Very Weird Issue

**flipsutter** · 12-30-2009, 12:21 PM

Good Afternoon,

Its been a while since I have posted on the boards but alas I have an issue.

Every once in a while I will go to start my car and something very strange happens. I will turn the key to start and it will turn over for a split second but then stop. I would hold the key where its at but nothing else would happen. My dash would go off gauges would go all the way to the right and slowly come back down. As you know that is not normal! I have owned 3 of these and none of them have ever done that. I would have to turn the key back to the off position and then try again. Most of the time it would go ahead and start but sometimes it would do the same thing. I also noticed that my trip would reset back to 0.0.

This all started when I put that master for my clutch in the car but I really really doubt I could have messed any thing up doing that. Seeing as how I didn't unplug any thing from the vehicle.

I will also get a random misfire every once in a while. I would shut the car off and turn it back on and normally it would start. I would check my plugs and everything seems good.

Any idea's?

I talked to a fellow car guy here and he said it might be the computer?

**0rion** · 12-30-2009, 12:48 PM

sounds more like a corroded cable, loose connection, or bad starter solenoid to me. I'm moving this to the general area because it's not your pcm.

**flipsutter** · 12-30-2009, 01:12 PM

Well I did take out the kick panels under the dash to get to the master. So somehow I might have moved a cable. Who knows! I just was wondering where a good place to start would be.

**Smittro** · 12-30-2009, 01:14 PM

I'd say check your hot cable to the starter. The nut could be loose or stripped. As Orion said could be corrosion as well, check over all your high current connections and grounds too.

**Smittro** · 12-30-2009, 01:17 PM

Ps. Don't take this the wrong way but lots of people whom don't know our cars or computer controlled cars that well will say it's the computer. Again as Orion said it's highly doubtfull the comp is bad..

**flipsutter** · 12-30-2009, 01:29 PM

Good idea! I'll get underneath it and take a look.

**0rion** · 12-30-2009, 01:41 PM

check your battery ground also.....

**LSXDoc** · 01-01-2010, 07:15 PM

mine did the exact same thing. it was the battery. low voltage. there was enough left in it to start it but for some reason the gauges did exactly like yours. when i replaced the battery with a brand new Optima Red top, the guages quit jumping and the trip didnt reset anymore. hope that helps

**c5z28** · 01-01-2010, 08:13 PM

Heard something in the ignition that reads the "chip(if you can call it that)" goes bad and you need to replace it.
quoted

"Are you the original owner of the car? If not then maybe the VATS was previously bypassed. I have had my VATS bypassed with a resistor after the contacts in the ignition cylinder went bad and wouldn't read the chip on the keys. I haven't had a problem since but I've noticed that every once in a while I'll have to attempt to start the car 3 times and the light will come on when it is really hot and really cold. From what I have read, the light will also come on if it detects that the bulb is about to go out.

If you guys don't have any problems starting the car I wouldn't worry too much. Worst case scenario you'll have to bypass the VATS with a cheap resistor or have it tuned out completely. If not you'd have to shell out for a new ignition cylinder and keys.

I would have the car scanned for codes and see if anything pops up. The indicator malfunction code may come up and you'd have to replace the bulb to get it to work properly."

**MrMasterCraft** · 01-01-2010, 10:37 PM

Since all of what I would have suggested have already been covered, if none of those are it, could possibly be a CPS (Cam Position Sensor) or CKPS (Crank Position Sensor). Although I do beleive if it were your CKPS, car wouldn't start at all. Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

**MonteLS1** · 01-02-2010, 11:58 PM

Sounds like corrosion at the battery. GM side terminal battery cables are bad for hiding corrosion under the insulation. Make sure you disconnect them to check. If you don't find any, sounds like your battery needs to be replaced.

**gnomee** · 01-03-2010, 05:04 PM

Sounds like a loose ground cable for sure. I had the same problem one time after doing some testing with one of our kits. I forgot to tighten the ground.....

**Spikito** · 01-03-2010, 05:52 PM

Well i think its the computer, lol....but i dont think the problem resides IN the pcm, i think theres a problem somewhere else, and the pcm is doing that, to try to tell you...seems to me it would be more along the lines of an electrical component going out, not just a corroded cable.

are you getting a code?

**MonteLS1** · 01-03-2010, 09:43 PM

I work on cars for a living, and I beg to differ. A corroded cable and bad grounds cause all sorts of confusing problems. Computers almost never fail on their own. An electrical component going out doesn't even make sense.

**flipsutter** · 01-04-2010, 05:46 AM

Hey Guys,

I have either been out of town in Helena or the damn snow / ice has stopped me from putting in a new battery or checking that ground on the starter. I'm going buy the parts store today to take the battery in for testing.

I'll let ya know