[Beav]

Cars will start and run without cam sensors (of course there's probably one that doesn't..) Cam sensors only exist for synchronizing injection firing to individual cylinders. When they go hooters up the ECU just uses its best guess and fires the injectors in two banks instead of sequentially.

No modern car will do a thing without a crank signal. But before you get carried away, you have to check for switching at least at one injector and at one coil. When the ignition is on (KOEO & KOER - key on, engine off & key on, engine running) battery power is present at each injector and at each coil. Coils and injectors (and most all output devices on computer control cars) are ground switched. Think of it this way, if something was power-side switched and shorted to ground it could wipe out the computer. If the ground-side switched circuit shorts to ground, so what? Back to task - so you'll need to use a test light, lead to ground at first to check for power at a coil and a injector. If you have power at each with the ignition on, you're good so far. Now move the test light lead to the positive battery terminal and probe the other wire at an injector and a coil while someone cranks the engine. The light will flicker, faintly and fast (think 3.5 - 10 milliseconds. your eye can see that fast but may have trouble discerning in bright areas.)

No switching at either injector or coil? Probably crank sensor (CKP) or ECU, but in your case, since cranking and twisting old harnesses around, you may have a poor connection or broken wire. Let me know if you need additional help. If the coil has switching but not the injector, or vice-versa, the crank sensor and its circuitry is o.k. but you'll need to let me know and we'll go from here.