Captain Wayne from the UAE Step forward

[FU]

Captain Wayne from the UAE Step forward and introduce yourself please.

ZR1 brothers we have a gentelman from the UAE that own's a ZR1 and needs out help to get his car running properly.

[carter200]

Don't be bashful

[captcorvette]

Howdy folks. And thanks for the invite & help. I have a '90 ZR1, black on black that has become one of the joys of my life. Have been a corvette nut since my teenage days.

Almost 2 years ago I finanlly was able to get my hands on a Zr1. Had been looking for years but there had only been one over here that I knew of and it was here in 2000 then taken out of cournty.

Lucky days shined on me and I found my Z (VIN#1G1YZ23J9L5800708 and I would love to have any info on it anyone has?) in a local Chevy dealership's workshop. It had been wrecked and the estimate to repair it was over $20 grand. It looked to me that the agency was just simply afraid to try and reapir it so they put an unrealistic price for the quote. The owner wasn't interested in spending that kind of money so I made an offer of about half that and he accepted my offer where is as is. She was mine.

Took me almost a year to repair her and get it registered. Drove it for a month or so and then one day the dreaded no-start. She was in my drive way and I had to have it towed out to take it to my shop. When I arrived to help my staff & the recovery driver take it out I discovered the recocvery driver had turned the key on to allow the steering wheel to turn and pulled it backwards not realizing the car was in 4th gear. She attempted to start and gasped a big belch of smoke just as I came around the corner and into view of my car.

Since then she has been in three different places including putting it in a container and sending it to a friend of mine who is the best tech I know of in this area. He got it to start and sent it back to me. Two weeks later the no start happened again.

My friend quit his job and is out of pocket now on a lengthy cruise to Bali and around to Austrailia then back here so no contact.

Not sure what all has been done to the car but now when the key is inserted the "security" light does not come on. Turning the key on I get 5 audible beeps, then the a/c panel comes on, the a/c blower comes on and I get the service soon warning, along with the service active handling warning light. Attempting to start the car makes the panel lights dim but so start. I have checked the clutch switch and it is working. Have a new battery with full 12 volts. What else that is strange is the driver's door will not illuminate the courtsy light when open. The passenger door being open will cause the interior lights to come on. Have a scanner and it gives me no codes whatsoever. Scanner is a AutoxrayTechscan AX7000

Have had the pleninum of and on so many times I think I could do it in my sleep. But still don't have a clue as to what this problem is and why it has re-occured twice now. Car now is on its way to another susposed "expert" for checking.

Usually I really enjoy doing my own work but since my accident I cannot get my head up under a dash and if I extend my head too far back I get so dizzy I have to stop and wait until it passes so am limited on what I can and cannot do.

Have three other '90's and have never had an issue with VAT's on any of them.

Not sure where to go from here so that is why the car is making the rounds of anyone who claims to be an "expert".

Very, very

[tccrab]

Originally Posted by captcorvette

discovered the recocvery driver had turned the key on to allow the steering wheel to turn and pulled it backwards not realizing the car was in 4th gear. She attempted to start and gasped a big belch of smoke just as I came around the corner and into view of my car.

I'm not sure what to make of this.
Unless the clutch safety switch is bypassed, then starting the car in any gear as long as the clutch is in should cause no problems at all.
Am I missing something here?

Not sure what all has been done to the car but now when the key is inserted the "security" light does not come on.

This would indicate to me that the VATs system is somehow disabled.
The following is the VATS sequence on startup:
When the system is operating in normal mode, the VATS decoder reads the correct resistance during cranking. The module grounds the Start Enable Relay coil. When the start enable relay contacts close, voltage is allowed to the "S" terminal of the starter. The VATS module also sends an enable signal to the ECM. This signal allows the ECM to operate the fuel injectors during cranking. The SECURITY light will also illuminate for approximately five seconds, then turn off and remain off. If an incorrect or no key resistance is read by the VATS decoder module, the module will shut down the start enable and ECM signal outputs for 4 minutes. The SECURITY light will flash during the cranking attempt, and will remain on during the 4-minute duration. Even if the correct resistance is read within that 4 minute duration, the VATS module will not operate the relay or signal the ECM..An error code.53 will also be set if the proper signal is not being received on CKT 229 by the ECM when the ignition is turned ON.
If an incorrect resistance is detected by the VATS module after the engine is running, the VATS module will allow the vehicle to be restarted, even with an existing failure. The SECURITY lamp will remain on to warn the driver that a VATS system fault is present. However, this also means that the car can be started w/o a correct key resistance, and is therefore vulnerable to theft. An error code.53 will also be set by the ECM in this mode.

VATS issue aside, the starting problem could be as simple as a bad starter or bad starter contacts.
Pull the starter and have it tested, if it tests out OK, then try my patented, works every time, fixes what ails you, "Crabs's Patented Dreaded No Start Cure".
All you need is a 5 pole 12v relay, some connectors and basic tools and your "Dreaded No Start" could be a thing of the past.
http://www.zr1.net/forum/showpost.ph...6&postcount=12

TomC
'Crabs

[Vette Guy]

Ahhh! Had I only known there was a Z tooling around Dubai! I'm no longer in the neighborhood, however had dealt with the "VATS" problem... which turned out to be a loose starter relay. Not in your case though... My first recommendation is to check the "+" wire to the starter from the battery... if this thick wire is bad, there's too much resistance to spin the starter. By the lights going dim, it appears everything is "trying". Also, you may hear your fuel pump energize... if so, definitely not a problem in the VATS.

Best Regards,
Mark

[captcorvette]

Ah where to start? The recovery (wrecker driver) pulled the car backwards with the key in the on position, the clutch out and the car in gear.

Have cleaned both battery terminals and the wires. Good coninuity and wire will take a "load".

During this first episode i purchsed a VAT's bypass from Baker electronics. Same issues exactly. Also bought a no VAT's chip from pcmsforless. Exactly the same issue. Then they reminded me that there piggyback chip would not address the starter problem so advised me to short two terminals which I did. Still same issues exactly.

Think the next thing I need to do is take the car to a Priest?

If you have a "kit" or something to eleminate this forever I will be most happy to purchase it.
Wayne

[RHanselman]

Wayne,

I'll be in Dubai in a day or two. I'll have about six hours in between flights if you want to chat. Too bad I won't have time to help you tear it apart...

Sounds like you may have a stater issus if the VATs is by passed and the clutch sw is good... I believe Jerry of Jerry's gaskets has starters in stock if you need one. I'm sure he can ship it pronto... Always a good thing to have an extra along with a few other spare parts...

Cheers,
Ron

[captcorvette]

Update:
So for the issues found are:
Shorted starter. (this is the second time, first time was water had been used to "clean" the engine, that employee is still looking for another job).
Bad job of bypassing the VATs issue.
Three bare wires that looks like someone tried to attach various shunts at differnt times. Must have been experiementing.
Pleninum gasket leaks in two places.

Hopefully when the starter rebuild kit arrives or the new starter arrives, which ever is first, she will be back on the road again and the permagrin witll return!

Then I will take a much better picture of her and change my avatar!

Thank you to all who put up with my rants.

[tnova]

Capt Wayne, my 1991 ZR1 has exact same symptoms. Did you resolve the no security light issue?

[We Gone]

tnova,

Welcome, I would subject starting a new thread as this is an old one. There are many great minds here to help you.