QuestionQUESTION: Hey I have a 1998 Chrysler cirrus 2.5lv 6cylinder. I want to know where the crankshaft sensor is located and how to install it thank you. The shops is charging me $325 to fix it when it can be don't way cheaper.
ANSWER: Hi Terrance,
Very simple, but a bit of an access challenge. You may find it helpful to remove the speed control sensor servo unit (located betweem the master brake cylinder and the left side strut tower) for better access. You will see the sensor located below the distributor. It is on the far side of the engine, near the firewall, right at the interface between the engine and the transmission, approximately right at the upper surface of the transmission at that point. The wires are: orange, gray/black, and black/light blue. It is held in place by a single bolt, has a plug with a tab on the edge to release the plug. Remove the screw and pull it out of the hole it is mounted in.
Take the new sensor, leave the paper spacer on the tip of the sensor, and insert the tip into the hole until the tip hits a hard metal surface below, then holding it in that contact position tigthen the screw that holds it there. Reattach the plug and you are done. That is a terrific saving doing it yourself!
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer, and where you see the question about 'volunteer of the month' I would appreciate a 'yes' answer. Thanks
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I was wondering what tools my I might need so I can't rent them from autozone
ANSWER: I think all you will need is a simple metric wrench set, small sizes say between 9 and 14 mm, used to remove the bolt that holds the sensor in place. Similarly for the cruise servo, and maybe you won't even have to get that out of the way of you can see and access the sensor. It is a very simple set of fasteners involved here.
Roland
Please 'rate' my answer.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hey Roland I'm back,meinike mis diagnosed my car so I took my 1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXi 2.5L 6 cylinder to my local Midas because my car was stalling out on me. So they hooked it up to the pressure gauge and some how decided that i needed a new distibutor because there wasn't enough voltage going through to each wire. My question for you is do you think it just might be the Distributor Cap, or the Distributor Rotor, or do i just need a common tune up on the spark plugs, because my car has been sitting for at least a year and a half but was running well for the first 3 months i put it back on the road. Thank you"
AnswerHi Terrance,
I don't recall all of our earlier discussion but the best way to decide whether you need a new distributor is to get the specific 4-digit fault codes. Did Midas tell you what they were? If not you can get a free readout at an Autozone parts store. Or try the ignition key:" on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window to see if the mileage reading changes to show any 4-digit numbers preceded by a P. Let me know either way. A rotor is inexpensive so that could be changed, and a new distributor cap is also not too costly.
But a new distributor is way over $500 and even a rebuilt might be
$300+. Those do fail, but a specific code would tell you when.
The only 'tune-up' now days is replacing the spark plugs, but that isn't necessary unless the old ones a nearing 100,000 miles.
On a dark damp night open the hood and watch the engine while it is running, and see if there are any signs of arcing along the spark wires. If so, that would be a basis for putting in new wires, otherwise not.
I would not replace the distributor without some specific code or a documented readout of the spark plug voltages what proved it was necessary.
A distributor cap would be needed if you had evidence of missing on one more cylinders (also a specific code) and without other evidence for another cause.
So get a code readout and let's go from there.
Roland
PS: Please 'rate' my answer, and where you see the question about "volunteer of the month" please consider giving me a 'yes' answer. Thank you.
