cam position sensor?

[kwren]

What does the cam position sensor do?
Would an oil film on it affect its operation?
Anyone help please
Thanks,
Keith

[cruisen_15]

the cam sensor lets the ecu know when to fire the plugs, as for oil on the sensor im not sure if it would effect it as uses magnetic waves to read, now i cant confirm all of this as im still learning this stuff, just trying to help keith

[kwren]

Originally Posted by cruisen_15

the cam sensor lets the ecu know when to fire the plugs, as for oil on the sensor im not sure if it would effect it as uses magnetic waves to read, now i cant confirm all of this as im still learning this stuff, just trying to help Keith

Sounds like you are doing great!!
Appreciated,
Keith

[Suby Fan]

Originally Posted by kwren

What does the cam position sensor do?
Would an oil film on it affect its operation?
Anyone help please
Thanks,
Keith

hate to be that guy but i believe the cam controls injector timing.. and a film? no not unless its already worn out

[kwren]

Originally Posted by Suby Fan

hate to be that guy but i believe the cam controls injector timing.. and a film? no not unless its already worn out

would it possibly show up on a code?

[ensteele]

I would think it would show a code. I just replaced mine in my Outback. The car had no power and would hardly run. It was like it had a clogged fuel filter, but worse. It turned out to be the cam sensor.

[techy101]

I just replaced mine in the SVX. All hell was breaking loose, melting cats, killing O2 sensors, you know...fun stuff. Turned out it was a bad cam sensor.

[b3lha]

The cam sensor works together with crank sensor #2. By counting the number of pulses from each sensor, the ECU can determine the current position in the firing order, in other words, it can figure out which cylinder is supposed to fire next.

[svxistentialist]

It's very likely that the ECU has lost signal from one or more of the critical sensors, possibly something like the crank position sensor or maybe the MAF sensor. I would lean towards thinking, though, that it has lost the run of the engine timing and has gone into get-you-home mode.

Keith,

Did you pick up a Cam Position Sensor code? This is the sort of thing I was suggesting in your Major Power Loss thread. I was trying to save you the trouble of stripping the cam gear to check the belt, but I'm thinking you probably enjoyed the learning curve anyway.

Good work so far.

Joe

[kwren]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

Keith,

Did you pick up a Cam Position Sensor code? This is the sort of thing I was suggesting in your Major Power Loss thread. I was trying to save you the trouble of stripping the cam gear to check the belt, but I'm thinking you probably enjoyed the learning curve anyway.

Good work so far.

Joe

I have "striped the cam gear" probably a dozen times in the last 3 years so I am learning to love the habit!
I have the car at the dealer since monday and they can't work out the problem!

They say one side of the exhaust system is getting hot, about 500 degrees and the other side is pretty cold... 120?

I already took the cam sensor off my "doner car" and am going to take it to them to try this am!

Thanks for the input
Keith

[Suby Fan]

sounds like a jumped timing belt

[kwren]

Originally Posted by Suby Fan

sounds like a jumped timing belt

When I first start it it runs and drives like a dream!!~
A mile or so later... Another dream... A NIGHTMARE

Could a jumped timing belt drive me for a mile like a dream. I can't find any logic for that
Wish I could
I need that car to work bad my dd 1t least 100 miles every day

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by Suby Fan

sounds like a jumped timing belt

Yes, it does sound very like a timing problem.

The other thing Keith is a damaged or blocked cat. Sometimes they disintegrate internally with age or they get a thump from a rock or kerbstone. If the gas can't get through the exhaust will get really hot, and the engine can't breathe so it has no power.

Get them to check the cats for throughflow on the hot side.

Joe

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by kwren

When I first start it it runs and drives like a dream!!~
A mile or so later... Another dream... A NIGHTMARE

Could a jumped timing belt drive me for a mile like a dream. I can't find any logic for that
Wish I could
I need that car to work bad my dd 1t least 100 miles every day

Starts OK implies timing is good.

Runs a mile and then gets hot, maybe my blocked cat theory is the one to look at next.

[A cheap way to check would be to cut out the one on the hot side, weld in a piece of pipe the correct diameter, and drive it. If it stays going well, then you have identified your problem. Buy a replacement cat for that side.]

Joe

[lhopp77]

Originally Posted by kwren

When I first start it it runs and drives like a dream!!~
A mile or so later... Another dream... A NIGHTMARE

Could a jumped timing belt drive me for a mile like a dream. I can't find any logic for that
Wish I could
I need that car to work bad my dd 1t least 100 miles every day

Definitely sounds like a cam position sensor, but I don't see where you have ever checked for trouble codes. It should show up. A bad sensor is definitely indicative of your problems--easy start but after running no power and finally dies---and also the difference in exhaust temps on one side--there is a cam sensor for each side of course.

Check the codes---check the codes--check the codes--if you haven't already.

Lee