List of Troubles With 94 Formula, Totally Lost

In the last two months it seems like everything going haywire with it. It's a 94 Formula Firebird LT1 with a Transmission Perform Button. The only upgrades as of yet is a K&N catback exhaust. I bought it Septemberish of 04 with 134,000 miles, it just turned 143,000...just to give you a small background.
Ok, so two months ago my transmission messed up and I had to get that rebuilt which cost me about 1500 bucks, but now (just about the last two weeks) I think my electrical systems are messing up. Here is what is going on...
First, about two weeks ago the alternater started making noises that resemble a poker card in the spokes of a bicycle (that's the first thing that popped into my head that it sounded like) and I asked my Father about it, he's a gas compression mechanic, and he said it sounded like the alternater bearings were going out, so there is that. Then, as I'm driving the car, the alternater gage begins to jump into the yellow occasionally, but the rest of the time the alternator charges beautifully in the middle of the gauge. It doesn't really bother me cause I know what my dad said about the alternator bearings so that's what I think the culprit is. A few days later, I got in my car to start it and I couldn't turn the key, at all, kinda how when the steering wheel is loocked and you can't turn the key but my steering wheel would unlock and still the key wouldn't turn. After about 30 minutes of trying, I started jerking the steering wheel from side to side and the key finally clicked over to the run postion and the car started. I figured I needed a new ignition switch as well as an alternator. Now, Monday night, the 21st, I was driving and all of the sudden the alternator gauge started jumping into the yellow again and then the car completly died. I pushed it into a parking lot and tried to start it again but when I turned the key to start it, nothing happened, no gauges came on, no clicking sound you usually hear when the battery is dead, or anything. The headlights still shined bright and the windows and door locks along with the radio still worked, but when I turned the key no gauges or anything from the car or the instrument cluster. I called one of my friends that used to be a mechanic and he told me that a lot of older model GM's sometimes have problems with shorts or loose wires in the steering column and told me to move the steering wheel around and tilt it up and down while I was trying to start it, after a few minutes it worked and the car started up as if nothing was wrong and I drove it home. The next day, on Tuesday, it happened again on my way to work, I coasted to the side of the interstate, stopped, put it in park, played with the steering column and it started right up and I drove it to work. Drove home that day and it was perfect except when I exited mason rd the alternator started jumping down into the yellow again but this time it didn't die and I got it home. Now, when I go to start it I turn the key to the run position and no warning lights or gauges come on in the instrument cluster. If I turn the key a little past the run position they come on and the car preps for start up. So then I try to start the car and it turns over and catches, rpm's jump up and then I let the key go back to the run postion and the car dies, as if it were out of gas....but there is a full tank. ANY HELP AT ALL WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED. I have no idea what to do. HELP!!!

first off welcome to AF...now...i posted this in another thread too, but incase you dont read it i will give it to you hear...check all of your fuses (sounds stupid i know, but blown fuses cause alot of problems) then check the ignition switch, and all the relays on the colum...that is most likly that is your problem (givin everything you have said, probly a relay or a wire or something of that sort). as far as your altenater, you need to go ahead and replace it... becuase its a pully that affects other things as well, if it is acting up, not pulling properly it could do some major damage...(jump time, etc.) good luck to you man, let me know what happens after you check everything, if i can help in anyway let me know...PM me if you need to.

In the last two months it seems like everything going haywire with it. It's a 94 Formula Firebird LT1 with a Transmission Perform Button. The only upgrades as of yet is a K&N catback exhaust. I bought it Septemberish of 04 with 134,000 miles, it just turned 143,000...just to give you a small background.
Ok, so two months ago my transmission messed up and I had to get that rebuilt which cost me about 1500 bucks, but now (just about the last two weeks) I think my electrical systems are messing up. Here is what is going on...
First, about two weeks ago the alternater started making noises that resemble a poker card in the spokes of a bicycle (that's the first thing that popped into my head that it sounded like) and I asked my Father about it, he's a gas compression mechanic, and he said it sounded like the alternater bearings were going out, so there is that. Then, as I'm driving the car, the alternater gage begins to jump into the yellow occasionally, but the rest of the time the alternator charges beautifully in the middle of the gauge. It doesn't really bother me cause I know what my dad said about the alternator bearings so that's what I think the culprit is. A few days later, I got in my car to start it and I couldn't turn the key, at all, kinda how when the steering wheel is loocked and you can't turn the key but my steering wheel would unlock and still the key wouldn't turn. After about 30 minutes of trying, I started jerking the steering wheel from side to side and the key finally clicked over to the run postion and the car started. I figured I needed a new ignition switch as well as an alternator. Now, Monday night, the 21st, I was driving and all of the sudden the alternator gauge started jumping into the yellow again and then the car completly died. I pushed it into a parking lot and tried to start it again but when I turned the key to start it, nothing happened, no gauges came on, no clicking sound you usually hear when the battery is dead, or anything. The headlights still shined bright and the windows and door locks along with the radio still worked, but when I turned the key no gauges or anything from the car or the instrument cluster. I called one of my friends that used to be a mechanic and he told me that a lot of older model GM's sometimes have problems with shorts or loose wires in the steering column and told me to move the steering wheel around and tilt it up and down while I was trying to start it, after a few minutes it worked and the car started up as if nothing was wrong and I drove it home. The next day, on Tuesday, it happened again on my way to work, I coasted to the side of the interstate, stopped, put it in park, played with the steering column and it started right up and I drove it to work. Drove home that day and it was perfect except when I exited mason rd the alternator started jumping down into the yellow again but this time it didn't die and I got it home. Now, when I go to start it I turn the key to the run position and no warning lights or gauges come on in the instrument cluster. If I turn the key a little past the run position they come on and the car preps for start up. So then I try to start the car and it turns over and catches, rpm's jump up and then I let the key go back to the run postion and the car dies, as if it were out of gas....but there is a full tank. ANY HELP AT ALL WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED. I have no idea what to do. HELP!!!

your regulator inside the alternator is shot, that's why it keeps jumping around, you can get a regulator together with a rebuild kit, and save money instead of replacing the entire alternator....

OK this sounds really stupid but it could be a problem. On the not starting thing check the wire that runs to your rear hatch release button on the panel beneath the steering column where your knees are. (Square yellow button the wire should be orange with a two prong black plug on it) Mine just recently had the ignition cylinder (thing the key goes into to start car) go bad. I replaced it and went to start it and nothing no gauge lights are anything except the headlights and windows still worked. Meaning the battery was fine. I got to inspecting and realized I hadn't hooked up the wire from the ignition lock (think GM calls it Pass-lock) traced wire and sure enough it went to the stupid hatch pop button. I thought well that can't be it but since I didn't hook it up I thought what the hell why not try. I hooked it back up and the evil 383 roared back to life. Check that to make sure it isn't loose even unhook it and rehook it back up a few times to ensure a good contact. It worked for me. Maybe it will work for you. :2cents:

I appreciate everyones help, I really do, it was the ignition switch. I replaced it this weekend and all is well... for now anyway. I have to work on the damn blinker problem now.

Thanks guys
Wes

I appreciate everyones help, I really do, it was the ignition switch. I replaced it this weekend and all is well... for now anyway. I have to work on the damn blinker problem now.

Thanks guys
Wes

congrats... im glad to hear it all worked out for you... it will probly be one thing after another for a little while, lol, that generally the way things go... but good luck to ya man...
-Dusty