the kill switch relay, i'm gonna try to replace both. My steering column is under warranty, somebody broke into my car and tried to steal it so I had to replace the column. I took it to a mechanic who put it all together, he said if anything went wrong in the column, he would warranty it. And he did mean ANYTHING. VATS included. So if it's not the Kill switch relay or the Neutral Safty Switch, then i'll take it back to him. Once I find out what it is then i'll post and let you guys know. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

ok, i just went out and tested this to make sure before i posted. my ignition lock is wore out on my car, so some times it wont start due to the contacts not making a good connection on the key. when you put the key in the lock and turn it to the run position, the security light comes on and stays on for a few seconds then goes out. if it goes out, the vats is not disabling the starter, and it should start. if the security light stays on, then the vats should have the starter disabled. i tried mine repeatedly utill i got it to get a bad connection. light stays on, no start. light comes on but goes out, start. if the light stays on, remove the key from the lock, wait 4-5 minutes, then try again. you MUST wait as the vats keeps the starter disabled for that amount of time. hope this helps, even if its only to rule out your vats.

 

Well the mechanic told me to take a big thick purple wire towards the fire wall on the driver side, put a pin in it just to touch the wire inside, and run it to the positive on the battery and it will give power to the starter. I've seen him do it before but forgot about it. Well I did that, and I got further than before but still won't start. Now my starter kicks in, engine cranks, but still won't turn over and start. So I get back in the car and try the key again. NOTHING. So I try the purple wire again. Starter kicks in, engine cranks, but still won't trun over. It's almost like it's not getting gas or something.

 

can u hear your fuel pump prime when u turn they key to the "on" posistion? check your fuses and if they're good, check your pressure...

 

I can hear the whine when I turn it on. The SECURITY light stays on and it never used to. I took the car to a mechanic and he said it is the VATS system. He did some testing and said i had an open circuit somewhere. He said basically it's not seeing the key in the tumbler. So the car is thinking it's getting stolen. He also told me that early VATS systems cut power off to the starter and cut fuel off to the injectors. Which would explain why I couldn't jump start it, or push start it, and why my starter wouldn't kick in at all. It makes sence to me. What do you guys think?

 

Clean your ignition key pellet, then use a cotton swab wet with alcohol to clean the contacts in the lock cylinder. Use caution to avoid bending the key contacts, or you'll never get it to start again without replacing the lock cylinder.

If you don't have alcohol, you can fold a piece of paper over pellet on the key, insert the key and remove it, and inspect the paper for dirt. Flip or move the paper to expose a clean spot, and insert/remove the key again. Do this a half dozen times to clean the contacts, then try the key again.

 

It ended up being one of the wires on the tumbler. One came loose and tirggered the VATS. You know it sucks that I have to put money into it to fix this problem. But on the same note, I tried to push start that car, tried jumping the car, tried the big fat purple wire under the hood on the driver side towards the back, I tried jumping that straight to the battery. The starter kicked in and engine TRIED to start but got nothing. So if the VATS system does all this, then why are they so easy to steal???????

 

theres a tech artical that tells you how to bypass the system. i havent heard anyone mention it to you yet. would this not solve his problem? sure as hell cheaper than replacing the lock. and you can for sure DIY.

 

same thing happend to me. turned out to be the clutch switch. bypass it, its cheaper

 

so it did end up being the VATS system. There is two wires that lead the the tumbler. One wire broke. I wanted to keep the VATS system so I got a new tumbler. I needed one anyways cause my key would fall out sometimes, while driving. Plus I needed a spare. So I got two new keys and a new tumbler. My key doesn't fall out anymore, I have a spare now, even though it was a little expensive, I still got the new tumbler and two new keys.

 

If you still have the old lock cylinder and there is enough wire showing, you could splice it back together and have a spare. Several board members have done that to fix the problem and it's cheap.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!