hmmm, I'll try here

monstrosity_73

Registered User
I tried to post this question in the wrong place I guess. My coupe dies at random times when driving and sometimes won't start. It turns over fine but doesn't start. Once, it died while driving and I popped the clutch, it started back up. Today, that didn't work. I replaced the ignition coil pack yesterday, following someone's advice. This was not my problem. When it won't start or after it dies, it takes 10 to 20 mins to start again. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
The problem is the crankshaft position sensor. When it gets too hot it looses its signal. When the underhood temps cool a little after 10-20 minutes it will work again till it gets heat soaked and looses signal and the car dies again.

The part is around $54-60 at most parts stores. I have an autozone one on my car. It is located on the bottom of the front timing cover behind the harmonic balancer and you have to remove the plastic timing covers to get at it. The sensor can be changed with the balancer on the car, but you'll need to get to sears and buy the craftsman ignition wrench set. It will have a small 5.5mm angled wrench in it which you need to pull the two 5.5mm bolts out that hold the sensor to the timing cover. Plan about 45 minutes to change this sensor. I left the plastic covers off when I put mine back on. You have to be careful when you put the new sensor on to line it up right with the ring on the back of the balancer. I had a friend turn the crankshaft slowly with a breaker bar and a 22mm socket and I then adjusted the gap on the sensor and snugged the bolts down. The car started right up and I had him follow me around town for a while incase it died again. It never stalled and has been fine for 2-3 years now.

Good luck.
 
Manny, you should use some punctuation. What he is trying to say is; the cam sensor is based on 100* of rotation. If the engine does not see a signal, it will try on 33.3% of the cycle. If that crank does not do it, it will try a different 33.3. So, once every third try (roughly) the car should start if the sensor is bad...then it will stall at times too when it gets hot.

Chris
 
based on his symptoms of the car dying and not restarting for 20 minutes regardless leads me to tell him its the crank sensor.

When the cam sensor goes bad you lose your tach signal and you have to try to crank it a few different times till it will run. I've had both problems on my car, it would run with the bad cam sensor just no tach and you'd have to crank it a few different times to start. I drove it for a few days like that till my part arrived at the store. When the crank sensor goes, you don't want to go anywhere with the car because it will just die and leave you stuck, make you late for work, etc... his symptoms point to the crankshaft position sensor not the camshaft position sensor. If it was my car I'd change them both at the same time for piece of mind.
 
Scott Long said:
based on his symptoms of the car dying and not restarting for 20 minutes regardless leads me to tell him its the crank sensor.

When the cam sensor goes bad you lose your tach signal and you have to try to crank it a few different times till it will run. I've had both problems on my car, it would run with the bad cam sensor just no tach and you'd have to crank it a few different times to start. I drove it for a few days like that till my part arrived at the store. When the crank sensor goes, you don't want to go anywhere with the car because it will just die and leave you stuck, make you late for work, etc... his symptoms point to the crankshaft position sensor not the camshaft position sensor. If it was my car I'd change them both at the same time for piece of mind.
TRUE THAT buy both and save money on aspirin
 
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