Start problem! Locktronics Relay?

Hello All!
I have a 1996 Chevy S-10 2.2l. The problem I am having only has been happening intermittently, usually in the morning when it is cold out. Just a note, when I say cold outside it is not extremely cold/freezing. It has been happening now for about 3 weeks. The truck will not start at all when the ignition is turned, there is no crank, noises/clicks, or anything. Usually I can jumpstart the battery and I am good to go. The battery is brand new, cables are clean and on tight. I have taken it and had it tested at the autozone and they say battery, alternator, and starter are fine (but I think when it is working good, it is going to test as being good). When it does not start in the morning after sitting all night I will jump it and go to work. A few hours later I will try to crank it again and sometimes it will start and sometimes it will do nothing. Then about 2 hours later I will try it again and almost 100% of the time it will start, as well as a few hours later when I start it to go home from work. A few times (2-3) it would not even start with a jumpstart. One of those times I took the jump cables off, and tried starting it several more times and it finally started!

I had a mechanic friend look at it and as he did not have a lot of time immediately available he did a quick checkover. He thinks I should check the relay that is going from my Locktronics system to the starter. For those that are not familiar with locktronics, it is an security device that does not allow the car to be started unless a security key is inserted in the loctronic device. It is a very simple method that keeps the circuit from the ignition to the starter closed until the key is inserted. When you stick the key in you hear a click (the relay) and the green light comes on, you have about 45 seconds to start the car until the relay clicks again and it turns red and will not start. As this is an intermittent problem he had a hard time to make the car not start, but when it did not start again after turning it on and off many times he said the relay did not click when he tried to start it. And after a few more tries it started. He wants me to check that first before looking at the starter. He told me he could bypass the locktronics altogether if needed. Well I found the locktronics relay; it is mounted on a circuit board in the locktronics box behind the dash. I am not sure if it is replaceable as it looks to be attatched to the board itself. Kind of afraid to yank it off and break something!

Does all of this sound right? Has anyone else had a similiar experience? It is kinda hard to diagnose the problem when it does not happen all the time. But I hate to be stuck in the middle of nowhere when it decides to really break down on me!

Any help or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

Rob

Get your friend to bypass the Locktronics first and if that doesn't work It sounds to me like you your new battery is junk. Try putting a small electric heater beside it before going to bed, then try starting it in the morning. If it doesn't turn over turn the heater on blowing hot air at the battery for 20 minuits or so. If it turns over the battery is junk

i had the same problem with a 1990 firebird i had with that crap theft system. it would start then it wouldnt intermittently. i had that s$^@*y system bypassed.

Thanks for the help guys! I will probably see about having it bypassed as soon as I get a chance. I am not too familiar with electrical wiring, but my guess would be that I would need to unplug the 5 wire socket going from the loctronic box to the starter(?), and connect it to the corresponding wires from the ignition wires, that way it would be a direct connection instead of going from ignition to locktronics to starter. I will look and see if I can find the connecting wires, and if not I will have to have my mechanic friend come over and take care of it.

About the new battery.... it is possible that it is bad, but this was happening before I put the new battery in. My first guess at the problem was the battery was not holding a charge so I replaced it, and I still have the problem.

I have a question about the relay on the locktronic box. I have a very basic understanding on how relays work, and would like to know if by chance the truck does not start with the locktronic still attached, could I give the little relay box a little whack to see if the switch comes "unstuck" and makes contact thereby allowing me to start the engine? I am not sure if I will be able to "bypass" the system today, and I am afraid I will be stuck tommorow morning without a ride to work.

Thanks again for the help! Hope everyone has a happy football/Nascar sunday!

Robert

Just a quick update. I bypassed the security system. It was very easy to do once I had the bottom dash off. Just traced the wires and cut the ones coming out of alarm and reconected original wires from ignition to electrical box.

It starts fine now but I will have to see what happens tommorow. Hopefully this will fix the problem. If not I guess I can rule out the loctronic relay.

Will post results when I find out.

Thanks!

Robert

i had the same problem with a 1990 firebird i had with that crap theft system. it would start then it wouldnt intermittently. i had that s$^@*y system bypassed.
Yeah but you are talking about the crap VATS system GM uses. This one they are talking about is aftermarket.

i didnt know the aftermarket made such a similar system! how does the aftermarket system work?

i didnt know the aftermarket made such a similar system! how does the aftermarket system work?
It's not like VATS but only simular because it can shut things off like fuel or starter.

Yes, the aftermarket Locktronics system does a very simple job of stopping the starting of the engine by interupting the ignition to starter sequence. Very easy to bypass, but I guess a thief would not really want to spend time taking the lower dash off and tracing and reconnecting original wiring. What sucks is if you lose your microchip "key" you cannot start your car, unless of course you go through the trouble of bypassing the system.

As an update.... The relay in the locktronic system was the problem as the truck is starting fine now. Not too worried about having a security system now so I will just keep it disconnected.