Just bought an '02 SS Camaro. Car has an aftermarket cam (Comp GT-14 234/240??? can't find the cam card anywhere), headers, exhaust/catback, new springs, new clutch, master/slave cylinder. Previous owner claims to never have had any problems. Here is the back story.

Get in to drive today, to go get the front right tire replaced. Cool, got that done. Was driving out of the place, noticed the AC was not kicking on (blower atleast). Put it on high/all different speed settings, still wouldn't come on. Pulled over and started fiddling. Turned car off, tried turning AC on, and the blower started working, as there was air coming out of the vents. Turned the car back on and air still wasn't coming out. Don't know what the **** went wrong. I don't know what I did next as I was in a frenzied rage/panic trying to get the car I just bought/haven't even made one payment on working. I mess with A/C *****, etc. and somehow it turned on at one point in time (I don't remember exactly when it did), but I now have a new problem: my key won't come out of my ignition. As in, I cannot turn the key into the Off position. It stays on, and is stuck. WHAT THE ****. I start messing with buttons again and locking/unlocking the doors. I don't know if that fixed it, but by some divine miracle, the key turned and the car shut off. I turn the car back on, A/C is still working, neat. Try to turn the car back off, but the key is stuck again.

That's not even all of it.

I proceed to drive home in a hissy fit. At some point on that drive home, the car will *NOT* idle. It just dies. it did this a couple days ago on the way home from work, but it eventually stopped, and I continued on my merry way home. This time, it did not fix itself. I had to do what I do to my Nova sometimes - put it in neutral, use left foot to brake while I have right foot on gas revving it so it won't die. I did NOT buy this car to have maintenance nightmares. I bought it to just drive and be dependable, I already have another car that calls for routine maintenance.

I get it home, shut it off (with clutch pedal, so lucky I have a stick car), and I start messing with things. I check the battery, replaced it with a known good one, but it did not fix anything. I took it to Autozombies and had them plug in one of these fancy ODBII scanners to check for codes. Nothing came up. No codes. Nothing. What's funny is, there was actually a dash light on before saying to 'Service Engine Soon', and was told from the seller that it was because of the headers/O2 sensors. Once at Autozombies, I noticed that light was gone. With several attempts to get the car to start, I FINALLY got it to idle. After revving it a couple times, though, it wanted to die, and it did just that.

I called a local place to quote replacing the ignition cylinder...~$450, including reprogram of key, ignition cylinder, etc. FML. I just bought this car. I have searched, and found things ranging from messing with the sleeve collar? (thing around the steering column??) to saying the cylinder/tumbler is broken, to linkage issues? I don't know. All I know is I can still turn the car on, just can't turn it off.

Are any of these issues even remotely related to eachother????



EDIT: have a neighbor that says the idle map is off. He has all the tuning software/hardware to fix it/tune it and said he would help me out. Will try that tonight..but as far as the ignition issue is concerned, here's a video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r9Ci14z9lA

 

I guess you went into full panic mode. You need to calm down, have a beer, and start looking at one thing at a time, starting with the ignition lock. Have you tried moving the steering wheel one way or the other to relive the pressure on the lock mechanism to make it easier for the key to turn?? You can change the lock out yourself and save a few bux, but you should get a service manual first.

 

Panic mode was in full effect..I just bought the car for the very reason of not having to work on it. -.-

Yea, I moved the steering wheel every which way I could think of, using the lever towards the back to move it up/down while attempting to jiggle the ignition switch to the off position. Also tried jiggling the collar/sleeve in the middle of the steering column. Still no luck.

Do I have to take the whole steering wheel apart/off to change this out? Will my steering wheel puller for my '72 Nova work the same? Local auto place says if that is replaced, I have to get the key reprogrammed, etc.

 

bump...

 

OK yes if you change the key you will need to have the BCM reprogramed... but... that is expensive usually $100-$150 depending on the dealership. Now there is an easier way and cheaper way to get yourself a new key. Take the old and new key to the dealer or local locksmith that can handle VATS keys. Have them make a new key using the chip of the old key and the pattern of the new key, the cost here is about $30. Also make sure the little button is depressed all the way when taking the key out of the ignition. The turning the column trick only works with the older columns with automatic, these cars use an electronic solonoid to lock them out and not a movable shaft. Your column uses a button on the tumbler and sometimes those buttons need to be pressed well before you move them to the off position, sometimes you kinda need to really push them in.

The A/C issue happens to my friend's car from time to time and we found that moving the A/C position dial around a few times will fix it.

As for the drivability, the issues that can cause the problems you listed are the TPS, MAF, Vacuum line disconnected from the MAP (which could also cause issues with the A/C) Vacuum leak (make sure the little black hose is connected to the vacuum can on the right frame rail under the headlight). Does the car have a K&N or another oiled filter? If so is the oil really thick on the filter?

Good luck and work through the problems one at a time instead of trying to hit them all at once.

Massey

 

when you changed the battery you cleared the codes. the computer needs to see the problem three times before it will set a code. i think thats why no codes came up. massey is there anything you have to do on the manual trans to get the key to the lock position. i know on mine it will not if the car is not in park.

 

Just press the little button next to the key on the tumbler and it will let you get the key into the off position. Sometimes when the tumbler is warn this button gets picky and you need to push it in more than you used to.

Massey

 

Hello MRDREEX

QUOTE ( Panic mode was in full effect..I just bought the car for the very reason of not having to work on it. -.- )

SORRY to hear you purchased it for that reason, Camaro's are fun to drive, But, I'm afraid you will be working on it from time to time. Dont get angry please, it's just the nature of a Camaro, they need petting often.

 

Fixed it today. Here's the story.

Thank you for all the suggestions. I went up to Autozombies, purchased a Haynes manual and a new ignition lock cylinder. Noticed the new cylinder has wires coming out of it, and when I took everything apart in the car/steering, the cylinder (broken one in my car) did NOT have wires coming out of it. Come to find out, automatic cylinders are cars that do not have wires coming out of it. Whoever messed/fixed this before me put the wrong ignition lock cylinder in. By pure luck, I found where the wires are supposed to be plugged in, and noticed the ends had been cut and electrical taped together. I then put the new cylinder in, fed the wires down the steering column, and plugged it in. Put everything back together, and the car started right up..I thought the key had to be programmed?? There was a key blank/template provided in the package, but I thought a key had to be made/programmed..don't know, but as soon as I started it up, the car idled fine...wtf? There was no issues idling, it was idling perfectly, turned the AC on and it was still idling fine.

I then proceeded to thank the lord for not having to spend $450, but only around $70 for a manual and a new lock cylinder.

 

GREAT JOB !! Nice to see you tackle that problem ! Now get out there and enjoy your ride !!