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Starts then no power

by David Seacrest
(San Mateo, CA.)

1987 Corvette Standard Coupe, 33,000 miles. Engine started normally and after about 3 seconds there was a high pitch whine that seemed to come from the rear of the car. The engine died and the dash went completely blank. I attempted to restart about 3 times when the dash relit and the engine started. Prior to that there was no electrical power. The car is now working normal and I have not been able to duplicate the problem. I checked for trouble codes with a jump wire but there were none indicated. I suspect something in the ignition switch, but the sound coming from the back puzzles me. Could it have been a fuel pump?

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May 27, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Awesome!
by: Chris

David,

Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad we could help solve your problem. The disconnect switch would definitely cause that problem, way to stick with it!

I will keep this comment section live if you ever need to come back.

If you need anything else please let me know and I would be happy to help.

If you find anybody else with a Corvette problem steer them our way. It makes our day being able to help a fellow Corvette owners.

Good day!

Regards,

Chris
May 26, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Problem solved
by: Anonymous

Chris,
The problem occurred
again. I had a battery disconnect switch which was faulty. There was power at the battery but it was lost going through the switch.

Thank you for all your input.
Feb 19, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Voltage Check Results Good
by: Chris

Sounds like your voltage check is good. Lets log this in the back of our minds for now as non issue. Lets move on and review this page

https://www.corvette-web-central.com/C4CorvetteStart.html

The way I troubleshoot problems is a process of elimination and splitting the system in 2. Some people will depend on experience for what they see all the time. Sometimes they get lucky.

Sitting here looking at the wiring schematic makes me think the ignition switch could be faulty or maybe loose connections. I don't want to throw out to many guesses. We are just trying to move this problem into the light. But try to wiggle the key and see what happens.

If that yields no fault we have to pick up the trail to your problem the next time it arises. The next time you see it use the link I have provided to determine a starting point. Just come back if you notice any change or info to add. If I think of anything else I will get back with you.
Feb 17, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Battery voltage
by: David Sescrest

Hi Chris,
Battery voltage reads 12.66 volts
Feb 16, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Battery Voltage
by: Chris

David,

One last thing with the battery because its important before we move on. With a volt meter please check the voltage without the car running. This will allow us to get a general condition of the battery without its true state being masked by the alternator charge voltage. Again this should be above 12.5v

We can look at fuel pressure and security system issues when the fault next presents itself. Unfortunately without the fault active we are limited to what we can track down because it is working normal at this point. If this is active let me know and we can continue. If you can think of any other observations no matter how small please share. With a little patience and communication we will get this figured out with you!

Chris
Feb 15, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		response: Starts and then no power
by: Anonymous

Chris,
Thank you for your response. To clarify, the dash went completely blank when the engine died. I do not know if power to the entire vehicle was lost (although I suspect that to be the case). I checked the battery connections at the battery and their other connecting points and they all seemed tight. I also checked the fuses and they all seem to be normal. The battery and alternator are about a year old and I always keep the battery on a battery tender when not in use. The battery reads 13.8 on the dash after I have run the engine for a few miles.

Thank you,
David
Feb 12, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Starting Problem
by: Chris

David,

First I would like to thank you for your question. I will offer my suggestions to you as a path to troubleshooting your issue. If any of what I say to you does not make sense just let me know and I will try to clarify it for you.

I want to state that intermittent problems like yours can be difficult since you will now be inspecting and testing items that are no longer in the failed state.

I'm not sure from your description or not if the Corvette was completely void of any electrical power when it had its issue or not. Maybe You can clarify that for me? My instinct is to concentrate on this issue first. The fuel pump noise could just be weird electrical byproduct of your issue and not the real problem.

My first suggestion to you is to inspect all of your large battery and grounding cables. Grab them and move them. As a way of seeing proper connection turn something on like the radio or headlights. This allows you indication of a bad cable. Inspect them for corrosion and connection. No frayed wires or loose eyelets. Inspecting your cables is a really good routine check anyway. Replace and re-secure any bad cables you find.

Next inspect all fuses especially the fuel pump. I dont think this is your issue but it does not hurt to check.

Check your battery voltage with no load applied. A good battery should have a fully charged resting state minimum of 12.5v DC no less. If you have any doubts take it to an auto parts store and have it tested. They will usually do it for free.

I don't want to overwhelm you with information any further. Once you complete these checks come back to me and respond with your results and we will move on to the next step.

Our next step will be the security system, under dash inspection and fuel pressure checks. But first lets do these.

Battery cable checks:
Battery voltage check:
Fuse inspection:

Remember you are not alone just comment back on your original link. Let me know what you find. You will be #1 in the cue!

Regards,

Chris Trautman
Corvette Master Brainiac

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