2000 Pontiac Firebird v-6 Starting Issues

[Samsdad2]

Help,
My daily driver 2000 Firebird V-6 won't start. It started once yesterday with no problems. Now it won't do anything. I can start it by jumping the solenoid but it won't stay running. Is there some type of relay or safety switch I should be looking for. I'm getting no voltage at the solenoid when I turn the key.
Thanks
Mark

[kmdracer]

Can't remember if the v6's have VATS or not, but I think they do. That said, when you "jump" the solenoid, does the car actually start and idle for a sec, or just crank? Do you have a shop manual for it? If so, when you turn the ign. switch, do you get power to the solenoid? Goes to check my 99 manual and see if there's any v6 specific details..brb

Darn it, my laptop doesn't have the shop manual on it. Thought it did.

[Samsdad2]

The car does run for a couple of seconds when I jump the solenoid. It didn't seem to get any voltage at the solenoid when the key was turned to start. The car started fine yesterday morning and showed no indication that anything was wrong. When I tried to start it after filling it up is when it wouldn't start. I thought it might be the resistor in the key but I stuck a resistor in temporarily and it didn't make a difference.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

[T_Raven]

Could be a VATS problem, it's common that the wires in the column lock break. Check the resistance of the little chip in the key, then you put the key in the ignition lock and unplug the connector coming out of the column. It should be two small white wires. The resistance through those wires should be the same as the key. If it's open (OL) then the column lock is bad. You can either replace it or wire in a resister the same resistance as the key to bypass the key and cylinder all together. I just did it a few weeks ago on my brother's GP. It wouldn't crank at all turning the key but when I jumped the starter it would start briefly and die. His key was 4.7k ohms so I bought a pack of 4 at radio shack for a couple bucks and soldered one into the wires coming out of the column. Starts and runs fine and was much cheaper and easier than a new column lock, and if the resister ever goes bad for some reason it's easy to replace.

If the resistance on those wires is the same as the key then it could be part of the VATS still but you'd need to get some service info to figure out what to check next. If it's not the column lock I'd go straight to the ignition switch next and see if there is power on whatever wire should only have power in the start position. You can figure out which wire it is by turning the key to run, pretty much all but one wire should have power, the one that doesn't should have power in the start position only. If there is no power there in the start position, then it's either a VATS problem or the ignition switch itself.

If there is power there in the start position then the VATS isn't the problem. At that point I'd be looking for any switches or relays that prevent starting in gear and go from there.

Hope all that helps

Edit: just realized if it's anything other than VATS it should stay running after jumping the starter. I'd say check the key thing and let us know what you find there

[Samsdad2]

Thanks for all of your help. I do need to get a more accurate ohm meter. I ended up using a fixed resistor inline with an adjustable pot. to get it dialed in.
Regards
Mark

[kmdracer]

So did that work Samsdad2? Like T Raven said above, I've replaced the key resistor with a soldered resistor in the wiring harness on my 91 RS Camaro due to the switch contact going bad, and it worked for me.

[Samsdad2]

Yes it did work I used a small fixed resistor and an adjustable to dial it in. Thanks for all of your suggestions.