My 92 RS TBI suddenly decided not to start. No engine turnover at all, no click at starter. (Starter will fire if shorted with a wrench.) Dash lights, gauges, engine fan all work. Visible fuses all good. New starter (so it's not the solenoid), new ignition switch (the one in the driver's side panel, not the ignition module). Help and guidance please?

 

Can you hear a click in the driver's footwell area when you turn the key?

If yes, then it means your starter enable relay is engaging, and the issue lies somewhere in the wiring between the ignition switch and the starter. Read this:

http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=38

If no, then it sounds like a VATS issue - read these:

https://www.thirdgen.org/vats

https://www.thirdgen.org/vats_passkey_system

 

Tested circuits, the problem is with the VATS system. Bypassed the starter relay and got the car to crank, but lack of signal from VATS to ECM is causing the fuel pump relay to shut down after the car is started. Tried "tricking" the VATS system by direct wiring a resistor off the key, but no luck. Where is the VATS module located, please? I know they're supposed to be under the dash, but the only thing I can find like it is the power door lock relay. Thanks.

 

The module itself it tucked way up inside the dash. If you got the right resistor, and wired it into the two white wires as it said in the tech article, you should have no problems.

Not sure really - but you may try looking at the wiring diagrams for the 1992, and then looking at the pin outs for the ECM, and see if you can determine what the VATS does to the ECM as far as the fuel side goes.

On the ignition side, VATS provides the ground for the starter enable relay - so that's easy to bypass, just connect that wire to a ground.

But on the fuel side, the VATS either provides a ground for the ECM or provides a voltage for it, that in turn is used for the fuel injectors (I believe).

Here is the diag for the starting side: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/mkport..._continued.gif

Here is the theft deterrent diag: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/mkport...m_pass-key.jpg

Here is the fuel Injection diagram: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/mkport..._injectors.jpg

See the dk blue wire #229 in the above diag - my theory is that you could do something there. You'll see it in the theft deterrent diag as well - same #229 wire - looks to me like it gets a ground. Just have to get a pin-out of the ECM and find it there.

 

Temporarily test wired the actual resistor from the key into the VATS circuit-- no luck. (VATS fuse is good.) Now, with the starter relay permanently 'fixed', after starting, the signal to the fuel pump relay is cut after a few seconds, so I'm guessing this is how the ECM stops the injectors. Will work on the ECM end. Thanks for the diagrams, they are going to be a lot of help. I'll post results in a few days.

 

I'm having this exact problem with my 92 RS... so I'll be keeping my eye on this. I've narrowed down a bunch so far too - good starter (new), good ignition switch, good starter energizing relay, getting the correct resistance from the key via those 2 wires under the column, etc...

Tons of fun.

Fuel pump primes... everything else is great. No crank.

 

reja: Are you saying that now the car will start, but that after a few seconds it dies?

If so, that's not a VATS issue then - VATS won't let the injectors fire at all, so the car would not start at all.

thenjoshsays: "new" starter does not equal good starter - if this "new" starter has never started, then it could be starter - I'm always getting bad "new" parts. Sounds like you've checked and ruled out everything except the neutral safety switch - you are a T5 so it'll be above the clutch pedal. Should have 2 nice sized wires to it, one should be purple - should have 12v on both when key is turned and clutch in pushed in. 12v comes in on 'other' one, and if clutch is pushed in, then that 12v exits on the purple one out to the starter.

 

Problem solved. First, I don't know why, after bypassing the starter enable relay, the car started and ran for a few seconds before cutting the fuel. When I tried it again later, it cranked, but there was no fuel delivery at all. (Note: my 'security' light _never_ came on, possibly indicating a problem with the VATS system.)

Since the car would turn over but not start after wiring the key resistor pellet directly into the VATS system (it was wired in at the base of the steering column), the problem had to be further down in the VATS. Rather than play around, I just bought a "GM VATS or PASSkey II Bypass Module For LS1 and LT1 " on ebay and wired it into the ECM. It feeds the correct signal to the ECM VATS input. Car starts perfectly now, so far. (Note to anyone trying this or a similar solution: you still have to bypass the starter enable relay.)

Thanks for help and input.

 

Glad ya got it sorted!

Looks like mine may not be VATS related. I just hopped inside for a second... I've been poking around on mine trying to figure out what's wrong. Initially I thought it was the ignition switch - replaced that, still no good. Now, with probing around some more, I'm getting the 12v I should at the red wire leading up to the switch, but no 12v from the yellow leading out from it.

Issue at the connector? Faulty replacement switch? Guess I'll have to drop the column again and see...

 

Well... turns out that it was the ignition switch after all. When I put the new one in and adjusted it per the directions, it didn't have enough travel to actually engage the start circuit at the switch. Adjusted it again to make sure it could fully engage and fired right up.

Let's just hope there wasn't anything else causing the issue - this had been a bad intermittent problem. I'm going to hate it if the replacement of the ignition switch just so happened to happen at a time that it "decided" to work.