Ok heres the deal. I picked up m 92 aniversary RS for 300 bux cuz somebody tried to steal it and the ignition was all messed up. My steering column is trashed and i removed it from the car. But the lock cylander is perfect and untouched. My question is when i pick up the new steering column from the local yard, will the key that comes with it work with my old computer? I have the key with the chip in it and the guy said that if the resistance from the chip is not the same as the old key it wont start or i will have to have a GM tech come out and reprogram my computer to accept the new key. So if i can use my old lock and key in my new steering column how do i swap them out or if thats not possible how do i make the new key work???? thanks

 

dont you know how to hotwire cars chris? f*ck a key, lol j/k

 

Just remove the chip from your PASS key and install it in the new key. It just snaps in. I guarantee that's what the GM folks will do. You can't listen to half these wrecking yard buzzards. Most can't walk and chew gum without falling down.

 

haha, tommy, thats how i got the car home in the first place. Black z--thanks for that, i was ****tin myself over this. Im going to get the steering column this weekend so ill let you kno w how it goes--i wanna cruise

 

When you install a fresh "VATS" module (like the first time a new car is started, or after you replace the module) it reads the key used to start it and learns that resistance value. If you get a new ignition column, you may want to grab the VATS module out of that car (it's under the console, behind the radio) and change it too. Then it should work just fine. The other option is to measure the resistance of your current key and splice a resistor across the wires under the column (that is what I did when my VATS wires broke off of my ignition switch the second time). Then, it will work and you don't have to change modules.

Have fun!

 

ok i found a wire under my dash with a resistor on it i dont know wat color and i dont want to find out cuz its like 10 degrees out. Do you reme,ber wat color it is???I didnt know wat it was but it just confuses me cuz i thought it was something to do with the ignition key. So wat does the VATS module look like and how difficult is it to get out, why cant i just change the chips in the key, i tried it and the chip pops out pretty easily so i wanted to do that. thanks much tho

 

It's easier still to just pop out your resistor chip and install it into your new key.


When you install a fresh "VATS" module (like the first time a new car is started, or after you replace the module) it reads the key used to start it and learns that resistance value.

I do not believe this statement is true. The ECM has a learning capability but only in engine performance parameters. The VATS operates with a comparitor circuit otherwise it could learn any resistor. GM has 14 different key resistors. You could burn a new eprom to ignore the VATS.

 

OK good. Thats what i was hoping and planning what i would have to do. Thanks

 

nope, thats right, a VATS module learns the resistance once, so any key will work on a brand new VATS module, and only that resistance thereafter will work in that module, the VATS module trips the starter enable relay and sends a signal(square wave?) to the ECM and the ECM will then allow the injectors to pulse

 

So does the resitor in the key alow the VATS to pass contols for the starter and then send a clock to the ECM for the injectors?

 

pretty much, so to disable VATS, you need to remove VATS from the chip in the ECM and bypass the starter enable relay

 

OK it's great to learn something new, but they are talking about removing a module from a junkyard car. Plus, if it's a learned parameter wouldn't the resistance be stored on his original memcal. It wouldn't be dificult to have the VATS function disabled in the memcal if all this presents a problem. The bottom line is it would just be simpler to replace the cylinder with in the new column with his original cylinder using his original key and resistor.

 

Changing the cylinder isn't that simple if you don't have a lockplate compressor and steering wheel puller. It's really much, much easier to just take the chip from the old key and put it in the new one.

Also, the passkey resistance is a learned parameter, but it's not learned by the memcal. It's learned by the passkey module itself which is a whole different "little black box." The memcal only enables/disables the function. It has nothing to do with the actual operation.

 

I just went though all of this when someone tried to steal my car. We ended up with a column out of a 92 rs and its key wouldnt work with my module. So we just had a key cut from the 92 rs key and then put my chip on it. I think it was like $20. I have a chip that disables vats (anlu.bin from a tbi caprice) but vats saved my car from being stolen and me being totally ****ed so I figured I'd leave it on.

 

OK, if getting around this problem is as simple as switch the pass chips, why would ppl go threw all the trouble of changing the VATS module, key cylander etc, getting my column tomorrow tho