No spark....VATS?
 

Cousin bought an 89 5.7tpi camaro. Engine cranks but no spark. checked it at the plug and coil. Replaced coil and still no spark. PO said that VATS needed to be bypassed. After doing some research I found out that if the correct resistance is used with the right key the engine will still crank just not give power to injectors so the problem may be the yellow wires in the lock cylinder. Found out lock cylinder wires are ripped off. Should I just get a new lock cylinder and go from there?

I HAD THAT PROBLEM ONCE.
I FOUND SOMETHING ONLINE THAT SAID TO CLIP THE ORANGE OR YELLOW WIRE THAT EXITS THE STEERING COLUMN ABOVE THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER SO MANY CONSECUTIVE TRIES..... I THINK 10 CYCLING THE KEY ON/OFF BETWEEN STARTS WAITING 60SECONDS..... THE COMPUTER WILL GO INTO A SAFE MODE WHERE IT BELIEVES THE VATS HAS A PROBLEM, NOT A SECURITY ISSUE AND THE CAR WILL START AFTER THE 10TH TIME,
IT WORKED FOR ME BUT THAT WAS IN MY 98 Z
OTHERWISE YOU CAN GO TO RADIO SHACK AND PURCHASE RESISTORS TO MAKE THE RESISTED BRIDGE ACROSS THE 2 WIRES @ CYL. LOCK
THERE ARE 15 DIFFERENT RESISTOR VALUES
VATS # (K)OHMS (Set your meter to the 20k ohm setting)

1———— 0.402
2———— 0.523
3———— 0.681
4————-0.887
5————-1.130
6————-1.470
7————-1.870
8————-2.370
9————-3.010
10————3.740
11————4.750
12————6.040
13————7.500
14————9.530
15————11.801
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE EXACT JUST WITHIN MARGIN

You can also buy a new lock cylinder (standard ignition parts brand) from a napa,,,, bout $35 then take your license & title/registration to gm and have a new key made with proper resistance

AS far as i know the vats only cuts off the starter and fuel injectors. If its not reading the security signal it shouldnt crank at all. and it disables the injectors so you cant jump the starter to start it up. Are you getting a security light? pull codes yet? always get codes before you think, assume, make a post, anything. If you dont know how ill tell you. And if he ends up needed a new lock cylinder ill sell you a vats one for 10 bucks that i have laying around. Never used. Let me know

Home depot makes vats keys.....mine were $25 each and work perfect!

Know how to check codes but the previous owner had the battery disconnected for a while so nothing is stored anymore. Security light comes on as your cranking it but so do all the other lights.

ok even still you should get a code 12. that means the ecu thinks its alright. if theyre are no codes at all thats bad. that means the ecu is shot. It could also be the distributor itself. But didnt you say the coil isnt getting power? if not it has to be either the ecu, a grounded out wire, or something along those lines

Car will still crank without the correct resistance. This puzzled me for about 5 minutes with my build originally. I tuned out the VATS and I have been good since.
Easiest way to test this all is stick a 194 bulb in one of the injector sockets and see if it lights, dont stick a multi meter in though. The computer doesnt like too low resistance but the 194 provides enough, basically the same as the "proper" tool.
I would just tune out the VATS, unless you really want it. but you can bypass with the correct resistor like S.J. said

ECU is fine. Still get 12 just any of the other codes that may have been showing have been deleted.

Just want a quick fix so I can move on to all the other problems he cant fix. And move on too fixing my two cars which keep getting kicked to the side...:evil:

From your original post you are going to need to buy something to fix your problem really. buying some resistors will be the cheapest solution.

Word. I think Im going to go out today and get them. Thanks for all the info.