QuestionQUESTION: Hi Roland,
I had a problem that my 97 T&C quit at 50 mph with a no cam sensor signal code. I replaced cam & crank sensors with aftermarket ones. Still no start. Finally got a cam sensor from dealer and van fired right up. Has run great for 2 days now.
Yesterday while idling in the parking lot it died. Gave me a no crank sensor reference. Got it started after several attempts. By which time it was giving me and 11 and 54 codes. No cam & no cam signal. It spit and sputtered to the dealer and I bought a crank sensor. I could keep it running by going to neutral and keeping it above 2k rpm.
Replaced the crank sensor this morning. Check engine light went out. Wife took van to town, after about 20 miles the engine light came on and it died. After several attempts she got it started. A mile later it did the same thing. The last 10 miles it drove fine. I checked the codes and its the cam & crank codes.
The other thing is that after I got it running from the original breakdown the spedo shows 6 mph when you turn the key on. If you turn the key off it still reads 6 mph until you remove the key then it drops to zero. But putting the key back in doesn't make the spedo move until you turn it to start. It had never done the spedo thing before.
Any ideas what is going on?
ANSWER: Hi Rick,
When you installed the cam and crank sensors did you leave the paper spacers on them and then pressed the tip of sensor against the internal metal surface and then tighten the retaining screws sufficiently to hold that position? If not, and/or the paper are worn away and you want to reset them, then get new paper spacers at a dealer and reinstall them. I can give you the pin connections at the engine computer plugs if you would like to verify the wires are patent to the computer. I don't have any ideas about the speedo but it may resolve itself. The readings "hold" at wherever they were when you turn off the van because they are magnetic.
Roland
PS Use the 'thank/rate' tab to get back to me without having to wait for my availability to take another question. There is a space for comments. Please tell me which engine is in the van. Also, are you erasing the codes after you read them? Just disconnect the battery for a few minutes. That causes a false 12 code, but makes sure the codes you get are current.
Hi Roland, Oh yes I'm all to familiar with the paper spacers. I had it sitting in my driveway running for an hour today. Not a burp out of it. While its running I'm going to get under the hood and wiggle the wires and harness to see if I can make it die. In the parking lot it started out with just the crank signal missing and as I tried to start it more it set the cam sensor code. There was a service bulletin about one bad sensor setting the code for the other. I'm confident that I now have 2 good sensors. I'll never use aftermarket sensors again. I did buy a subscription to All Data. They have great wiring diagrams. Could it be the PCM not interpreting properly the signals from the crank sensor? Thanks Rick
Hi Rick,
I would not know how to determine improper interpretation of the signal. About all one can do is check the signal and the 8V power supply to the sensor. The signal can be assessed by measuring between the signal and the ground wires of the sensors, which should oscillate between 5 and 0.3V as you rotate the engine by hand with a ratchet on the crank pulley bolt. If you get those voltages then the signal is OK. I will be interested to learn how this gets resolved.
Roland
PS Thanks for the evaluation and nomination.
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QUESTION: Hi Roland,
It has a 3.8L engine. I wiggled the wires while it was running. When I moved the harness near the cam sensor the engine sputtered. I gently pulled on the cam sensor connector and it died.
Do you have any recommendations for contact cleaner and where I can get some that will work? Radio shack, dealer, auto zone? Which works best.
I've appreciated you being my sounding board. I'll let you know if cleaning all the plugs solves the problem.
AnswerHi Rick,
Good work on finding that. I have purchased electronic contact cleaner in a spray can from computer supply stores (Radioshack seems to me to be overpriced). No specific brand stands out to me. It cleans and then evaporates. If the rubber parts of the connectors are suspect, you might coat those with a touch of silicone spark plug boot release compound to seal up the joint against moisture penetration in the future. I wouldn't put that on the metal contacts, however.
Roland
