starting problems
 

Hi guys hope there's someone that can help my here.I have an '87 lingenfelter with a 383 stroker.Over the last year or so it's developed a real nice trick by refusing to start at times.Turn the key-zilch,nada.No solenoid click,no nothing.Come back later and it fires straight up!! Everything I can check seems fine,nothing loose.Looking at a schematic I see there is a relay in the starter wiring but I can't find it! I'm wondering if it could be sticking and causing the problem. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks,Dave.

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RE: starting problems
 

Probably a problem in your security system. If you can find out which key number you have, Ecklers makes a bypass harness for it with instructions on how to install it. [8D]

RE: starting problems
 

If your talking about theVATS it's already bypassed.What is driving me nuts is it's intermittent,may not do it for weeks and then twice in one day! Any chance it could be the computer?

RE: starting problems
 

If the security system is by passed, here what to check. Neutral switch, clutch switch (if standard), ignition switch, starter solenoid. If you can probe the purple wire going to the starter when it happens, that can eliminate either the starter or switching.

RE: starting problems
 

Just thought I would ask....How old is your starter? Could be that....Possibly dying slowly...

RE: starting problems
 

Starter is new and anyway when it happens there is no power to the solenoid.As i said earlier does anyone know the location of the relay that is shown on the schematic? It's the only thing that I can think of that could cause this if on occasions it fails to close fully. I'm seriously thinking of running a separate wire from the solenoid to the battery with a panic switch just as a get me home device.
Thanks for the inputs but bear this in mind and have another think;
I turn on the key and the dash lights up and everything is aok.
I try to start and nothing. Sometimes I can try again ten minutes later and off she goes.The longest I ever had to wait was two days!!!Most things work or don't work which is fine by me but this is something else.It's been in two local shops who are still baffled and didn't charge me but the local chevy dealer wanted $85 an hour with no guarrantees! Money is not the problem, it's where do you start.

Do you think it could possibly be the computer?

RE: starting problems
 

If I'm not mistaken, the relay is by the brake booster. The relay is used by the VATS system (which you say is disabled), has 2 yellow wires, 1 dark green/white tracer, and a dark green wire. You can bypass the relay since the system is disabled by hooking the dk grn/white to one of the yellow wires to test to see if that is your problem. Posting a wiring diagram for you if you don't have one.

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RE: starting problems
 

Thanks mech249 for the input.FYI the relay is behind the info screen centre dash.I have spliced the wires as suggested but can't try it due to a flat battery! I can't charge the batterry due to a broken hood release!!!! So I await the tool from ecklers to pop the hood. Will let you know what happens,Dave.

RE: starting problems
 

That sucks! Good Luck. ;)

RE: starting problems
 

I'm still voting for a bad starter. i had the same problem on my Van. Wouldn't start, no solenoid click, no nothing, Then I banged on the starter with a wrench and away it went. Even tried changing the solenoid, but ultimately had to replace the starter. Some kind of open winding in the commutator or something like that.

Anyway, best of luck.