Okay, I have an '89 RS. For the past two weeks or so, whenever I turn the key, all the power comes on, but the starter never turns over, and nothing happens under the hood. I've replaced the starter, ignition switch, and solenoid, and still it won't work. We've (hopefully) figured out that it has something to do with the starter relay. One more thing though - WHERE IS IT?? Anybody have an idea???

 

You could have a VATS problem. Does your key have a little pellet in it? That's a resistor. If that gets worn or goes bad, the VATS Decoder Module will sense the "wrong" resistance and the car won't start but you will have power.

Oh yeah, I think the Starter Enable Relay is in the driver side kick panel, but i'm not sure.

 

fusable links, 1 up top at that funky junkction box near/ in the stock air cleaner location, and 3 more down below under the car near the starter.


Pain in the *** things, better off replacing them but many just splice around it. it is kind of dumb to put a fuse in that is not replaceable.

and with little room down there, your better off pulling the wiring up, instead of trying to do it underneith.

 

ignition module

 

Would a bad ignition module prevent the car from cranking? Didn't think that was possible.

I agree, probably VATS, look under the thirdgen.org main page for the tech section, and look up the article on how to bypass VATS. I'm so glad I have a pre-89 f-body without VATS... my fiance has it on her '94 Camaro, and I'm just waiting for the day when it breaks...

 

I have been having problems with mine. It was coroded wires going to the starters. Or hopefully that fixed it. Its only been "repaired" for 1 day.

 

Yup, a bad module will NEVER prevent cranking.

And you're right Tom, VATS is one of those things that do-it-yourselfers hate.

Linzbgoofy, I'd try a new key first...if it's the original. It's about $20 but sometimes the simple answers are the right answers.

 

I had the little chip thing checked out on the key by a friend(thanks for the suggestion), and apparently it got dropped in water,or too close to a magnet or something,and depolarized it so the security system kicked in. I just got my car back from a 2 month sit in the shop, so I figure the guy maybe dropped my keys in his coffee cup or something, because it worked fine until I got it back. The starter relay WAS in the driver side kick panel, I told him that after he said he looked 2 days for it (under the hood lol). Anyways, we replaced the ignition, got a new key and all that, but it no longer has the anti-theft feature, its just a regular key.

While he was fixing it, he also pointed out to me that someone jacked up my car in the wrong place, and pinched my muffler almost 70% shut in one spot, so that's gonna be fun. New project I guess. . .

 

Sweet, so it runs now???

 

It DID run just like usual for about 3 days. Yesterday, on my way to work, everything started going downhill. Lets see if you can help me with this one. Some of it might be due to cold weather, I'm not sure though. Okay; it took me 10 minutes just to get out of my driveway (probably because it wasnt warmed up, but when i cranked it to let it warm up it went dead on me), even after I got on the road, every time i slowed down to turn, it went dead; the 'service engine soon' light stayed on the whole time, and whether I'm in gear or in neutral, driving or at a red light, it revs itself up whenever it feels like it. I went and talked to this guy at Advanced auto parts that i know, he said something about an idle something or a throttle something...............watcha think??

 

The SES light is telling you that there is a problem. You need to pull the codes out of it via the ALDL connector under the dash. Read Vader's post here: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...highlight=aldl

Also, find where the Mass Air Flow Sensor is and disconnect it and see how it runs.

 

umm is your exhaust pipe still pinched offf 70% in that one spot??? That sure wont help it run good.

 

We did all that, the codes were no help (after a good 4 or 5 hours of messing around with it), and finally, I talked to my friend who just got back from basic training in Missouri, who had a similar problem, and he said all it was was the throttle body needed to be cleaned. So we got a can of carb cleaner and used the WHOLE thing. There was shredded metal and oil and all kinds of crap under there. So what COULD have been a $200 mechanic bill turned into about $1.50 and 15 minutes. After we did that, we ran it on the highway and everything, and it ran better than ever. He said to do that about every 6 months, and I shouldn't have any problems.
Now that I'm back to where I started again, I have to find someone to work on getting my lifters adjusted, and the muffler fixed. I'm not sure which one's more important (or expensive) at this point in time...play it by ear I guess. I'm sure something else will go wrong before then though lol...I'll keep yall posted.

 

Lifters would be more expensive.

Save yourself some $$$ and get a muffler and two taipipes from NAPA. Take a hacksaw to the old one and clamp the new one on.

 

Shredded metal in the throttle body?!?! For real???

Also have your buddy clean out the tip of the IAC valve (unless he did it already). As you look at the throttle body, it's on the top passenger side of the TB. CAR OFF, put the keys somewhere far away, and un-do the electrical connector. Remove the IAC with a big adjustable wrench, like a spark plug. The tip will be covered with black stuff. Hold the IAC valve so the electrical connector points UP and the tip (called a pintle) points straight down. Now, spray JUST THE PINTLE with cleaning fluid. We hold the IAC valve like this because if any cleaning fluid gets into the electrical windings of the IAC, it'll ruin it.

Now, clean the IAC passageway. Remove the throttle body's air hose (to the air filter). Inside the hole that the IAC came from is a small hole, that the pintle filled up. Spray cleaner inside this hole. The hole is the IAC passageway, and runs to the front passenger side of the TB blade. If it's filthy, a ton of carbon will run out, keep spraying until it's clear.

When all is dry, thread the IAC valve back into the TB carefully- it's a metal valve going into an aluminum throttle body and you can ruin the threads if you crossthread or overtighten the IAC valve!!! Spin the IAC valve all the way in by hand, and Snub the valve up with the big adjustable wrench. Reconnect the electrical connector.

Now go dig your keys out of the far away spot you put them in (so you don't accidently turn the car on with the IAC removed), and go for a ride.

And you might want to use "Throttle Body and Intake Cleaner for Fuel Injected Engines". Carb Cleaner is more harsh. They usually sell the TB cleaner by the carb cleaner, costs about the same for a can.

 

Okay, here's the final story.

I got my muffler fixed, $45, no problem. Then I got him looking at my valves and lifters and all that, he worked on it all day...kept it until 10:30pm...and he came to this conclusion: the camshaft is pretty much shot. He said he could tear it down, take a look at the cam and lifters and all, and he could MAYBE fix it. Another thing, there might be a crack in the block itself. I asked him about replacing my cam, lifters, etc., and it came out to be around $900, and it STILL might not fix the problem(the knocking sound). We talked about it for a good hour, threw around some ideas, and came to the bottom line that the best thing to do is just drop a whole new engine in the thing. Somewhere along the line, before I got it, somebody had totally screwed it up, and when I first saw the car for sale, I was too excited to think 'Well, I need to have someone CHECK IT OUT first.'
So I could either save for a couple years and come up with $2000 for a new long block, OR just sell it to somebody and they can do whatever to it. Since I've wanted a 93-96 model for awhile, I figure I can sell mine and use the money towards that. Thanks for the help guys, I really appreciate it, but she's just too much hassle for me now.

Anybody want an 89' Camaro RS??

 

By the way, TomP, I was showing what you had said to do to my buddy that cleaned the TB, and he said 'Oh yeah, I thought I forgot something!' Then he popped the hood, and did just that lol. It did help it out a good bit...thanks.

 

After serious thought, and the fact that even though it runs like crap, its way too pretty to just get rid of.
Guys, I need your help again.

I plugged in that whole diagnostic error code thing, and with the answer it gave me, along with a couple other people who drove it and suggested the same thing, my MAF is screwed up BAD. It seems like it wouldn't be too hard to replace it, from the looks of where it is and everything, but I looked around to try and find instructions on how to do it and nothing really came up. Anything I should know before I dive in and screw things up?

 

Yes.. do yourself a favor and get a Helm manual for your car. They cost around 80 bucks (cheaper on E-bay) but are worth their weight in gold. They are reprints of what the shops use and give a step by step instructions for anything.

 

i dont like correcting you tom cause you know a **** load more then me about these cars, but when i got my car it started not starting, i changed the ignition mod and it started,????, i donno, also a month later it would do the whole run great for a bit and then stop runing after 2 miles and stal then not start , that was the alternator hooked up wrong, basically boiling the battery. anyways just my 2c, i dont even really know much bout the elec ****.

 

totally remove the left kick panel,you will see black tar,feel behind it you will feel the relay,fight the goo and you will have it,no one went into depth like i did,i had to figure out by look and feel. hope this helps,i'm up and running again

 

i need to know what your symptoms are and what steps you took

 

i've posted a reply earlier check it out and i hope its in the same location as my 91 firebird

 

Dud check the post dates. Your replying to messages many years old.