Previous owners bypassed the vats already and snipped the pigtail and soldered the resistor down where you bypass it and it's always been flakey, works about 80 percent of the time. ((My key has the chip missing)).

So the question, if I measure the resistance of the current resistor, I should just match that and that should work if I were to replace it, right? I know the resistor has to be approximate to the original chip and not exact, so I dont want to remove it and think I have the right resistor and I don't. ((Potentially stupid/obvious question but I like to be sure)).

Also is there a way to replace that pigtail? If I could replace that and just plug in something with the right resistance I'd rather go that route instead of just soldering the resistor directly to the wires and wrapping it in electrical tape, as the previous owners did.

 

Just delete it properly - get a chip and bypass the starter relay.

GD

 

There is a thread on the VATS system explaining how the whole thing works. My opinion is that once the VATS starts to go or goes you are better off to just buy a car alarm with a starter kill feature and wire that into the car's existing starter relay. The VATS system grounds the starter relay. You would also need to have a chip burned that turns off its VATS function. I have been through the VATS setup (much more thoroughly than 99% of the members on here I might add) with a fine tooth comb and have come to realize that after 37-27 years of use the wiring and connectors develop their own resistance from corrosion and worn contact surfaces that causes an added resistance in the system that can throw the system out of it's tolerance. So a system can have the correct value resistor but still have too much resistance in the system. Honestly, your best bet is to wire in a car alarm and get a new chip burned, Tuned Performance can do the chip for you.

 

Appreciate the responses.

But the fastest and most simplistic thing I can do right now is chop the old resistor and replace it with a new one.

Adding alarm systems and bypassing other things etc will just leave me with a bunch of more questions of how it works, what I would need to do, when I could just replace this resistor in a couple minutes if it'll work the way I think it would.

The connection of this resistor I think is trashed because the "wire" ends of it are bent and crumbled from being tucked away. I feel giving it a better connection will handle the issue for now.

 

Resistors don't go bad unless they are exposed to possibly UV radiation or are forced to handle way too much amperage. If you think it's the physical connection all you have to do is clip the ends of the wires and resistor leads and solder them back together and then surround it in hot glue and electrical tape.

Respectfully, if wiring a car alarm in is beyond your purview and learning how one of these car's systems work isn't something you want to do then owning a car this old probably isn't for you.

 

It's order of importance. Right now all I'm trying to do is fix a minor issue for a problem which I'm already familiar with. Of course I'm not going to know how to wire in an after market alarm system when I've never had to do one before. Could I learn? Sure can. But don't care to do so as of now seeing that I'm planning on dumping a ton of money into this car. (( replace old and worn exterior and interior parts, go to a body shop to get this bent frame pulled back into spec, getting it repainted etc.))

So to me I'd rather spend a couple dollars and a few minutes in my driveway as opposed to hundreds more dollars on an alarm system ((that I wouldn't need other than to help correct this issue)) and having to spend more time asking how an alarm system will bypass vats, etc.

It's only flakey 20 percent of the time, I've had this car for 10 years and dealt with it, at the end of the day I still can. But since I'm in then mood to dump more money into this money pit I figure why not try and get it working 100 percent if it's adding in a few extra dollars. The extent of this issue and it's level of importance isn't to where I'm willing to spend 300 plus to fix it.

And no offence at all, just putting it out there why I don't really care to go any other route to fix this problem.
But thanks, appreciate the response about the resistor.

 

This should be a sticky.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...pass-vats.html

 

The car alarm I have is just a generic eBay car alarm with a starter kill. It would only take only three wires to hook it up to take the place of VATS; One wire to (+), one to (-) and one wire to the starter relay. When the alarm is "on" the relay is open and when the alarm is "off" the relay is closed.

 

To bypass the start relay you just cut off the connector (drivers kick panel), and crimp the two big gauge wires together. For the Chip you just send a message to Tuned Performance and have him send you one for a minimal fee.

GD