QuestionQUESTION: Here is what the volt results were at distributor plugs:
2 way connector pin 1--12v
6 way connector pin 6-- no volts SHOULD THERE BE VOLTS?
6 way connector pin 5--chassis ground good
6 way connector pin 3-- 5 volts no change when turning engine over
6 way connector pin 2--8.96 volts
6 way connector pin 1-- sensor ground good Pin 3 voltage does not change when turning engine over by hand or cranking so I beleive that the camshaft sensor is bad. Am I correct, bad cam sensor?? Could not check Ign coil because of no access to pins with dist in car.
Thanks,
Frank
ANSWER: Hi Frank,
On pin 3 measurement, if you were measuring between pin 1 (sensor ground) and that pin, and you were turning it over by hand with the ignition switch in the run position, and you see no pulsing from 5 to 0.3 then that sensor is bad.
Pin 6 is the driver of the coil, at the other end of the primary winding from the 12v supply, so it would show 12v compared to chassis ground IF at the time of the measurement you had 12v on the pin 1 of the 2-way. But because of the ASD needing the continuing pulsing of the cam sensor to have the pcm tell it to remain closed (and you don't appear to have that), I suspect that you won't see 12v when it is being cranked or turned by hand; you would only see 12v for about a second when you first turn the key to the 'run' position. What you would see is a pulsation of pin 6 between 12v and ground at a rate of 3 per revolution of the crank IF the cam sensor worked, which your voltmeter might not resolve at normal starter motor cranking speed. You would need a scope to see it, I suspect.
But in any case that issue is moot because you aren't seeing any pulsing on pin 3 when you turn it by hand. So I would conclude that the cam sensor is not working IF you were measuring between 3 and 1 on the 6-way plug.
Ideally you would have a 0340 code, but maybe that is an unknown.
Roland
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QUESTION: Yes I checked pin 3 to pin 1 sensor ground and no fluctuating voltage. System is not setting a code 0340, I would think that it would if the cam was bad. Your point with no voltage on pin 6 is well taken. Looks like I will order a distributor, since I can't purchase the sensor seperately.
Thanks,
Frank
ANSWER: That would be my conclusion too.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I put a new not rebuilt distributor in today and I still have no spark. I did the wire test again with new dist in place and I have the same results as before, no change in voltage (pin 3 and pin 1)when turning eng over by hand, ign in run position. Where to from here,also is there a test of cam sensor and coil with dist out of car??
Frank
AnswerHi Frank,
About the only other possible reason for no pulsation would be if the timing belt had broken (or some mechanical disconnect between the cam sprockt/cam shaft/distributor drive gear), which would cause the distributor shaft not to be driven, but even more worrisome would be the issue of interference if the belt has broken. You might want to check if the rotor is turning.
As to a test off the car:
In theory if there is an 8V supply on pin 2 and you rotate the distributor gear by hand you should get the 5 to 0.3 pulsing, measuring as you have been and putting the 8v supply between pin 2 and pin 6. A 9V battery should be enough of a source I would think. I haven't tried it to verify that this works, but that is at least one thing to try. I assume you 'see' 5v but you don't see it pulse to 0.3, correct? Let me know what you learn, please.
Roland
