Hello, I am new to these forums and these lt1 engines. So here is my problem,I've been working on it for about a year, its a 95 z28 auto. I started on the body work and the tranny needs rebuilt but I have started it and let it run for about 20 minutes or more maybe 3 to 5 days a week! It has started every time untill last week! So my first thought was the battery but it was good,the alternator is good so I took out the starter and took it to autozone. They tested it twice and checked out good both times but there was a bunch of grase build up on the connections. So I cleaned them up and put it back in. It is still the same as before I took it out! I turn the key and I hear a click from the key and that is it. It doesn't crank or anything and I hear the whine of the starter and fuel pump! What else could it be since it is not the battery, alternator or starter or fuel pump? Any and all answers and thoughts would be very apprieciated thanks.

 

Not sure what "grase" is, but you need to clean all the terminals, including the battery terminals, to make sure there is no corrosion. Check the ends of the wires for signs of damaged or corroded wire strands.

 

Grease, sorry about that, I work off of my phone.And I cleaned all the terminals and the wiring all looked good, I was thinking opti spark or ignition switch but how would I troubleshoot those and could there be something else?

 

I'm not sure exactly what the symptoms are:

You indicate that you turn the key (to "start") and that is it. It doesn't crank or anything. What you you mean by "crank"? Some people use that to indicate the action of the starter - i.e. "cranking" the engine. Other use that to indicate the sound of the engine actually trying to start.

Then you indicate you hear a whine from the starter. That would appear to indicate the starter is running, but it's not engaging the gear that turns the ring gear on the flywheel.

Then you indicate you hear the whine of the fuel pump. That would normally last for about 2 seconds then you turn the key to "run" or "start", and then the pump would shut down until the engine starts.

Not clear on what happens when you turn the key.

 

Yes when I turn the key the car does not try to start, the fuel pump whines for about 5 seconds like it always does and turning the key to engine on(starting car position) it does nothing, all the lights in dash like security comes on at initial key over like usual and shuts off! Engine does not try to turn over at all! My trunk button doesn't work anymore except for when I tried to jump start it which tells me the battery is weak but it was holding at 12.8 with the voltage meter and had my wife turn the key over and it dropped to 10.4, and the battery gauge in dash is holding right around there!

 

sounds like the starter, i think the whining noise you are hearing is from the air pump that circular case right under the icm. try hitting the srater while you are cranking it and see what happens.

 

You said earlier that your battery was good. Did you have it tested?

The above indicates the battery is low on charge (10.4v).

 

everything points to a VATS system failure, have fun with that!