Pontiac Repair: 98 firebird, crank sensor, starter solenoid

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have 98 firebird 3800 v6.This one has been fun.cranking problems for a while now I have replaced crank sensor, cam sensor ign. module coil packs repaired wires at module pin conector,the pcm. most of these I have replaced more than one time.This thing will crank when it wonts to.I have seperated the wires from crank sensor and cam sensor up into wire loom at top of intake.When I do some of the repairs it will crank 8 or 10 times in a row then quits.Anititheft will not let starter ingage or fuel pump come on depending on what model you have,it turns over and has 50 lbs at fuel rail.The car has no fire.  I have not found the real problem yet! Car has been to a couple of shops, they do somthing and it cranks for a miniute then quits. Could  you PLEASE tell me the route that voltage takes from the ignition switch all the way till it cranks and runsThanks for any help Bodine205

ANSWER: Hi there:

well the way the system works in a nut shell is this when the ignition switch turns to the accy possition it wakes up the theft system module that module then looks to make sure the key in the ignition is a "VALID" key it then waits for you to turn it to the crank position then if the key is valid it turns on the starter enable relay and sends a yes or no signal to the engine computer to allow it to run. If the theft module is bad and cutting the starter realy out it will stop cranking. If the starter solenoid is bad it will cut out and stop engine cranking as well. If during cranking you loose a valid key signal to the module it will not crank over either I believe. 90% of the issues with this system was a bad connection or broken wires in the steering column for the ignition lock cyclinder. the fact that you say that the theft light has come on leads me to belive this may be your issue as well.  Good luck :)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, the ignition switch is where I will go now. The security light will go out after the key is in the on position for about 5 seconds. The car will turn over all the time but getting no fire from plugs it will not crank up,if the security system were the problem would the starter turn over? The ignition switch having a loose or burnt connection would do the starting and not starting thing. Thank you VERY VERY much Bodine205

Answer
If the lock cylinder is bad the car will not crank or it may crank and then quit if the wires going to the cylinder are freyed and the ckt. opens up while turning the key. The ignition switch being bad would cause other issues. You can check the ignition switch buy doing this turn on all the accys on the car and turn the key to the run position check the battery volatge at the batter with a digital volt meter. Then check to see what you have at the fuses in the fuse box. you shoulod have pretty much the same volatge as you do at the battery if not the ignition switch is bad or a power feed into the switch is bad.