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Some days car starts, some days wont even turn over

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Old 07-07-2004, 04:12 PM
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Car: '89 RS
Engine: 9C1 w/ TPI
Transmission: rebuilt 700R4
Some days car starts, some days wont even turn over

Car has a remote start solenoid. I thought that was the problem and replaced it, but it wasnt.

Here's the problem...some days I'll go out to start the car, and it fires right up. I'll go to fire it up a day or so later, and it wont even turn over, i hear no click, nothing. Everything gets power, gauges fuel pump and all. Battery fully charged. I've checked all the connections, but any idea which wire would cause it to go from start to not turning over? Thanks
Old 07-07-2004, 04:15 PM
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Car: 85 Monte Carlo SS...
Engine: T.P.I L98.
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 3:73 Posi
Sounds like a VATS issue to me. Vehicle Anti Theft System. Either the Key is shot, or maybe even the ignition switch itself. Check to see the resistance on the chip in you key.
Old 07-07-2004, 09:34 PM
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Car: '89 RS
Engine: 9C1 w/ TPI
Transmission: rebuilt 700R4
The car was orignally a 305TBI, now its a 350TPI w/ a wiring harness from an '88 IROC....because I did the swap, the VATS shouldn't work anyways should it? The SES light comes on and turns off as I turn the key, like normal. How can I check it?
Old 07-07-2004, 10:21 PM
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Car: 86 Corvette, 89 IROC, 1999 TA
Engine: 350, 350, LS1
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.07, 373, 4.10
could also be a problem with the neutral saftey switch, have you tried moving the shifter around when it doesn't start?
Old 07-07-2004, 10:47 PM
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by ir0cz
The car was orignally a 305TBI, now its a 350TPI w/ a wiring harness from an '88 IROC....because I did the swap, the VATS shouldn't work anyways should it? The SES light comes on and turns off as I turn the key, like normal. How can I check it?
Well unless you swapped out computers with one that doesn't have VAT's, it is still very much functional and probably doesn't like the remote starter set-up you have. Did this problem start after you installed the remote starter? BTW, it's not the SES light that you should look for when starting. It's the security light to the left of the SES light.
Old 07-08-2004, 11:52 AM
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Car: '89 RS
Engine: 9C1 w/ TPI
Transmission: rebuilt 700R4
I tried moving the shifter around, nothing. I did have to replace the shifter cable not too long ago, maybe I screwed something up then?

My bad, i meant to say that the security light is acting normal. This problem didn't start till a good while after I set up the remote solenoid. Did the '88 IROC have VATS? I knew the answer to this when I put the set up in over 2 years ago, but I dont remember.
Old 07-08-2004, 12:09 PM
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Yes, some of the late production high end cars like the Iroc got the VATS in 88. It became a standard thing in 89 for it. If you have the security light and the pelllet in the key you have VATS
Old 07-08-2004, 05:25 PM
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Car: '89 RS
Engine: 9C1 w/ TPI
Transmission: rebuilt 700R4
Originally posted by Trickster
Yes, some of the late production high end cars like the Iroc got the VATS in 88. It became a standard thing in 89 for it. If you have the security light and the pelllet in the key you have VATS
I'm using the same key from my '89 set up...that's why I thought my 88 computer might not have VATS, because it's working w/ a key that is made for another computer.
Old 07-08-2004, 05:34 PM
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
It's not the computer that controls the VAT's, it is the VAT's control module located under the dash on the driver side firewall underneath the defroster vents. So unless you swapped out all the wiring under the dash, the VATS control module and starter enable relay are still there. Now when you say a different computer, do you mean the whole computer or just the MEM-CAL?
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