Car Won't Crank

[af_cory_shelton]

Before I get started I want to apologize if this has been answered already but I read through about 30 related problems and none of them were quite the same as mine or the solution didn't work so I am posting my exact problem in hope of some answers!

To start, I have a 97 Pontiac Grand Am GT V6. I bought it for $200 and was told the "problem" so I thought it was a steal. It was supposedly the Passlock system which I have read plenty about so I figured a day of work and I'd be done...

WRONG!!!

Ok, so where I'm sitting now when I turn the key (cut key) there is no attempt at a crank or anything, ever. So, I bypassed the ignition all together and ran a wire directly from the starter to a switch. The switch for the most part works 1 out of 100 tries. The rest of the time there will be no crank at all. Or it will crank and the engine starts for a fraction of a second, shuts off and then the starter just sits there trying to crank.

NOTES:
-The starter is fine (old and ratty but fine. Might try beating it with a hammer later. That always works for everything else!)
-Brand spanking new battery
-Switch is rated for the amount of power (I'll try throwing in a relay or fuse for it later just in case something goes crazy)
-Engine is getting spark, fuel, etc. when it does start.
-When it does start it rarely stalls (once so far) like most similar problems I've read.

I don't currently drive this car so it's not a huge priority, but I would like to get it running by winter so I don't get all the road junk on my rims of my daily driver. I hope I gave enough details for an answer. If not just reply back and I will try to answer more.

[Tech II]

OK, first let's get a few things straight....

You say it won't crank....to me, cranking means, the engine is turning over...

So when you press your switch, the vehicle either cranks, and starts, cranks and starts and dies, cranks and doesn't start at all, or it doesn't crank at all.....

All your switch is doing is providing power to the "S" terminal of the starter solenoid.....this allows the car to crank over.....

You have spark and you have fuel pressure, but it doesn't run......this means that the injectors are not firing.....this can be validated by spraying carb cleaner into the intake while cranking.....if it starts and runs as long as you spray, and you have verified good fuel pressure with a gauge, then the injectors are not firing.....

They are not firing because the PCM has not received a "fuel enable" signal from the smart cluster or the BCM....

Look at your SECURITY/THEFT light.....if you just use your key, and try to start the car does it "flash" when you release the key from the crank position? If it does, you definitely have a Security or PassLock problem(sometimes it just stays solid)....ordinary code readers can't read Body or "B" codes....a B2958 or B2960 is probably set.....

One thing you can try is this:

Make sure your battery is fully charged and apply the e-brake(this shuts off auto headlights).....

Attempt to start car with the key....turn to crank position and release.....this is the "on" position for the ignition.....observe the SECURITY or THEFT light....it will be on or flashing.....after 10 minutes, it SHOULD GO OUT......

Turn key to off, wait a couple seconds, and turn key just to the "on" position again(don't crank).....wait 10 minutes again until the light goes out....

Turn key to off, wait a couple seconds, turn key to "on", and wait another 10 minutes until the light goes out....

Now turn the key to off, and wait about 5 seconds....now try to start the car.....if it starts, this is only temporary.....this will happen again sometimes down the road......and this 30 minute procedure, may or may not work in the future......

The usual fix is to replace the lock cylinder and the Passlock sensor that the lock cylinder goes into......they come out together as a unit....

You can do that, or if you investigate this site, you will find procedures for a toggle switch or a resistor.....