unforgivener

Hi, my name is Pat and I am new to the forum.
I have an '89 with what I believe is a VATS issue. She will die on me, then will not restart. She was restarting with a blast of starting fluid, but now nothing. Last week she decided not to even crank. I bypassed the starter relay, so now she will crank, but the injectors are not pulsing. I tried the starting fluid, but now that won't even get her goin. I have checked the TPS voltage, and it is at .54v as recommended. I replaced the MAF sensor, because of a code it was showing. I have replaced the ignition module, and also the pick up coil. She also has a new fuel pump.
I was hoping someone could give some advice to me on this issue, it is driving me crazy.
Thanks, Pat

WW7

If your going to delete the vats, ( which you have already started by bypassing the starter relay) there are 3 things that must be done, you have done only 1 thing...Below is a site that will explain the 3 steps to bypassing your vats..Just look under the one for the 89..The thing that bothers me with your statement above is,,,If it's a vats problem, the car shouldn't start even with starter fluid, unless you waited the 4 minites for the vats to reset..Also vats will not cause your car to shut off, vat only affects the time before the car starts.......WW

http://vatssucks.com/

unforgivener

WW
Thanks for the reply. With all my ranting, I wanted to mention that, that's where I got the idea to bypass the starter relay (vats sucks.com). I wanted to build the VATS SIM, but when I contacted the owner of the site, he told me to contact redrose (who actually built the SIM), and who is also a member of this forum. I IM'd him, and waiting on his response as well. I had questions on the parts and building of the SIM for him. If there is any other way of getting rid of VATS, I would be willing to listen tho.
Thanks, Pat

WW7

The only other way is to do it like they tell you on (vatssucks)..You can do 2 of the deletes yourself, except for shutting off vats in the chip so the injectors will pulse.If your not set up to do this it will have to be done by a tuner..If you can get the sim built by redrose, that's the way to go, but you can probably build it yourself cheaper..........WW

WW7

Hey Pat , look what I found.....Says it will work for years 86-2002 Corvette's...Hope this does it for you......WW

http://www.bakerelectronix.com/products_vats/

unforgivener

WW
You Rock!!! I can't believe you found this! This is something more do able for me, the price is right, too. I appreciate your help big time. I will post my progress with this.
Pat

WW7

Your welcome... My wife is a Librarian, she made sure I knew how to search the net for what I want, so I don't bother her looking for car parts.......WW

unforgivener

WW
Sorry to keep bugging you. I ordered the module last night. I know the ecm is under the passenger side panel, but I do no know how to remove it! I went as far as pulling the carpet, but then... nothing. Any suggestions?

WW7

Remove the hush panel under the dash, I believe there are like 3 small bolts in the front and a few on the side , you will feel them with your hand, then just pull the panel down....Once the hush panel is removed, if you look under the dash you can see the 2 wire harnesses going into the ecm..There will be a white plastic plate about 2"X 7" with a 10mm bolt on each side, this is the bottom of the box that houses the ECM..Remove the bolts and pull the ecm down out of the box.If you need to remove the wireing harnesses from the ecm there is a clip that you squeeze, then just pull the harness connection out.....Reverse procedure to put it back in, but be careful not to break anything , this stuff is 25 years old.......WW

jay1055

Hi Pat doesn't sound like vats I had the fuel pump hose come off my 90? Anyway take it down to Scotty's and tell him Jay sent you I am also in Albuquerque........Jay

jay1055

I forgot to ask have you check the fuel pressure? .....Jay

WW7

Jay, I agree with you on the first part where he uses starter fluid to get the car going,that could be fuel pump , but from the way I read his post he has replaced the MAF sensor , ignition control module , and fuel pump and still can't get it started.."This sounds like a 2 part problem to me".....The second part of the post sounds exactly like vats, he bypassed the starter relay which allows him to crank the engine, but the injectors won't pulse, which also sounds like vats...When he gets the vats simulator, he should be able to get the car started and see if the parts he replaced have fixed his running problems.. ..WW

unforgivener

Jay
Thanks for the input. I actually just put her a fuel pump about a week ago, have good pressure, just no injector pulse. What part of town you from?
Pat

unforgivener

WW
Bad news. I installed the module today, and still no go. She will fire up with starting fluid again, and the injectors will start pulsing and let her run. But, as soon as I turn her off and try to restart, nothing. You mentioned there were three parts to disabling VATS, do you think the last item could be inhibiting the injectors from firing?

jay1055

Academy and Wyoming leaving on the corvette caravan to the museum in the morning........Jay

Cliff Harris

What is the fuel pressure doing when all this is going on?

Disabling VATS:
1 - starter enable relay
2 - 30 or 50 Hz signal into ECM/PCM
3 - change program in ECM/PCM

You can do #2 or #3 and get the injectors to pulse. By the way, if the VATS signal to the ECM/PCM is missing at ignition on it will set error code 46.

WW7

Pat , when you say you turn it off, then try to restart and get nothing, do you mean the motor won't crank (turn over), or the motor cranks but won't start??..The vats sim that you just bought and installed, should send a signal to the ecm letting it think everything is ok, and allowing the injectors to pulse, which it sounds like it's doing from your discription......WW

unforgivener

WW
I meant to say, when I turn it off and try to restart, it will only crank but will not pulse or fire up while cranking. If I spray her with starting fluid, she will catch.
Pat

unforgivener

Cliff
Fuel pressure is 40-45 while cranking.

WW7

If that vats sim you bought is doing it's job, the injectors should be pulsing every time you try to start the car...If the injectors aren't pulsing, then either you have the sim hooked up wrong, or something else is causing the injectors not to pulse, like a bad ecm..If starting fluid lets it start, then it's definitely a fueling problem....40-45 lbs of fuel pressure is fine, so your getting the proper fuel to the rails..Do like Cliff suggested below and check your codes for a code 46, you may have to clear previous codes first.....What I don't understand is you say if you use starting fluid it will start and run and the injectors will pulse, but if you shut it off the injectors won't pulse again until you use starting fluid again.."Is this correct"? If this is what it's doing it doesn't make any sense that starting fluid would start the injectors to pulse...Am I missing something???...How are you checking for injector pulse???...WW