Okay - so - as per Rule #1, I convinced my husband to go buy his own tester (got a digital muli-tester) so he wouldn't have to wait around every time for someone to be home to borrow one, or have them do it, and now he'* been checking out the car again.

So - he just came in and said he doesn't know if he'* done it right, but these were the results:

He tested the key. It registered between 11.65 and 11.68 and stabilized there.

When he tested the orange wire under the dash (after hooking up to the red ground and then the orange wire, according to directions, I suppose?) He said the highest it registered was 5, and that it jumped all around below 5 and never did stabilize.

So - does that tell any of you anything? Or is there something he needs to know to test again?

Thanks!

Another vote bout doing the VATS bypass.. happened to my 97 and Tamara'* 95. I had to get a new cylinder, and key made for my 97 Expensive.. Did the VATS bypass on Tamara'*.. and good as gold.. and a lot cheaper. VATS.. BAAH !!! If people really want to steal your car.. it'll be gone one way or another :?

But before goin gung ho and start splicing.. definitely see if you can get a resistance reading from the 2 wires in the orange sleeve ( its a really thin gauge wires.. and on Tamara'* 95 both were in the orange sleeve ).. ( I gambled and said the hell with it.. and did it on Tamara'* car put together diodes that will give same value as key and looped it on the 2 wires tahts inside the orange sleeve *At first glance the orange sleeve appears to be only one cable/wire but on hers there'* actually 2 lil ones in there and the orange is just a cover ) and thankfully that was it ) Tamara'* car had the same symptoms.. it'll catch.. start.. then the fuel pumps cuts off and the car dies.. ( was able to force feed propane via intake to keep it runnin.. dangerous.. be warned and it kept running so it told us that the ignition was fine.. but no command to the fuel pump )

It appears I may have mixed up the colors. Look for 2 white wires in an orange plastic sleeve. Put the leads of the meter on each of the white wires. It won't matter which lead goes on which wire since we're testing resistance. Check the resistance with the key in the switch & see if the reading is consistent while turning the key to the run and start positions. Here'* a link with more info.
http://www.12vp.com/info_resistors.htm

Well - upon a more thorough examination , he discovered that several wires in the steering column, are badly crushed, some virtually in two, presumably from the repeated action of moving the steering wheel up and down every time the car is driven.

Okay - now that he has replaced the wire, it registers at 4.30 - 4.31 and stabilizes there.

I don't think I've moved my steering column more than a few times in 6 years.
Is this something everyone does........errr everyone with a huge Molson Muscle I suppose.

I guess I would be one with a Molson Muscle then, because I always lower the steering column when I get it, and raise it when I get out.

As I mentioned before, the key registered 11.65 - 11.68. How do we know we know which (key or wire) is registering what it is supposed to - if either?

Okay - another question.

After replacing the wire, do we have to tell the computer to reset the VATS?

I don't believe there is any way to reset the Vats module.
Did he replace the lock cylinder or just repair the wires?