NEED HELP ASAP!!!! Starting issues!!

[joegr]

Nice, and so not a knee jerk reaction! Way to grow man!!!!

I don't believe that I changed recently, and I still think that 40 weight diesel oil in the LS engine is a mistake. I suppose that I could volunteer less and therefore cause less offense to the thin skinned, but then again, I really don't care...

 

[kingofmy_h]

I've been dealing with the exact same issue since winter of 2006. I've never taken this issue too seriously because there never was a day that it left me stranded. A year or two back the situation got worse were it was happening almost every time I tried to start it. I changed the battery and it went away for a few months. It's very weird because sometimes it happens every other week and sometimes it goes months without a incident. I tried using another key and had no luck.

I have the day off tomorrow so I am going to attempt to take off the starter and examine it. If I still get the no start issue, the ignition switch is next. If I still get it then I will get rid of the Ls.

 

[Gunther1000]

I've been dealing with the exact same issue since winter of 2006. I've never taken this issue too seriously because there never was a day that it left me stranded. A year or two back the situation got worse were it was happening almost every time I tried to start it. I changed the battery and it went away for a few months. It's very weird because sometimes it happens every other week and sometimes it goes months without a incident. I tried using another key and had no luck.

I have the day off tomorrow so I am going to attempt to take off the starter and examine it. If I still get the no start issue, the ignition switch is next. If I still get it then I will get rid of the Ls.

FWIW, I watched my Red Dash light as I started my V8 LS this weekend.

It stays on while cranking untill after the car is running then it goes out.

^ Your problem sounds to me like a relay that was having an issue makin contact... Like it took a few seconds to fully seat and provide current but thats just my hunch. (Fresh Battery may of had the few extra amps to kick it together faster...) I would think the key switch would be the last to go out on any car but thats just me thinking out loud. I've never seen one go bad really. I've seen keys getting stuck, and other issues but never a "bad" contact.

 

[1LoudLS]

i think that the problem might be with the PATS module/cluster, its reconizing the key but its waiting too long to kick the starter on, a good way to test would be to test and see when the power is getting sent to the relay, if the relay is getting power right away then you know that the PATS system (yes i know the "system" is redundant) is fine and the problem is probaly the starter, if the relay is not getting power right away, then the cluster/PATS is on its way out.

 

[66coupe]

Can anyone tell me where the starter relay is? I would look but my car is not with me right now. Thanks

 

[Gunther1000]

There is a solenoid/relay on the starter that pulls the starter gear into position and switches current to the starter motor.
There is a relay in the junction box that switches power to the solenoid/relay on the starter motor.
The relay is driven by a signal from the cluster (which is where the PATS is).

This is according to the service manual. Fortunately, I haven't had to troubleshoot any of this so far, so I don't know it by experience.

^This.

It is attached the the actual starter I believe. It may not be something you can get to to test or replace but I have not seen the LS starter in person myself.

 

[1LoudLS]

Can anyone tell me where the starter relay is?

There is a solenoid/relay on the starter that pulls the starter gear into position and switches current to the starter motor.
There is a relay in the junction box that switches power to the solenoid/relay on the starter motor.
The relay is driven by a signal from the cluster (which is where the PATS is).

It is attached the the actual starter I believe.

there is also the relay that controls the starter's solenoid

 

[joegr]

^This.

It is attached the the actual starter I believe. It may not be something you can get to to test or replace but I have not seen the LS starter in person myself.

There's an additional (on gen II anyway) starter relay in the fuse box under the hood. It's down at the narrow end of the box. It's the relay that switches power to the solenoid relay on the starter itself.

Bypassing [the NO contacts of] the relay in the fuse box would be a good test. The engine wouldn't start, but you could see if if turned over instantly, or if it still had the ten second delay. If there's still a delay, then the problem is with the starter assembly.