QuestionQUESTION: '97 dodge intrepid 3.3. The first time the cam sensor went bad, car would get warmed up and then shut down. I would wait a bit and it would start up again. Finally found that check engine light was blinking "54" for cam sensor. Replaced it and problem was fixed. Then winter came and car wouldn't start when it was below 15 degrees. Same code "54". I replaced sensor again, no good.
Weather then warmed up and car was fine till this year. The temp goes down and car won't start. Same code "54". I tested the sensor when it was 25 degrees outside, slightly low voltage and it was .2, a little off but ok and then 5 when engine was manually rotated by hand. At -11 degrees outside it stayed at .2 volts. I bought another sensor and thought I had it licked. Wrong. It is 2 degrees outside and it still comes up cam sensor fault. HELP this is killing me. I have checked the ground and checked over all the wires and connection. How can this fault come up only when it is cold outside? I tried it again today (temperature outside 18 degrees) and voltage came up .3 and 5 and car started fine.
ANSWER: Hi Curt,
Two questions: When you are looking at the voltage on the signal wire, do you always see it oscillate between 5 and 0.3V when you turn the engine over by hand, and is there 8V on the orange wire? That is the basic behavior you should have. I couldn't tell from what you said exactly whether this was the case or not when the engine wouldn't start. If not, what did you see in terms of voltages on the orange and on the signal when you rotated the engine by hand?
As for the codes, are you cancelling the codes by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes? If not, you may be just looking at a stale code.
Roland
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QUESTION: I am canceling the codes each time. And I always have 8 volts on the orange wire if it is below 15 degrees or above. When the temp is below 15 I see a constant .3 volts on the signal wire when turned over by hand. Above 15 degrees I get the normal reading of .3 and then a spike of 5v, then i here all the relays click, the car will start when I see the 5 volt reading.
AnswerHi Curt,
The only thing that I can think of is that the separation distance between the tip of the sensor and sprocket is increasing to the point of non-response in the colder setting, possibly because of slight flexing of metals. Have you tried getting a new paper spacer for the tip, and then reinstalling it with the tip pressed against the surface of the sprocket? Tighten retainer nut to 105 inch-pounds.
Roland
