I've got a 1992 Formula 305 TPI with the World Class T5 transmission. I can not get it started. I've been trying for the better part of a week or two at this point to do so. The thing used to run and start fine, but I had suspected the starter was going bad as it would have issues turning over. So I replaced the starter with a JEGS mini-starter. This did not resolve my issue. The problem very much seemed like a VATS issue and I started getting a code 46. I tried a new ignition cylinder, keys, etc. and couldn't get it to work. I did not try the resistor bypass and just went for what I thought might be a better solution: The VATS bypass module sold on www.hawksthirdgenparts.com . In short I could not be more wrong.

The directions suck. I went with the dual frequency version and as I didn't know if I needed the 30Hz bypass or not. Turns out I might. In any case the instructions that came with the bypass talk about pin 25, or 30 and pin 55 or 70. This isn't terribly specific and it doesn't seem to match up with the numbering on the ECM's connectors. About the only consistent variable I found was in regard to "E" on the connector going to the BCM. It was almost always listed as being a dark blue wire, but I found one reference to a white wire. Turns out mine is white and black. This actually matches the connector on the end of the wiring that meets the two orange wires from the ignition cylinder in the column. My ECM is #1227730 which according to the VATS FAQ page on Baker Electronix's website requires the 30Hz bypass module. While this all seemed simple enough, it wasn't easy figuring all this out. Here is the WORST part. The LED on the device will stay on solid, flash at a rapid, or slower pace, and sometimes blink in a sequence after the ignition switch is shutoff. The instructions, nor the website tell me what any of that means. I've tried connecting the VATS signal wire to the other areas that are supposed to work and this doesn't seem to work.

I believe I have the damned thing installed correctly, but I still get the dreaded code 46 and the car won't start. Once I got the 30Hz signal wire connected to pin E-10 on the BCM wiring the fuel pump would come on and I'd get a relay clicking in the engine compartment. I believe it to be one of the ones against the firewall. If I have the VATS bypass hooked up any other way, nothing happens just as if I had disconnected the VATS wiring under the column and tried to start the car. What's interesting is that the security light never illuminates if the VATS bypass is hooked up. If I hook up the VATS wiring from the ignition switch with the bypass disconnected the security light will come on for a second and then go out. As I understand it, this is what the system is supposed to do. I've even tried a second VATS ignition cylinder and key to start the car, and the result is the same. So I don't think its that.

I've tried bypassing the starter enable relay which my search results show is accomplished by splicing the green wire and either of the two yellow wires together. I did a bridge between the connectors as I didn't want to cut or splice anything until I was sure what I needed. This has had no change on the car's ability to start. With the VATS bypass module hooked up on the E10 wire of the BCM using the 30Hz signal, the car will act like it wants to try as I said, but the starter does nothing. I do not hear the starter enable relay, nor do I feel it. I've held it in my hand while starting the car. There are relays under the hood that click like I said earlier. I get accessory power as well. The SES light of course illuminates and the dual fans kick on, then off, then on then off in small 2 or 3 second intervals. No additional codes appear in the ECM. Just the code 46 as before.

Now, here is where it gets a little fuzzier. The starter is the JEGS mini-starter. I believe its shimmed and everything properly according to the directions. What I need to know now, is how to wire it up. Like the VATS bypass module, the directions more or less suck. They are easy enough to follow but what I need to know isn't in the directions. Here is the thing, I see tons of searchings referring to a purple wire. I do not have a purple wire. There is the battery cable, a connector with two orange wires on it, and a single connector with a yellowish wire on it. These all came off the old starter. There is a left over "R" terminal switch wire which came off the old starter, which the new starter has no provisions for. The directions for the starter say that in most cases this wire can be eliminated. If it can't then you need JEGS part number 555-10038 which is a diode and wire. What the hell this is supposed to connect to is beyond me. The directions aren't clear about that. I see there is a solenoid terminal with a wire already on it and the bat terminal on the starter. There is a single spade connector which is marked as a switch. What the hell goes to this? What wires do I need? Do I need the damned "R" terminal diode part or is that not for my application? How do I test for voltages on the switch wires or bat. terminal on the starter? Where would I connect the ground of the multimeter to in order to see if I'm even getting power to the starter?

I know about the screw driver trick to jump the starter and frankly most of the time I work alone and I'm not comfortable playing with high voltage when paramedics wouldn't be like to find me before I was dead. Again since I'm alone I could die in the garage and it would be hours before I'd be found. Also I have checked all the fuses and they are all good. The VATS fuse was first on my list and it looks fine.

Many posts on this subject refer to fusible links. One or both of those seem like a likely culprit for this problem. Now, I don't want to see any more wiring diagrams. I've found links to all of those and I don't find those very helpful. Those are only semi-helpful. Call me dense but I need to know where the hell they are on the actual car so I can check them. The schematics don't exactly tell you that. So where are they?

I don't know much about starters, and VATS is semi-new to me. I've never had a vehicle where it became a problem and most of my thirdgens didn't have it. If ever I had a starter problem I replaced it with an OEM unit or one like it. The JEGS mini-starter is nothing like my OEM starter but the reason I got it has to due with the lack of clearance I've got thanks to the exhaust systems. (N10 dual cats) As a result I wanted one I could install or remove without unbolting half the exhaust from the car. I'm tempted to go and get a stock style starter, but again I'd really like to avoid that. Any advice is appreciated.

 

I can say with a mini starter..the basic concept of wiring is the same.the battery wires/fuseible links go to the main terminal with is usually the big lead terminal on the starter. the single thick wire you have..whether its yellow or purple..some cars the starter wire is yellow will go to the small terminal on the starter.my mini starter only had 2 terminals so it was a no brainer to wire up(no offense)

Ill state by saying there is no harm in jumping the contacts to test the starter between the main battery wire and the starter wire as they are connected to the starter itself...it just makes for a lil spark and it loud underneath a car.the starter itself is grounded through the starter bolts so if you have a multimeter..using the bolts is a safe place for ground referrence.

I know this is all very frustrating..ive been there..went through 7 starters in one week on my old 355 and then switched to a mini starter to save my back lol.

by passing vats would have been much easier without using the part you purchased and using a multimeter and the original key and just splice in the resistor thats the same value as your key to the vats wires at the steering coloumn.That would eliminate that issue and allow you to move forward diagnosing the starter.

 

On the old starter - there should have been two connections with wires on them - one larger connector witha nut on it that had several wires connected, and a smaller connector that had just one wire.

Should have the same config on the new starter - one larger connection, one smaller - should connect the wires in the same fashion as they were on the old starter.

Then, can test starter working by applying 12v+ directly from the pos batt term to where the one single wire connects - that will make the starter run, regardless of VATS, ECM, or anything else - now you know the starter works.

I see alot of folks having prblems with this "magic" VATS eliminator box - but no one ever has trouble with the $1 resistor - my advise is always KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid! Not sure how to help you get this "magic baox" to work, or how to get you back to OEM - if it were me I'd try to get back to OEM, then try the $1 resistor - it's like a 20 minute fix to VATS.

Back to starting basics....

You turn the key to start - the "pellet" in the key provides the resistance to the VATS module - the module signals the ECM to fire the injectors, AND it also provides the ground for the Starter Enable Relay. The relay gets it's 12v+ from a yellow wire from the ignition switch located farther down in the column (not the key cylinder, but a real switch). Thus, the relay now has power, energizes, and sends 12v+ out of the relay to the Neutral Safety Switch on a large dark green wire. If neutral, then the NSS sends 12v+ out on a large purple wire through the C100 bulkhead connector to the starter.

So - no purple wire huh? Maybe it's gotten replaced over the years - maybe no purple under the hood, but maybe purple at the NSS and up to the firewall on the inside - look for that. On the outside, it should leave the firewall in a harness that runs behind engine overtop the bellhousing to the pass side for the starter.

Don't know if any of that helps - you may have known all that. And, even with everything replaced in my system in the last 30 days, I still have an intermittent no-start condition that I haven't traced yet which is making me crazy - but at least I know mine's not VATS, since my starter will "click" - VATS won't allow the starter or the starter enable relay to even click, and both of mine do. Anyway, it's maddening I know - maybe something I typed will make a "click" in your head for something to check.

Good luck!

 

Lol yeah Camaronewbie im still scratching my head over your issues after replacing all that stuff.Im sure some of it was needed regardless due to the age of the car but not being able to start after its hot is very strange for being a all new starting circuit.Stumped

 

Fuel pump operation is not connected with VATS .VATS only takes out the starter and injectors

Run a wire from the starter solenoid terminal and touch it on the batt + to confirm starter is working; does the same thing safely

When you jumpered the relay did you confirm you had 12V one of the wires at the relay when the key was in start? Your ign switch may be faulty.
Do you have 12V through inhibitor switch or clutch switch in start? All part of the starter circuit
Need to follow power through circuit from ign switch to find at what point it is disappearing

 

My starter does not have the same setup as the OEM starter. It has a large terminal marked "BAT" in the instructions, another large terminal marked "Solenoid" and a spade connector marked "switch". The "R" switch terminal from the original cable does not have a spade connector on it. So the two won't connect without modification. There are of course no markings on the starter itself, but the instructions refer to them.

As for the VATS bypass, it was supposed to be an easy 3 wire job. Obviously ground, ignition/accessory are no big deal. Its just a matter of finding out which wire is the fuel enable wire. I believe I have found it at this point. I'm just not 100% sure on that. I do have a VATS ignition cylinder and key, but the reason for the VATS bypass/delete is due to the fact that one of the previous owners replaced the ignition cylinder and cut the VATS wires off it. They also replaced the manual transmission cylinder with one for an automatic. What I presume to be the original ignition cylinder was tied up under the dash and left hanging with a VATS key inside it. The key is not the original VATS key that came with the car. It is a copy of one and it doesn't turn the ignition cylinder. In fact its cut for the ignition cylinder installed in the car. So evidently at some point the ignition cylinder was changed and the previous owner had a key cut which was supposedly the proper resistance. Either he damaged the new ignition lock cylinder's wires during installation or for whatever reason, the VATS key didn't work there. But when placed in the original lock cylinder, the correct resistance was read and the car would start. That's pure speculation on my part. I do know that prior to my purchase of the car, and even up through the first week or so I've had it the setup did work. I can rig the same setup back up and that worked with the old starter, but again I couldn't get it to start, hence the starter replacement. It would turn over, and finally it just started clicking and rarely would do anything but that. Occasionally it would attempt to turn over, but that's all. I mainly wanted to do the VATS bypass to clean this mess up.

 

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!

I got it started. I disconnected the VATS bypass box and reconnected my ghetto extra cylinder and key. Then I connected the extra wire that the instructions for my starter said I could most likely eliminate. This turned out to be my switch wire. By the way, it is purple when you clean the 18 years of build up off of it. All I have to do now is put a spade connector on the end of that wire and then I can attach it to the starter in a semi-permanent fashion.

Update

I installed the spade connector and now the starter works just fine. I was never able to get the VATS bypass box to work. I think I'm going to order a new PROM that has VATS disabled.