Will not start No guages, nothing

[cliffy v]

The car is a 1999 Trans Am
Well i flashed a tune in last week. Havent been able to drive the car much, it has no interior in it, just got finished caging it. I fired the car today and moved it around. Then put it on the lift to hand the exhaust. After that was finished i jumped in it turned the key and it started to turn over. The starter stopped and the gauges all shut off. The car has power, the interior lights are functioning properly. What could be going wrong?
The other thing i noticed that had never happened until after the last flash, the gauges when you turn the key on would completely peg to the right and then settle down to the cars normal state.
Anyone have any ideas?

[Redline Motorsports]

I would try re-flashing it again. It could also be an issue with the VAT's system. Sometimes the PCM needs a swift kick in the rear.

[cliffy v]

well i will try that tomorrow. Its just odd because nothing works, yet my power antenna goes up, yet i dont even have a radio installed. Damn electrical gremlins. I surely hope you are right.

[Redline Motorsports]

Easy enough try and I have seen this before. For some reason with the C5's I'll get the engine to start and have no gauges. I'll reflash the tune and it works. The VAT's has also been known to cause a simliar issue. Try the reflash first.

[Bruce Melton]

I find about one in ten flashes result in no guages (C5s) always works second time.
??

[cliffy v]

The odd thing is that after the flash it had been starting and running fine for a few weeks. Then the only change was to put exhaust on it and now its dead.

[Bruce Melton]

That is different, then-

[Redline Motorsports]

That's what you get for modifying your car! LOL~

[joecar]

Changing exhaust seems to cause a whole bunch of electrical problems...

Might be a symptom of weathered/dirty/corroded engine grounds...

[cliffy v]

See this all started when i forgot to top off the oil in my headers!

[ChipsByAl]

it started to turn over. The starter stopped and the gauges all shut off.

This is not a PCM related problem. If the starter "started" to turn over, that indicates the key resistor was read correctly by the BCM. The BCM in turn enabled the starter relay and flowed current to the starter. The BCM should have allowed the PCM to continue the fuel injector pulses. In this vehicle the PCM will not disable the starter from cranking the engine. The VATS system can, but not the PCM. Sounds to me you have a major power/ground problem. Look at the positive lead to the starter and ground cable to the block.
Al

[cliffy v]

Ok this is completely stupid and i dont understand why. Im sure one of you geniuses has a response for it. I tried to reflash the pcm but could not connect to it. So i thought that it was dead. At that point i started to search all around for other possibilities. I went over all the relays and fuses again. What i did find was the gauge fuse was blown. I replaced it and boom gauges work as well as it fired. The program was intact and the pcm was good. Crazy how the gauge fuse was blown, i cant understand that. I also cant believe that fuse would keep me from starting my car. I guess ive found a way to valet my car. Damn header Oil. Thanks for the responses from everyone.

[joecar]

Glad you found it... we learned something too. :cheers:

[b18cls1]

See this all started when i forgot to top off the oil in my headers!



:confused:

[cliffy v]

:confused:
Just a joke...

[joecar]

He being light and funny... muffler bearings, blinker fluid, synthetic header oil... :D

[hquick]

Just read somewhere on another forum, if your guages aren't working, car won't start. PCM somehow checks it. I'll try and find it!

Mmm...different problem!

"Also check your dash guage's,Did you know that if your dash isn't in the truck then nothing will charge?The charging signal from the ignition that tell's the voltage regulator to allow current goes through your guage in your dash".

http://www.pacificp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5289

[b18cls1]

Just a joke...


Gotcha...just making sure I wasn't out of the loop!!