ok, so heres the deal; get in my car yesterday and turn the key and nothing. starter/solenoid wont engage. tried jumping solenoid. still nada. aldl says 46 (vats) wouldnt my solenoid still engage when jumped? i figured i was getting the 46 cuz a few days ago while helping my bro install a 87 iroc drivetrain into his 82 elcamino, my key got dirty and it didnt wanna start as a result> cleaned the key, good as new> can anybody help?

 

check the cables going to it, should be one or 2 on one loop connector they go on first, then the batt cable on top of that, check that the fusible links didn't blow out on the multi-connector, otherwise it might be vats, which I can't help you with as I know nothing about it other than it causes issues a lot :P Also check it isn't sparking, when you turn the key does it make a noise? last but not least, make sure the negative bat cable ground is hooked up to the block.

 

yeah, all wires are secured. saw a spark when i jumped the solenoid(also got a zap!). im gonna try my brothers starter from his 3.8 we just pulled from his elcamino. hope it fits. im also going to reset the ecm trouble codes and see if it keeps with the vats code>

 

Your lock cylinder contacts may be dirty and preventing the VATS module from reading the key properly. That 3.8 starter isn't going to fit, as it's mounted on the other side of the engine, for 1, and it has a different end frame, for 2.

Chances are, if the ECM is spitting a code 46, the starter isn't going to work either, as VATS kills both the starter AND the fuel injectors. Jump the starter enable relay under the dash on the driver's side and see if the starter will work then if you turn the key. IIRC, if you jump the yellow wire to the green wire on the relay, the starter should work when you turn the key.

 

yeah, figured the starter wouldnt fit. but, it was on hand so i checked it out. oh, forgot to mention, while putting my toolbox into the pass floorboard, it hit my dash. after closer look, my comp was knocked off the mount. maybe that? cleaned both sets of contacts with rubbing alcohol and allowed 2hrs to dry b4 my next try. still no dice. gonna try the ecm on friday.

 

All starter components on the dash side of the firewall are on the driver's side, so the toolbox won't have any effect on the starter. The fuel injection, eh, might want to check the ECM connections just in case.

 

Yeah if the starter won't work when you put +12 volts to it, sounds like it locked up. I had a "spare" starter in the garage for years, one day, my starter died. No problem because I have a spare right? Well I put on the spare and the car wouldn't crank at all. Took the spare starter back out, put jumper cables to it - and all I got was a big spark, nothing turned. "Somehow" it froze up just by sitting all those years.

Now if your starter spins OK when you put jump cables to it, but it won't spin with the key, then it's VATS or wiring or something else...

 

got an update-as i was attempting to get to my ser, i noticed my tilt lever wont fully come back to tilt my wheel. anyone think this may be a result of my ignition switch or the rod for it getting all screwy? THINKING it may also be the reason my starter wont engage and when i try to jump the solenoid it sparks. i was told the reason for the sparks was a ground or short in the starting circuit. how likely is it that i could have saved all this time and effort by buying an ignition switch?

 

Okay, got down to my ignition lock cylinder. Hoping to see that it was only a ten dollar part(ignition switch), but it was a ripped vats wire at the cylinder. One of the tiny white ones. Easy money. Hardest part was finding my tools for the job. Thanks a lot to all who have helped.

 

Okay, got down to my ignition lock cylinder. Hoping to see that it was only a ten dollar part(ignition switch), but it was a ripped vats wire at the cylinder. One of the tiny white ones. Easy money. Hardest part was finding my tools for the job. Thanks a lot to all who have helped.

 

Turned out to be a vats wire. One of the two coming off the ignition lock cylinder. A simple splice and insulation by way of electrical tape, problem solved. Thanks to everyone who helped with giving suggestions and opinions. I really appreciate the help. Hope I don't have to start another troubleshooting thread anytime soon!