Chrysler Repair: 05 Neon:miss. codes 0340, 0507,0508, dodge neon 2005, camshaft position sensor

Question
Hello Mr. Roland,

Thanks a lot for helping us people new to cars. I have a Dodge Neon 2005 SE. I'm sorry if this issue has been addressed before, I did look up and found nothing.

I bought this car from another person just a few months ago, so I have very little knowledge of what maintenance work it has had.

My car shivers when in idle most of the time, sometimes it is quite intense, but from time to time, while roading, something just "fits" and it suddenly stops shivering.

Another aspect about this shivering is that the engine is also quite noisy when this happens. When it stops shivering the engine does the "normal" noise. This noise is also acompanied by a lack of power of the engine, it suddenly suffers to accelerate. This shivering feels like the one you feel in a massage chair.

I did the OBD check (the one you get when openning the switch 3 times without starting the car) and I got this codes:
P0507
P0508
P0340

I read that both P0507 and P0508 are related to the idle speed, which I do have high, and that P0340 is about camshaft position sensor.

I have read also that I have to check the wiring and sensors. Is this something I can do myself?

Could this be the reason for the car shivering and lose of power?

Thanks a lot and have a nice day

Answer
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Your help is most appreciated, Ivan

Hi Ivan,
Earlier this month I answered your question about your car and hope that is is repaired now. I have a favor to ask:
I am competing to be recognized as 'volunteer of the month' at this site. Would take a moment to click on the "Thank/rate the expert" button below?  You will then see a question which asks whether to nominate me for that award. If you then click on "yes" that would give me another vote. Thank you for your help.
Roland

Hi Ivan,
The 0340 probably is what is causing the shivers... what I suspect others would call a 'miss' meaning poor firing of one or more cylinders. It says that the signal from the camshaft position sensor is not getting to the engine computer reliably. There are 3 wires on that sensor and its connections are as follows, all going to the orange multi-wire plug at the combined engine/transmission controller: the sensor ground wire is black/light green and goes to pin 27, the sensor signal wire is tan/yellow and goes to pin 34, and the 5 volt supply wire is orange and goes to pin 29. You could verify the continuity of the wires between the sensor connector and the plug using a ohm meter or continuity tester. If those prove out, then replacing the sensor would be wise. Please tell me which size engine you have (L) and I can tell you specifically about where to find it and hot to replace it.
The other two codes are saying the the engine controller can't get the idle speed correctly set (which also is probably due to the 'miss') so see if those go away after the sensor is replaced. If not, then remove the idle speed motor at the throttle body and clean its tip and the air side passage for the idle air intake on the side of the throttle body's throat.
There are 4 multiwire plugs on the combined controller and it is located near the battery and power box.


Ivan responded:
I changed both cam/crank sensors car wont start and car still shows p0340 code. Theres spark,gas,battery working properly ect. anything please?


Hi Ivan,
Did you erase the codes by disconnecting the battery for a minute, and then when you checked were all the codes gone(except 1684)? If not, then you may just have a 'stale' 0340.
Then did you try to start the engine and then did you find the new 0340 code? If that is the case, then indeed you aren't getting cam sensor signal pulsing to the powertrain controller.
In my first answer I listed the colors and coneections of the three wires on the cam sensor. Did you verify that those wires are connected between the cam sensor plug and the powertrain controller, as I described?
If so, then check that you have 5 volts on the 5 volt wire when the key is in the run position. Then using a couple of straight pins probe thru the insulation of the other 2 wires and measure for voltage pulses to be present when you turn the engine over by hand using a wrench on the crank pulley and with the ignition key in the run position. You should see pulsing between 0.3v and 5v several times per revolution of the crankshaft if the sensor is putting out a signal. If it isn't then reposition the sensor so that its tip is in contact with the surface of the metal that is 'senses' and lock it in that position. Then see if you get signal or not.
Let me know what you find, and if that doesn't fix it we'll go from there. But verify the codes, and tell me which size engine you have.
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer, and also consider giving me a nomination to be 'expert of the month'. Thnaks