flyboyike

Hello, everyone, this might get lengthy, so bear with me.

I have a 96 Z28/auto, all stock. About two months ago the starter went out, I replaced it with a reman, started fine, all was well.

Not long after the car developed an intermittent stalling/crank-but-no-start issue. That is, it would stall, and then take like ten tries to finally start, but it would start eventually.

Finally, recently it stalled, but would NOT restart. The symptoms were just like a car that was out of gas, except it was not.

Being a great shade tree mechanic that I am, I went to work trying to figure this out. The fuel pressure was 45psi, then 10psi, then back to 45psi, which I thought was weird. The car would start, run for about a minute then stall out, and not restart. It would also stall at any attempt of getting it above idle.

Now, the car had a remote start system, which I originally didn't suspect until I was under the hood making sure everything was connecting securely, when the car decided to randomly start cranking without any input from the remote or anything else. I figured, even if that's not the cause of my problems, it probably doesn't help, so I proceeded to remove the remote start system.

I've seem some amateur installations in my time, but this one beat most of them. The brain wasn't even secured to anything, it was just laying atop of a bundle of wires above the knee panel. The wires from the brain were spliced into various factory wires. One by one I cut off the spliced in wires and reconnected the factory stuff. There was also a harness attached to the VATS module (I'm assuming to enable the car to start without a key). I removed it, too, and reconnected the VATS module wires.

This brings me to where I am now. I now get a security light and the car won't crank. My questions are:

1. Is it possible that the key is, in fact, bad, which didn't matter before with the remote system in place, but matters now that the VATS module is actually looking for the correct key?

2. The Chevy dealer wants me to have the car towed in so they can "read the computer" and make me a new key. I'm a little wary of doing that since cars rarely come out of the dealer service department withou a four-figure bill, so can a locksmith "read the computer" and make a key?

3. Anyone know a mechanic knowledgeable about F-Bodies in the Daytona Beach/Ormond Beach area?

Thanks for reading and keep motoring.

Josio0323

Is it chip key? or The original stock key ? or a new key from the remote start?
Also i had me a new chip-key made including door and rear hatch on my 98
all i gave them was id title and regristration
they made the code from the vin. 65$ for everything
UNless your ignition is not stock due to another key for keyless entry.
but it should come out to be no more than 200 at the most.
i would ask a remote start expert to see what tools they have to see if they can retrive or help you out.

flyboyike

Thanks for your response. The key does have a chip and does appear original (it certainly looks very old). I see no evidence of the ignition cylinder ever having been replaced, so I assume I'm dealing with original stuff. I'm mainly wondering if this is something one of these mobile locksmiths can help me with, so I can at least eliminate the key as being the problem and continue investigating further.

Injuneer

Maybe you will find something in Shoebox's writeup that will clear it up:

http://shbox.com/1/pass_key.html

flyboyike

Actually, that did help. It seems my key is, in fact, bad, because the security light isn't flashing it comes on steady.

Now, you reckon a locksmith can help me with that?

Injuneer

Since there are only 15 different key blanks, a locksmith should have access to them, at less cost than the dealer.

Have you cleaned the contacts on the resistor pellet on the key? Have you tried to clean the contacts in the key switch?

flyboyike

Not yet, will try that when I get back home.

CALIROCZ28

Just had the same problem with my '98 Z28. You probally cut into your ignition wires that read the chip code in the key. Do yourself a favor and get a VATS Bypass module from Painless Performance also sold through AutoZone and many other local auto parts places. AutoZone sells it for $58.00 it has 3 wires that you connect with very easy instructions where to connect them. One of them will be spliced into a .5v connection the other to the computer VATS wire in your ECM (the instructions tell you what cavity to splice it to). The 3rd wire connects to a ground. No more worries about a no start due to another VATS failure!

Below are the exact instructions that comes with the bypass module.
Hope this info helps you.

64023 & 64024
Vehicle Anti-theft System (V.A.T.S.)
Bypass Module
Installation Instructions
This kit consists of a module, 2 mounting screws and a butt connector.
Mounting:
Mount the module in a convenient place under the dash with the screws provided.
Wire attachment:
Black (ground): The black wire must be grounded. It may be tied into the black/white wire in the injection harness or to a good chassis ground.
Lt. Green or Gray (VATS): This wire attaches to the VATS wire in the injection harness which should be the wire from your computer. All late TPI and LT1 engines should have this wire in the harness.
NOTE: If your harness doesn’t have the VATS wire in it already then install the one supplied using the instructions on the back of this sheet.
Red (power): The red wire must tie into a 5-volt circuit. The best place to find a 5-volt signal is the Throttle Position Sensor gray wire. Using the list below locate this wire at the ECM and splice the VATS module red wire to it using the supplied butt splice.
`90-92 TPI (Speed Density): Black 24-way connector, cavity A5
`92-93 LT1: Green connector, cavity #2
`94-95 LT1: Black connector, cavity #28
`97-98 LS1: Blue connector, cavity #43


Adding VATS wire to LT1 harness:
1. Locate the Gray computer connector.
2. Remove the red locking clip on the back of the connector.
To remove the clip you will locate the two locking tabs that secure it as shown.
Pull the tabs away from the connector one at a time. Once the tabs are free from the connector you will slide the locking clip free from the connector as shown.
3. Take the wire and turn the terminal so that the side with the lip and locking tab are pointed up.
4. Push the terminal into connector cavity #19 (as shown) until it clicks or bottoms out.
5. Re-install the red locking clip.
Adding VATS wire to TPI harness:
1. Locate the Yellow computer connector.
2. Remove the gray locking clip on the back of the connector.
To remove the clip you will locate the two locking tabs that secure it as shown. Pull the tabs away from the connector one at a time. Once the tabs are free from the connector you will slide the locking clip out of the connector.
3. Take the wire and turn the terminal so that the side with the lip and locking tab are pointed down.
4. Push the terminal into connector cavity F10 (as shown) until it clicks or bottoms out.
5. Re-install the gray locking clip.

flyboyike

Thank you for that. I'll look into the bypass module, but in the meantime, does nobody really know of a qualified mechanic in the Daytona Beach area. I would like to have the car looked at, because I see so many splices under the dash, my head is spinning. I figure it would help for someone to at least diagnose the thing for me, so I know what I'm dealing with.

Anyone?