Quote:
Originally Posted by curtis73
I would look to the pass key system. The security system uses a passive transistor in the key that tells a sensor in the key cylinder that it is in fact your key and not an aftermarket cut or just that the lock was picked. Depending on the engine, it either disables the fuel pump or the spark. If it disables the fuel pump, you would get a few seconds of running until the fuel ran out. If it disables the spark, it would be a similar symptom - it would run for a little bit until the computer realizes that the sensor isn't getting the right signal from the key and it disables spark.
I think that if it were the battery you wouldn't have the ability to crank the engine. Once the engine starts, you don't need the battery at all.... although you can damage things if you don't have one connected. The starter needs nearly 200 amps to start the engine, but once its running you only need about 10 amps. If it were bad battery connections, it doesn't make sense that you could start it, but then it dies after its running.
A new lock cylinder is what would fix it (if that's the problem). They should be available for about $120 with the sensor, and then the computer needs to be reflashed to match the key to the sensor. Most GM shops will do that for $99 (one hour of labor). Be aware, though... replacing those cylinders is not easy. You have to install the tumblers that match your key. Its a pile of tiny springs, tumblers, codes, and its not for the faint of heart. I charge 2.2 hours at my shop just to install a new cylinder.
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I'm not trying to question your intellegence, just trying to learn since you seem to be one of the smartest ones on here. and im open to anything you have to say, whether it is to correct me or critic me. Are you sure a car couldn't stay running a bit and then die while corroded? When I learned about the importance of keeping battery terminals clean, my rice-tastic corolla would start and at any given time would die. Absoululty everything would shut off from the engine all the way to the clock,and sometimes it would be a second after i started it and at other times it would die while driving it. I forget how i discovered it but I found by wiggling on the terminals got the car to start eventually and the clock was reset. Then I got told to try cleaning them and i took the terminals off and saw they were heavily corroded and after cleaning them I didn't have that problem anymore. However I may also not fully understand what happened.