1992 ZR-1 VATS(?) problem

[Paul in VA]

Hi:
I went through this same issue (intermittent starting). Drove me nuts for a while. Sometimes tilting/untilting the steering wheel would help. In my case, the car could be push started, just not key started.

I decided to bypass the VATS and found the problem. While removing the Key switch from the steering column, found the very thin wire leading from the key switch assembly (which had, over time) been crushed and the actual conductor exposed. After discovering this, I found this (broken/crushed wire) is a common problem with all VATS equiped cars.
Good Luck!

[dorri732]

Paul, I can't imagine that that's my problem. I believe the wires you are referring to are the ones to the pellet reader in the ignition switch. Those have already been bypassed in my car (with the resister soldered in).

I'm also surprised your car would push start when that happened. I wonder if you had a tune which removed the fuel portion of the VATS from the ECM?

[Paul in VA]

Yes, the wire from the pellet reader in the key switch. I have a 91 so it could be different. Don't know about the fuel bypass but I am running Haibeck tune/chip.

The reason I mentioned the crushed wire is that I did not know if your bypass eliminated that wire from the circuit or just inserted the correct resistance so that the system always worked.