I bought a 94 v6 a few weeks ago and have been fixing everything I can on it. The guy I bought it from says he lost the keys and replacedthe key cylinder. The key I now am using is not a vats key and I the column has been replaced, I think he just swapped out steering colums with an old chevy tilt colum. The blinker switch is broken and has cruise controls on it but the car has no cruise control. The check engine light is on but will not let me pull up codes for it. It's just steady on and will not flash the trouble codes. I think it has something to do with the vats system being disabled but I am not very familiar with the vats system and how it works. Please correct me if I am wrong but I am under the impression that all camaros have VATS after around '89 or '90 so I am assuming this 94' is supposed to have it also.
I bought a steering column that should fit just fine and hopefully has a working blinker switch also

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...21184&rd=1

Basically I wanted to know if I am looking in the corect direction with the the check engine light being related to the VATS system?
Also I would like to know if there is any difference between the column for a standard or auto car? I am assuming no, but if anyone knows different id like to know what the differences are.
Thanks,
Jeremiah

 

The check engine lite is not related to the VATS. But, the VATS can prevent the engine from cranking and the fuel injectors from working. The VATS module itself cannot be bypassed unless the PCM is reprogrammed, because the PCM has to see the proper signal from the VATS module, before energizing the start relay and firing the injectors. You can permanently enable the VATS by strapping the propervalue resistoracross the two leads that connect the ignition switch contacts to the VATS module.
http://shbox.com/1/pass_key.html
http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#pass_key
http://shbox.com/1/vats_bypass.jpg

The 94 PCM will not flash codes, you need a OBDI scanner with the proper cable to talk to the PCM.
If your car came with a 16 pin connector, you will need to adapt the 12 pin OBDI cable from the scanner to work with it. If your car came with a 12 pin connector, you are set to go.
http://shbox.com/1/xraycable.jpg

 

I noticed that the sites you gave are for 4th Gen cars my 3rd Gen Camaro has that system in it kinda interesting [>:]

 

Thanks z28pete, I was unaware of this change from ECM to the PCM would stop you from being able to pull codes with a jumper wire. I've probably pulled codes off 100 obd I cars without any problems in the past and thought I just had something screwy going on. Has anyone used software and cables with a laptop before? Any good programs you would suggest? I am going to have to use some software that is compatible with my OBD I car and of course I will be using it on OBD II cars also in the future. I have seen a couple sites offering cables and software, any suggestions from anyone? I used to be a diag. tech about 8 years ago but stopped working on cars to go to school and change careers. I suppose I've gotten a bit rusty. I used to use EASE software and that was an awesome setup and great software but a bit on the spendy side still. That was back around '00 and I just figured with laptops being a bit more common than they were back then and the timeframe, therewould be a lot more options as far as software to use with my laptop and just getting a cable.