Vetteblack-96

Some days I wish for old times when cars weren't so electronic.
Back then if the engine turned over, and you had spark and fuel, there wasn't anything that would prevent it from running.

volkswagens-for-life

^LOL ya... pro's and cons I guess. I dont mind the electronics, just wish they were consistent and reliable

Vetteblack-96

I guess they're fairly good when new.
Older cars, however, are a different story.
I'm just not used to towing a car in when there's trouble.
I'm old school and used to try to troubleshoot stuff myself.
Not so easy today with fancy electronics.
I know there's code readers and all but that's not me.

volkswagens-for-life

if you think corvettes are a bear, try going euro where you need several thousand dollar scanning software that changes with each and every model generation All though on the flipside, there's a sensor for every single damn thing ON those cars, so these thousands of dollars of scanners will quite literally tell you exactly whats wrong most of the time.

MavsAK

If you can suffer owning a Carb, you can fix an FI car.
Carb= "is it vacuum... is it the jets....is it the float....is it the spring...is it the choke...is it a gasket"

Code scanner is painfully easy to deal with man. Hook up, read the code. Go to the relevant area. Fix and move on.

Vetteblack-96

MavsAK, Maybe I need to come into the current century.
You know how it is when some people just seem to resist change?
I might be one of them

I should probably give it a try.
Fortunately I haven't had any need for a code reader in the six years I've owned this car.
I hope I haven't jinxed myself by saying that now...................

aklim

I had a starting issue and chased it for a while. Starter was fine since we tested it at some parts house. A jump when it was not turning over properly fixed the problem. Sure, once, twice, three times and it was time for me to get busy. Changed the battery, still the same. It was sitting in the garage over winter so what can you ask for?

So with a fresh battery we had the issue. Took back the battery and it tested fine. Took alternator off and brought it to a rebuild store. It was a little weak but not bad. Had it rebuilt. Thought it was fine. Still same problem. Took a battery tender and hooked it up, still same problem. Took starter out and had the rebuild store test it and it failed. They opened it up in front of me and it was a mess inside. Rebuilt it and starting issues disappeared.

VmaxFlyer

""""Car consistently has 11.1 to 11.8 volts when I go to drive it on weekends"""

How is it during the week? Maybe it wants the weekend off.

volkswagens-for-life

Interesting, the starter. I had considered that, but when the no-start happens and I turn the ignition forward there is no draw in the system, there are no dimming lights, there are no clicking noises from the starter etc.. thats why I removed the starter as possibility.

hahaha, she gets the WEEK off, weekends it's time to go to work


But does it not matter than my red security light flashes when this occurs? Is that irrelevant?

aklim

So let's try this. There is a power cable and wire to the starter. DVOM with black wire to ground and red wire to the starter wire. Check voltage when you crank. Could be the neutral safety switch

volkswagens-for-life

Neutral safety switch is long since gone....

aklim

Not sure why you should remove it. Still check if the starter is getting signal.

volkswagens-for-life

Alright fair enough. Good idea. If it's getting voltage, starter is fried. If not, something is preventing the starter from being activated. Thanks for a good lead.

Vetteblack-96

Volks-for-life, it looks like you'll be working on that during
your cold months with no urgency to drive b/c of the weather.
I think a lot of us would like to know what the problem was
when you find and fix it. I know I would........

Baller

I think that would be relevant in some way. I'd have to check and see what mine does when I start it but I'm pretty sure it doesn't flash.

Is VATS disabled? I'm wondering if that may be it (VATS kicking in on its own). Disabling it may solve/identify the issue.

95wht6spd

Did it do this before the new starter?

volkswagens-for-life

How would one disable vats? Via tuning? I'd LOVE to get rid of it. I've had some terrible luck w/ GM's early 'security' systems.

Couldn't tell you when this starter was installed. Definitely not by me.


Vetteblack-96: I will DEFINITELY keep this thread posted if I discover what it is; I'm always trying to update my threads to help out people in the future.

95wht6spd

I thought you said it was a new starter?
My 95 and 02 both had a sporadic no start lke yours. Changed starter on 02 and it resolved problem. Will change the 95 t some point, as it seldom has the issue.
Headers on both, heat/ headers help kill starters, solenoid starts going out.

volkswagens-for-life

Ya my headers put off heat like a ****. Definitely have not changed the starter though; alternator and battery, yes. Starter no.

Interesting you've had the same exact issue though and a starter fixed it. You never got a "click click" when trying to start? No dimming lights? No voltage draw on the gauge etc??

95wht6spd

Nothing, just silence, no warnings. Sometimes I would try for a while and it would start, other times in 10 min., other times in an hour, or wait a day, and start on first attempt. Dd it on C5 more, until one day it would no longer start, then I changed it, and never had issue since then.