Have an 89 305 TBI. About a week ago, I was driving around, came home shut it off. Maybe a minute later, came back out turned the key and nothing. Had dash lights, etc, but no starter. It acts like what happens when the gear shifter is in gears other than park or neutral. No clicks, nothing. Played with the shifter, still nothing. I tried turning the key at least a dozen times. After about 2 minutes, I turned the key again, the starter cranked fine. Today, the same thing happened, however the car had been off for at least 30 minutes. Also this time, the starter kicked in after two attempts. What are some possibilities I should look into that might be causing this problem? Battery is about a month old. It's only happened twice, but I would like to check into what might be causing this before I get stranded.

 

89,

Welcome aboard!

You probably have a VATS (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) on your car. If you have teh small resistace puck embedded in your ignition key, you have the system. Make sure the VATS light is not on steadily when attempting to crank. Clean the key and ignition lock cylinder with a cotton swap dipped in alcohol. Allow everything to dry for a minute and try again.

Another possibility is wear in the ignition swithc linkage rods and mechanism. If the engien temperature gauge moves to full hot position when attempting to crank, the switch is probably adjusted properly, if not, there might be wear in the linkage. Try tilting the steering column to the lowest position and starting again. The design of the system allows the linkage to move just a bit farther if you do this. If the car starts that way, you need to adjust the switch position a bit.

If the engine still won't crank, try starting in NEUTRAL instead of PARK. If the engine starts, you need to adjust or replace the neutral safety switch in the console. If you have a manual transmission, make sure the clutch safety switch is extending fully when the clutch pedal is depressed.

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Later,
Vader
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"Fear is how I fall, Confusing what is real..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

One thing you may want to consider is that the starter solenoid maybe going bad. It is mounted directly on the starter which happens to be right next to the exhaust pipe. The heat from the exhaust can effect the solenoid and can cause the problem you describe.

To test: When the problem occurs again take a small hammer (or other blunt object) and tap the solenoid (not too hard though). Than try to start the car. If it cranks up the solenoid is probably at fault and needs to be replaced.

Hope this helps!

 

Vader- spectacular stuff. You've been though this a couple or three times obviously.

The "diagnostic tree" in my brain just grew a few new branches.

 

My car is having the exact same symptoms. The temp guage moves to the top when I turn the key but nothing happens... I tried rewiring it so the clutch switch wasn't connected but it still won't do anything. I just replaced the starter and solenoid too (in an attempt to get rid of this problem). I'm pretty much out of ideas. I doubt it's the VATS too because the security light doesn't come on. Anybody have any more ideas?

 

If it is not your VATS then try our neutral safty switch. It is on the shifter unless you have a manual then it is on your pedal assembly.

 

Can a neutral switch do this when it wants?? I have always had this BS, but I just adjusted my switch recently because the car wouldn't start in neutral and it didn't do it yet.

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89 RS

Looking For:
87 IROC-Z28 350 TPI

 

One more thing, if it only does it hot, the starter won't run when too hot to protect itself from damage. There could be something running too hot next to the starter

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Corry Lazarowitz
clazarow@voicenet.com
clazarowitz@hotmail.com
1987 Pontiac Trans AM (GTA?) 350 or is it a 305?! TPI
SLP 1 3/4" headers, 3" cat back (stock cat
MSD ignition.
MSD Blaster SS coil.
3.73 Rear end gears
Accell 8.8 Wires
Bosh +4 Spark Plugs (Don't know if they really help but hell!)
Holley AFPR
Race Built Automatic trans ('vette servo, shift kit, tightly packed clutches)--just needs titanium gears now!
Newly gutted cat (the car gutted it's own cat!)
Hypertech Chip (Just found out I had it! :eek
More soon when funds are avail...

 

89CAM305.
I had the same problem the other day. Stalled car and would not start. Everthing else OK. Push started to get home. Removed starter and found 2 wires had become un-soldered from tab, screwed onto 2 brushes. Fixed, now OK. On reflecting on this I remembered the car was not starting 100% a few days before this happened. It seems the wires were just touching and arcing across and would then crank the starter OK. Am not sure if all this is due to age or heat as I have had sometimes this same heating of the starter problem as many others have. Have just fitted a heat shield to see if this helps. By the way,I have a standard exhaust. Headers would be more prone to this problem.