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[dave the builder]

At this stage ,it has to be worth trying the electrical ignition switch behind the barrel as a few people have said previously .

I've had a couple of duff switches in the past ,causing non cranking etc ,the switch was less than £10

I've also had a similar fault where the tip of the ignition barrel that goes into the ignition switch snapped off ,stopping it cranking but also stopping the power being turned off ,a new barrel with 2 keys was less than £10 but i had to put the transponder chip in the new key,that was on Astra G so ID40 chip ,easy to do

not familiar with what is inside a Vectra c key , maybe you will have to have the old and new key on the keyring for the transponder ring to read (IF it's the barrel) or take the barrel apart to fit the old tumblers ,so the old key works

but it is more likely to be the switch

[dave the builder]

just looking for a replacement switch and it looks like part of the steering column module with indicators ,clock ring etc ,not just a simple switch like omega,astra g etc
and if it is , it's coded to the ECU ,so you can't just replace it

i will continue to look to see IF you can replace just the switch

[dave the builder]

Looks like just the switch for Vectra c is not available from what i can see  anyone ?

so tracing the wiring to see where the crank switched feed is lost may be an easier option

i'm not familiar with what is inside or how fixable this type of complete assembly is 

[Doctor Gollum]

With A N Other assembly, swapping mechanical components should be straightforward enough...

[dave the builder]

well before part swapping   
it may be an idea to give the key a wiggle etc to see IF the fault can be narrowed down to the CIM (column module)
also worth trying the other key and give that a wiggle too
even go as far as removing the barrel and check/clean/lube it 

I mentioned SIM/CIM fails on vectra  C in previous posts , i wonder if this no crank issue is one of the common CIM fails 

[STEMO]

well before part swapping   
it may be an idea to give the key a wiggle etc to see IF the fault can be narrowed down to the CIM (column module)
also worth trying the other key and give that a wiggle too
even go as far as removing the barrel and check/clean/lube it 

I mentioned SIM/CIM fails on vectra  C in previous posts , i wonder if this no crank issue is one of the common CIM fails 

And don't forget a liberal squirt of magic WD40 about the place.

[Nick W]

well before part swapping   
it may be an idea to give the key a wiggle etc to see IF the fault can be narrowed down to the CIM (column module)
also worth trying the other key and give that a wiggle too
even go as far as removing the barrel and check/clean/lube it 

a more scientific method would be to disconnect the relevant multi-plug and use a multimeter to check the switch is working. That would then justify(or not) acquiring a replacement assembly.

[dave the builder]

well before part swapping   
it may be an idea to give the key a wiggle etc to see IF the fault can be narrowed down to the CIM (column module)
also worth trying the other key and give that a wiggle too
even go as far as removing the barrel and check/clean/lube it 

a more scientific method would be to disconnect the relevant multi-plug and use a multimeter to check the switch is working. That would then justify(or not) acquiring a replacement assembly.

I did think that 
but being a canbus module ,didn't know IF there was a high power contact switch or just can controlled to a relay elsewhere
i'm not familiar with Vec C at all
probably similar to astra H but not had any such electrical gremlin on the 4 astra H we have ,so not looked much at the wiring .

if Terry has a wiring diagram then tracing wiring ,or indeed jumping a start relay  may help

[terry paget]

Thanks to all for advice. Fault is now traced and rectified.
Picture above shows the repair of the the pipe from thermostat to throttle box, using Loctite EA9492  high temperature epoxy adhesive, as recommended by Viral Jim. The adhesive is white.

I was perplexed that things improved after Marks DTM suggested I check for a spark at the plugs, while cranking engine by shorting solenoid lead to starter power lead. After removing the plug stick I turned the ignition key to crank; the engine cranked. After replacing the plug stick the engine started, ran briefly, then stopped. Removing plugstick got it going again, for as long as it felt like running, anything from 10 seconds to 90 minutes.
Today I tried unplugging the plugstick but not removing it. That got it going too, but not for long. With the ignition switched on, I tried wiggling the leads around the plugstick connector. As I did so, I heard clicks from the throttle box. I imagined a damaged lead in the harnesses. I wiggled each lead in turn, to locate a damaged lead. The guilty party was the cylinder head earth lead, which you see on the picture above to the left of the pipe repair. It was in place, but not quite tight. A quick tweak with a 10mm spanner, and all was well.
I keep starting it, now it's fine. Sounds unlikely, don't it?

[Andy B]

Glad you're sorted Terry. 

I'd love to know where you found the word 'plugstick' to describe a coil pack! 

[STEMO]

Glad you're sorted Terry. 

I'd love to know where you found the word 'plugstick' to describe a coil pack! 

Well.....it's a stick with a spark plug on the end of it.....kind of 

[Doctor Gollum]

Well done

[YZ250]

Glad you're sorted Terry. 

I'd love to know where you found the word 'plugstick' to describe a coil pack! 

I've heard that term used in RC Cars/Planes etc. to describe the battery pack with leads coming out and a multi-plug on the end. Power Pack Stick, Battery Pack Stick, Plug Stick or Stick Plug are some of the names they go under, so there is a sort of logic. 

Absolutely nothing to do with coil packs though. 

Anyway, glad your perseverance paid off Terry. Well done. 

[terry paget]

Happy to report that V828 still starts first time every attempt, so I am confident my elusive fault was indeed the loose cylinder head earth lead. I am still puzzled that a loose earth lead could inhibit the starter cranking, or stop the running engine, without leaving a fault code.

Above pic shows the engine of my last remaining Omega, a 2000 minifacelift 2.5 petrol manual estate.  I bought this car in 2015, in Clacton, for £259. The owner told me he was in Portugal, with his family, living in a caravan, and needed a vehicle to tow the caravan home. He found this car, and had a local garage get it going. It came with some novel repairs, including the location of the coilpack, rear doors with windows that would not open, a blowing exhaust, and worst of all, a leaking clutch slave cylinder. Its merit was lack of rust.
I had spare rear doors in the right colour, and a spare estate exhaust system. This car's MOT was due on 24th April, but is extended due to the coronavirus. It has a blowing LH exhaust manifold.

[Marks DTM Calib]

It is pretty much impossible to put a system in place that detects loss of a ground connection and reports a trouble code associated with it