Could really use some help here, I have no idea what I'm dealing with at the moment.

I drive a 1992 Camaro RS TBI 305 CI V8, no mods, all stock/OEM

Just to start off with, I have a new starter - got it last year some time, so i would like to rule that out but of course it could just be faulty.

For a while now, maybe about a year and a few months (this is why I got the new starter to begin with), on and off, my car will not start when I turn the key, it would happen maybe once every 5 times i go to start it.

Now, it has gotten a lot worse..almost every single time i go to start it, it doesn't start.

When this happens, all I can do is turn the key over and over and over and over until it finally starts up...sometimes it takes me a good 25 turns or more

When I turn the key and it doesn't start, I hear a click every single time, and what I have noticed is that the tone of that click changes right around when it is about to start up. It will go from the normal click sound to a slightly higher pitch click, then slightly higher, then slightly higher, (etc) until it starts, usually takes about 3-4 clicks once the pitch starts to change.

What could this be?

 

Is the click coming from the driver side kick panel? If so, the VATs starter enable relay is on the way out.

RBob.

 

clicking sounds like it is coming from outside of the cabin

 

Turn on the dome light and see what it does when you try to start the engine. Normally, it will dim a bit. If it goes off then power is being lost along the way between the battery and starter.

RBob.

 

I'd have to agree that it's vats. Try this, I had the same problem and didn;t notice until I looked closer. If it's vats, it *SHOULD* set the MIL, but you wouldn't normally notice since it stays on when the key is in the on position. Look for the service engine light "bounce" next time you try a few clicks and get nothing. As in, make sure that after you try a few times, when you go to start it, the light turns on then off quickly before staying on. It will most likely be code 53 if so. That would narrow it down very easily right there.

 

Hate to say it, but pull that starter out and go get it checked. Had the same problem with my '91 Formula. Both problems. First if I turned the key to "run" I would here a click on the outside. Would happen several times and then it would turn over. Got to the point that it wouldn't turn over at all, just a lots of clicks. Pulled the starter and the first thing I noticed is that the solenoid starting gear is loose on the shaft. I could move it back and forth with my finger. Took it to Autozone and at first it checked bad...then it checked good. Looked at a rebuilt one and I couldn't even move the solenoid gear. Replaced it, haven't had the problem since. On the VATS side I've had that issue too, only you don't hear a click, you get nothing. What I started doing was turning the key to the "on" position, wait for the "security" light to go out on the dash, and then start it. If you turn it to "run" and the "security" light doesn't go off, take the key out, wait for 3-4 minutes for VATS to time out and try it again. I ended up bypassing VATS with the resistor trick. It still happens very rarely...I think my ECM is going out. For what it's worth that has been my experience with both the starter issue and VATS. Good luck.