I bought a iroc from a friend that wasnt running but it was just last year, he didnt have any more time or money so i bought it as a project....Anyway he replaced the fuel pump and distributer cap and i replaced the starter and went through every fuse.....nothing...when i turn the key no fuel pump sound no starter clicking and my main concern no engine light...the vats light would go on and off meaning its working but now that isnt coming on either....i went back thru the fuel pump checked all connections still NOTHING...HELP PLEASE....im replacing the starter circuit switch next

 

do you still have interior lights?

 

my dome light is out but my dash lights work

 

sounds like a bad wire. most likely the purple one coming off the starter and goes into the firewall by the brake booster. there should be a fusible link in the wire too down by the starter. i would start by checking to see it you have power at the starter on that wire then check up by the brake booster where it goes into the firewall, with the key on.

 

cool...THANKS imma check it first thing tomorrow and i will leave a post if it worked or not

 

Also, verify good ground connections from the battery to the engine block, from the engine block to the body.

 

good call on that ase doc. i forgot about that. i had a 93 gmc just shut off on me before, it left me sitting for a while. it was the ground from the motor to the body.

 

No starts and no power issues are the easy ones. We can pinpoint these with a 12v test light if we use our brains. The intermittent or kinda runs are the tough ones. Familiarize yourself with the wiring diagram. Start at the power source and verify a bright light. Then go to the load end of the circuit(the starter in your case) and work your way back though each switch and connection looking for power on both sides while a helper turns the key.

Remember, in the starter circuit there are two seperate branches. There is the battery power circuit which goes directly from the battery+ to the starter and from the battery- to the engine block. Then there is the control circuit which goes from the battery+ through the ignition switch, the starter interlock switch and on to the starter solenoid. This is the purple wire referred to above by lowridertractor. It actually starts out as a yellow wire from the ignition switch (confusing I know) then becomes a purple wire at the interlock switch. The interlock switch may be called a clutch safety switch or a park/neutral switch or a neutral safety switch but it does the same thing in any case.

 

I don't want to hijack your thread but I have a similar issue. My 89 sat for 10+ years and I am attempting to get it to run. I had it running two days ago. tried yesterday and I get nothing, the key wont hit the starter. I replaced the started and chased the problem to the purple wire coming off the solenoid. I am going to try the starter interlock switch next.

 

Also check the ECM fuel pump fuse under the hood by the battery.
I have also seen the factory connections from fusible link to reg wire go bad down by starter.

 

Jimmy 64D, Your 89 may be a VATS car. Does the key have the resistor pellet just below the head? If so, you may need to clean it and wiggle it in the cylinder to be sure of a good connection with the contacts in the cylinder.

 

Thanks for all the responses...well I got it running it was the ignition switch on the column and the starter relay were both blown...i dont know how my buddy did that but the car starts now

 

and now im having a ecm problem....the car ran for a day now the brand new computer is not responding...the original was bad and now the brand new one has went bad....cars been sitting for months and i need to move it...ANY IDEAS PLEASE?