Diagnostion needed! Hard start problem

[choproxy]

I recently purchased on Ebay a damaged 98 Vette. The car was suppossedly driven 6 months ago after the wreck. Subsequently the front spindles and brakes were removed and sold. I bought the car for the engine and running gear to build a 1500# 350HP Lotus Seven type car. But before stripping the body I need to confirm the engine runs.

The car is missing an Alternator and radiator. I have runn the water inlet to the outlet for starting purposes.. All engine sensors are in place and working

After 10 hrs playing with it, Im still floundering. The car will crank and fire and run for 1/2 second, longer with a squirt of Ether. It shows no engine codes, but does fail TCS and ABS (because of the missing wheel sensors on the front). It shows "Service Column" on the DIC and sometimes requires you pull the key for 10secs. It always cranks

I used an Autoxray scanner and found:
The MAF, MAP, Throttle position all function. Fuel pressures up to 55# on key turn. Fuel pressure holds for 30 minutes. Coolant and air intake temperatures are accurate. (50F). The car cranks at normal speed and there is spark present.

All fuses are in palce and good. The injector fuses show 12v both sides.

Listeneing to injectors on crank,I hear them click a few times and then go silent. So Im pretty sure this is a no fuel problem. And it may well be associated with the "Service Column" mesage and the Theft Deterent System. The air bags are deployed. I think the car shound have a column lock. I don't hear alock retracting and the column turns freely. The plastic shroud form the column has been removed. The security light flashes on key removal and go off after turning the ignition on, just like the 2002 I have.

Looking at the shop manuals for a 2002 doesn't really help. What conditions allow a car to crank but stop the injectors from working? Or is there a completely different direction to go? HELP

 

[motorman]

the "column lock"will do what you see happening so no one can drive the car with the steering wheel locked it shuts off the fuel pump. try bypassing the leads to the fuel pump with a full 12 volts.

 

[choproxy]

The fuel pump runs and I have fuel pressure as measured with a guage on the rail. It is the injectors that are not firing, not lack of fuel pressure. This unfortunatly is not the cause of the no start. But thanks for the suggestion and keep trying

 

[motorman]

OK i may be wrong as to which part of the system is shutting off the engine but it is caused by the column lock problem because if the column is locked the engine will start but not run so you can not move the car with the column locked.

 

[choproxy]

The DIC doesn't say column locked, nor is the column locked, it moves fine. . The air bag is popped so Im guessing that is the reason for the "Service Column" on the DIC.

So I am still at a loss to explain why the injectors aren't firing and what component needs to be replaced or fudged to get the car to run

 

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
Your fail to start is the missing fuel enable signal from the BCM to the PCM. This will shut down the fuel injectors, but allow the starter.
So, with that in mind, the following will be needed.
Codes from the PCM<TCS<BCM< so that we can determine what is going on.
Although, you most likely will get a P1626 for a failed fuel enable signal.
Please keep us posted, but I can almost guarantee your concern.
As for the column lock, this will only affect the engine if you start to move the car, or it sees wheel speed.
Allthebest, c4c5