QuestionThank you, Roland, Sorry, I didn't realize I left the year out. It is 1996. The code 11 was present before the distributor change out, and showed up again after the change out. That is why I wonder if the wiring would be more the suspect than the distributor. The code 11 shows up at almost exactly the same driving interval as the stalling used to occur before the crankcase sensor change. Thanks again! Herb M
Followup To
Question -
Hello, I have a 3.0 liter Plymourh Voyager that had a stalling issue. It would stall after driving about 10 miles or 20 minutes. It would cut out and usually start again immediately. I changed the crankshaft position sensor and it seemed to get rid of the stalling. Since then, it gives me a code 11 after a similar amount of driving. The service light goes off sometimes, but usually comes back after similar driving. I've changed the distributor (which includes the camshaft sensor) with one from a parted out car, cleared the code and had it come back again after driving about 10 miles city. During extremely cold weather, the service light went off for several days. I've changed all the plugs and wires and the O2 sensors which helped performance some, but doesn't clear the code 11. Code 11 seems to refer to camshaft sensor but that has been changed out. Sometimes at stop signs can feel a slight stumble, but otherwise drives quite well. Not sure what to try next. Thank you for any help or ideas!
Answer -
Hi Herb,
I was in the dark about what year of Voyager you have when I answered your initial question, and still am. I have some Chrysler shop manuals about the 3.0L engine thru mid-95, that is the Mitsubishi design engine, and am not aware that they changed the sensor situation so as to have a separate hall effect sensor for the crank on that engine. So let me know what year you have. On the wiring possibility, yes that is the case, but the fact that you went from a 54 code to an 11 code suggests that it is the sensor associated with the distributor change over rather than the wiring, unless there was a coincidental problem with the wiring and the change of the distributor. But tell me about the specifics of the year and verify again this is a Mitsu 3.0L, which it probably is.
Roland
Hi Herb, My understanding of the ignition timing and fuel injector synchronization are both signaled from the distributor which contains two led's and photodiodes. I don't believe that there is a separate sensor for the cam and the crank but rather they are both sensed by the single unit in the distributor. The cam sensor is the code 11 while the crank sensor is code 54. But in any case, the way that you describe the problem leads me to believe that the led/photodiode unit in your new (used) distributor is faulty. The fact that it breaks down after some driving time and that it seems to be sensitive to the ambient temperature adds to my suspicion that the unit is breaking down as it heats up in normal operation. So consider simply replacing that unit in the distributor, not the entire distributor, getting a new one. Here is the procedure:
Disconnect the 4 way electrical connector nearby
Remove distrib cap and inspect
Remove rotor (release screw is under the rotor arm)
Remove protective cover (2 screws)
Remove lead wire (the other end of the 4 wire connector) by removing its clamp hold down screw (this is on the outer circumference of the body)
Remove screw from the center of the shaft, lift off rotor spacer/attachment cylinder
Remove disc spacers and slotted disc and inspect for flatness, cracks, damaged slots
Remove bushing (surrounds the rotor shaft, but has a larger inner diameter than the shaft itself), and remove the 3 screws that retain the photooptic sensor. That is probably as far as you need to dismantle to put in the replacement sensor, if that is indeed the cause of your problem. I can give you the connection pin assignments between the 4-way and the 60-way at the engine controller if you want to verify that it isn't a wiring issue, before you buy a new sensor. But if it were wiring I would expect the problem to be variable in its time of onset following cold start. Roland
AnswerHi Herb,
According to the Haynes for van in the years '96-99 both the cam sensor (in the distributor) and crank sensor (looking at the flex plate/fly wheel) are Hall effect sensors rather than the photodiodes used in the prior years in that engine. The code for the crank sensor is 11 while the code for the crank sensor is 54. Interestingly this is the reverse of what is shown in the '93 3.0L van manual by Chrysler. But it is the same as shown for engines other than the 3.0L in the Cirrus/Stratus manual for '96 (the 3.0 was not used in any of the cars after '95 as far as I can tell). So that would suggest that the crank sensor is what is loosing its signal and setting the 11 code. The timing of the onset of the MIL light suggests a failing hall effect sensor is the cause as it heats up. So it may be that the crank sensor you put on is no good or not properly positioned relative to the disc it is looking at. Did you leave the paper spacer on its face and put that face in contact with the disc when you installed it. If not, then that might explain why you are now getting the 11 code, or it may just be a defective crank sensor. Maybe it is underwarranty? As I said, I don't have the pin assigments at the PCM plug for either of the sensors so I can't tell you how to verify the wiring is o.k. But it appears that the 11 code would let the distributor sensor 'off the hook'. That is my best understanding. Have you tried to erase all the codes by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, then see if the 11 code comes back again?
