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[Nukkl Dragger]

Ok I just got my 98 Trans Am, well last night I was going to go to town and started it up, I got out of the drive way and there was white smoke coming out of the dash, I turned off the car and it went out, I started it back up and parked it at the house, this morning I went to take a look at it.

The previous owner had a wire running out of the fuse box by the driver door. it looked like the wire was red hot, it did not damage the wires but it melted the plastic and burnt underneath the door sill and the carpet.

I followed the wire it was pushed through a rubber grommet, I cut the wire off because it was all bare, I tried to start it but it wouldn't start.

I looked underneath and it was hooked up to a brown wire, now it wont start, I think he ran a real thin wire and it fried and almost burnt up the car.

I checked all the fuses and they are not blown, and while he rigged it up it did run.

does any know where I can get a diagram for the harness and how it is routed. I don't think the fuel pump it getting any juice.

any help is appreciated.

[cammed goat]

I am thinking the previous owner may have bypassed the VATS system or ran a starter disabler in the car but used the wrong wiring. Glad to hear ya found the problem before it got worse. Car fires are NOT cool.

[sunsetorangess]

Where did the wire come from? Where did it go?
J

[Nukkl Dragger]

I am thinking the previous owner may have bypassed the VATS system or ran a starter disabler in the car but used the wrong wiring. Glad to hear ya found the problem before it got worse. Car fires are NOT cool.

I took it too work monday but just going out for an ice cream that killed it. The car turns over but without that jumper cable it just ain't getting any power. lights work from the light switch but the stereo and odometer doesn't work dimmer switch works.

I did check for codes and it is saying no codes. it seems like it is in the switch.

[Nukkl Dragger]

Where did the wire come from? Where did it go?
J

The wire ran from the fuse box underneath the light switch and ran under the door sill and carpet throught a rubber grommet underneath the rear seat and hooked up directly a wiring harness.

melted everything it touched. plus a bunch white smoke.

[cammed goat]

I am gonna guess that the wire was run to an external fuel pump, or maybe there was a speaker system in the trunk.

[Nukkl Dragger]

I am gonna guess that the wire was run to an external fuel pump, or maybe there was a speaker system in the trunk.

Yes it was melted to some sub woofer audio cables. I got the old monsoon system for now. I don't know how he hooked that up, the old pioneer stereo wouldn't come on unless he put the yellow and orange wires together or the switch wired and battery wire.

[cammed goat]

Jumper wired it. Cheap...and CARELESS way to wire a subwoofer.

[Nukkl Dragger]

I read the thread on VATS, and I am still figuring out this vats, but the motor turn does turn over and does not fire up, stereo and odometer won't come on and I don't think the fuel pump is running.

would putting the resistors on help it start.

[cammed goat]

There may be a burnt wire somewhere. If all the lights are out, there may be a power wire burnt.

This same thing happened to a high school buddy and myself. We put headers in his father's old Dodge van and I moved the wires away from the header I installed. My friend did not. I asked him if he had moved the wires away from the header on his side and he said yes...hmmm. Hopped in the van and got a few blocks down the road and we smelled something burning...was the wires he SAID he moved. Burnt everything and had to have the van towed back to his house...for his folks to see...and laugh.

You are gonna have to do some wire tracing starting with under the dash on the driver side and the steering column.

[Nukkl Dragger]

Ok I put a Jumper wire with a fuse attached the fuel harness and to the battery, started right up now. the only thing is that the stereo won't come on or that little odometer won't come upm, other than that it ran fine, didn't drive it, the security light flashes on after it started then turned off.

but I disconnected it from the battery, what size wire and how big fuse should I put in their. should I use it? and where should I connect the wire for fuel pump fi I use it.

[cammed goat]

I have a feeling you are going to have to do some looking around to put the wiring back to the way it should be. Having jumper wires could result in a fire.

[Nukkl Dragger]

I checked the lines no power going to stereo and fuel pump and odometer light, everything else is getting power but those three things, I checked the codes and it reads no codes.

but still looking.

[chuckie669]

You just bought the car? Do you still have any way to contact the previous owner. I would try and get in touch and say, look I'm not pissed, Just need some info so I don't catch my car on fire and see if he can tell you what he did.

[cammed goat]

Yah. I would love to know just what the hell the previous owner did. I don't know the whole story and I ALREADY don't like what the previous owner did.

[Nukkl Dragger]

I'm going to talk to a mechanic next week he is pretty reasonable. I ran a jumper cable with a fuse to the fuel pump, it started right up totally weird. I took it off anyway.

the yellow switch 12v wire isn't getting any juice, I ran a 12v fused wire to it the stereo was going and the odometer and trip meter came on.

it is taking hours but I will find it plus a lot of coffee.

I almost want to say it is the switch itself it seems loose it has a lot of play about a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch, probably from years of jamming the key in.

[Nukkl Dragger]

You just bought the car? Do you still have any way to contact the previous owner. I would try and get in touch and say, look I'm not pissed, Just need some info so I don't catch my car on fire and see if he can tell you what he did.

I bought a few weeks ago drove out to the country enjoyed the spring air must have put 400 miles on it , it was running just fine stereo played, but now memory to it.

I drove around to work for a couple of weeks and it started up everytime I turned the key, that sidewinder alarm system worked fine still does, my cat jumped from the tree to the t-tops alarm sounded and he almost jumped back up that tree(I thought they had soft paws).

[cammed goat]

If the cylinder is bad, then that could be the cause. Do your keys have the chips in them?

[Nukkl Dragger]

Ya it has that chip in their i measured it was 520, would a used one work. it should If I bypass it with the resistors in place.

[cammed goat]

I still think the previous owner had problems starting the car and bypassed the anti-theft system. If you replace the cylinder, you get new keys with it. I just don't know if there is a key relearn once installed.