Nothing When Turning Key......

[Coltsfan1]

When I bought this car he didnt have the key. I went to my local delaership and had a new ignition with vats keys installed. On 3 seperate times I have had nothing happen when i go to start. It's not the battery, or the starter. I can wait come back 10 min later and boom she will fire. Has anyone else had this? Ive seen some other 3rd gen sights where guys are either bypassing or removing the vats. Any thoughts. And yes i have tried different keys.

 

[Coltsfan1]

Jeeezus this sight is so lame

 

[simo]

Since it will start with the key on occasion then the resistor pellet in the new keys should be the correct value.
I had issues with #1490 doing the same thing and it was the neutral safety switch in the shifter assembly.

 

[BOBTTA#464]

VATS timer circuit in the VATS going bad. After timeout, it will let it start. I had a 89 GTA do exactly what you are describing. After taking it to a Pontiac Dealer, the 70 year old man that knew the system figured it out. Replaced VATS module and problem was solved. Old man is dead and gone. Great technician

 

[Coltsfan1]

Bob what is the vats timing circuit? Where is it located and whats it look like......thanks

 

[BOBTTA#464]

Its incorporated in the VATS module. Its not what you want to hear...but.
You have to change out the Module or bypass it. 3rdgen.org (you been there) has theads on what to do.
Now if you wasn't in a hurry, you can send your prom to a guy in Colorado and he will delete it that way....for about 60 bucks...I used him for other things Brian at TunedPerformance.
Sorry...that's all I got man.

 

[Mark T-TB]

Chad - I just went thru a similar ordeal with my car this year. There "seemed" to be no rhyme or reason to the times it would or wouldn't crank, but it was sure to not start at any given inopportune time. Due to various symptoms (etc) I was convinced that it was the neutral safety switch and replaced it (that was NOT it ). After a long summer of trying to pin down the source, I was able to identify that no voltage was at the solenoid when it wouldn't crank... so a long-time mechanic buddy was "sure" that it was the ignition switch, so I bought one of those...
However, I ended up taking it to a small local repair shop that has been good to me on d.d. issues (buddy could not fit into his schedule) and told them what was going on. The gray-haired guy there emphatically stated that it was a broken wire in the key area. At the end of the day, that was it, problem now solved.
Seems like a lot of issues can cause the same problem
Good luck with your solution.

 

[dklumpp]

Broken wire was probably the vats wire. It's resistance based so any change +/- 10% will trigger the 10 min timer. I got stuck getting gas in a vette I had at a gas station in kingman az on way home from Vegas so ever since then every vats key car I have had I bypass the wiring all together by cutting and soldering in the correct resistor at the vats module itself and haven't had a problem since

 

[Coltsfan1]

I have heard the same thing mark. I guess all those wires in the ignition move-turn with the key everytime you start the car. Im not a engineer but that sounds like a horrible idea. Anyways thats where i will start 1st and hopefully thats it. If not a vats bypass will be completed. Thanks everyone. Ill try to post the results and maybe a few pic if its the wires. Winter projects keep stacking up ugg

 

[Mark T-TB]

... I guess all those wires in the ignition move-turn with the key everytime you start the car. I'm not a engineer but that sounds like a horrible idea...

That's pretty much what the guy told me^^^ and I agree about the "horrible idea".
Hope you get it going soon.