Cascade Crew

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:38 pm Post subject: my damn GTA won't start!!!!!!!!!!

so, the battery in my 2.8 went out. i put the battery from the GTA in it. i got a new battery and put it in the GTA. the GTA has power but when i turn the key to start it nothing happens. it won't crank. i also do not hear the starter relay clicking. so i assume i somehow broke the starter relay. can anyone help me? i don't even know where the starter realy is....

now i have TWO cars i can't drive right now (cant drive the 2.8 cause the damn brites are always stuck on0... i swear... i replaced somthing NOT EVEN BROKEN and now the *** damn car won't start. i f***ing hate this GM crap So mad I can't see straight

well... i feel a little better now that i have vented.. i wish i had somthing i could break. i am out of spare keyboards Smile

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:41 pm Post subject:

Hey Tony, if I'm not mistaken, the starter enable relay is located behind the driver's side kick panel.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:46 pm Post subject:

....i'm pretty sure it's under the hood somwhere. i know when the 2.8 was trying its best to start on 4.52V the other day i heard a relay under the hood clicking on and off.

perhaps its different through the years. alot changed between 86 and 92. anyone know for sure before i start pulling interioir pannels off?

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:55 pm Post subject:

Does your 2.8 have a tilt column? My brights stick on often and I have to tilt the column all the way up for the switch to work. There's an adjusment somewhere that I need to do, but I'm too lazy to drop the column, not to mention too many wires under dash for alrm and other things.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:56 pm Post subject:

Al nailed it.

-Schultzy

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject:

realy.. what the hell was i hearing... anyway, i'm off to pull the drivers side kick pannel

thanks al. thinks mike for backing al. i'll try that tilt thing too.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject:

There may be a piece of insulation over the top of it. If you get stuck post up. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about VATS/ignition a few weeks ago.

-Schultzy

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:01 pm Post subject:

I think you were hearing the solenoid trying to work.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:05 pm Post subject:

is it a big plain steel colored one with two plugs going into it? about ten wires total? if so DAM!!! cause i do nopt have any extra. i assumed it would be the standard horn relay. (i have four of those)

i guess i will have to wait until tomorow, i'll go to the NAPA and buy two. that way if this ever happens again i'll have an extra.

and as for the 2.8... the tilt thing did not work. but screw it. i am going to get a burito... brights or no. i'll just let people flash there lights at me the whole way, it's only three blocks. Twisted Evil

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject:

just read the last two posts.. VATS.. let me guess... each of those relays is different depending on which resistor you have. and they are $95.98 from GM. if so i am going vatsless i swear....

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject:

What have you done to diagnose your no-start so far? Might not want to throw relays at it just yet.

-Schultzy

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject:

well. it's snowing. so i got in and turned the key. when that failed i came and posted.... so.. nothing Sad

theres not like a fuse i can check is there?

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

Does your dash guages and radio stay on when you try to start it? I have had a bad battery ground cable before that would get weird. Turn the key to on and the guages and radio work but when I tried to start it everything would go out. Check your connections at the battery since that is what you changed that made it not start.

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject:

Isn't the GTA an '88? Did pre-89's even come with VATS? I don't recall if it was an option before then.

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject:

VATS was considered FACTORY STANDARD in 88 on GTAs only! however, some 3000 made it out of the factory without it. 89 was the first year for FACTORY STANDARD VATS in ALL fbodys.

i'll go re-tighten the battery. don't the accessorys always shutoff when you engage the starter?

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

If its the ground then everything will really go out. Turn on your lights and try to start it. Prolly not the problem but a good item to easily check and eliminate. Are you sure the new battery is charged?

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:07 pm Post subject:

in my defense i would just like to say that it was pretty tight allready Rolling Eyes

. so yeah, i tightened it as tight as it would go with vice grips (about another half a turn) and now it fires right up. you can all save your verbal abuse, i allready feel like a total f***ing moron Laughing

the battery was not tight enough.... of all the stupid things...

oh, and even with the battery now fully tight, all the accesorys still shut off when i start the car. i am pretty sure it has always been that way.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject:

No need to feel like a moron. Your friends saved you from a lot of swearing and purchasing of unnecessary parts Wink

-Schultzy

Xophertony · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject:

thanks mike, it's a good thing this is not video conferencing, or else we would have seen him laughing while he typed that. Very Happy

i think we should change "rodeo queen" to "worst mechanic ever"

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

lol - let's not start that competition. My ego isn't ready for that kind of abuse.

-Schultzy

edit: oh, and nice try but you asked for a nickname... be careful what you ask for.