A while back I had another thread on this problem. My Camaro all of a sudden only turns over (starts) sometimes. I turn the key and nothing happens, I wait an hour and try again and then it starts. It happens in the mornings cold and when its warm. Turn the key over and over and nothing, wait and try again and nothing, then all of a sudden it start..I got reccommendation that it may be my starter/selenoid. I just spend 125 dollars and 3 hours of work replacing the starter with a new one, and also replace the battery. It still does the same thing. Before the installation we tested both old and new starter and they worked fine. WHAT Else can it be? It's furstrating and embarassing taking your nice clean Camaro out and afraid to turn it off because it may not start. Any suggestion will be highly appreciated .

 

this will sound wierd.. but i had the same problem a few years back.. turned out to be the ignition coil.. No idea why.. but like you said.. sometimes it starts fine. other times nothing at all....So you might want to have the coil tested. Just throwing out an idea

 

I am still not clear as to what your car is doing. When you say turns over (starts) sometimes, do you mean that the starter engages only sometimes or that the starter always engages but the engine doesn't always start? Clearing this up may help get others involved.
If the engine doesn't turn over then you need to check the soleniod for 12 volts when you turn the key. Do you have power? Then you need to check your main power line that runs from the battery to the starter. Then you need to check for ground. Do you have a good ground? When checking for ground touch your volt meter to a hot source then ground it to your starter. What do the volts read? If low then ground to chassis, now what do your volts read? This is an easy way to check the chassis to engine ground. If you have power and ground then the starter must operate.
Intermittent problems are very frustrating and sometimes difficult to fix. Good Luck

 

I mean the starter does not engage at all, you turn the key and not even a sound. When it does engage it starts without a problem even if the car has been sitting for weeks. Bad ground could be a possibility since this Camaro is 16 years old and I drive it only 2 to 3 thousand mile a Year. So it sits in the garage most of the time (still looks new by the way) As I mention the starter is new , battery is new. I wondering if the ignition switch could be bad,. Or is there anything else in between the turning of the key to the starter? Either way I will check out all suggestions, Thanks

 

Does your security light stay on while turning the key? May be a vats problem...not sure if VATS disables the starter circuit or just cuts fuel.. maybe someone else can clarify..

 

If you suspect that the soleniod is not getting power from the key then you should check it for volts. If it has close to twelve volts at the little wire going to the soleniod when turning the key then its good(cant remember the color of the wire). When checking this make sure you have a good ground for your volt meter(like the battery or chassis). If you don't have a volt meter another way to check would be to use a couple of screw drivers and jump the soleniod. If the engine cranks when you do this then the problem is most likely signal coming from the key to the soleniod. If the engine does not crank when you do this then the problem is most likely in the positive line going to the starter or in its ground(it grounds to the block which grounds to the chassis which goes to the battery). If you decide to jump the soleniod be very careful not to ground it(dont touch any metal with your screw drivers or wrench) and watch your hands and eyes. I think I stated everything clearly. I do not know you or your knowledge on automobiles this is why I tried writing everything as simply as possible. I do not recommend testing this the second way but thought I would mention it in case you dont have a volt meter. I am usually broke so sometimes I have to do a job without the right tools. Anyway let us know what you find

 

I'm pretty sure it does disable the starter.

 

look at your key and make sure that the little metal contact that goes across the resister is intact on both sides. Also when you do crank the car and nothing happens check and see if you have 12volts going to the signal side of the starter.

 

Hey Tony, I'm having a similar issue with my Camaro, I know it's not the starter or batter, both are new, did you ever come up with a solution?