Car stalled last night off the freeway, was towed.

Subix · #1 06-07-2010, 04:29 AM

So I was cruising off onto a ramp to get onto an interstate and then wham... nothing. Just dies.... check engine light comes back with code 13 which is the cam angle sensor (and forever now the ****ing o2 sensors but mind less that for now

).

It was about midnight and well... it would turn over.. somehow iffy sounding actually but whatever... it was still turning over almost sounding as if it wanted to start but no cigar, ya know?

AAA came and towed it back to my place...

Light comes up this morning and I took the cover off the top and a sore thumb revealed itself underneath... I'm not sure what this goes to or how it connects (I am severely over tired at this point and will be sleeping soon after this in hopes to wake up later with a few responses) but I'm guessing a wire dangling with a connector at the end isn't a good sign in any case. Maybe it's nothing but I'm guessing it's there for something... hopefully a simple reason as to why my car died and is not starting now.

Few pics, please discuss... thanks for any tips/advice/input with the following pics:
(timing belt work and water pump was done by All We'll Drive when I got it a few years back, less than 30k miles, but some suggest it could be that too... or as the code throws, the cam angle sensor.) but I'm somehow wondering if this isn't related to my issue.... I've been under this part of my car and don't remember seeing it dangling out like a sore thumb before...

Hood struts still fail so it's hard for me to see if/where it may connect and it's still kind of dark outside... I'll be back

s'ko · #2 06-07-2010, 12:48 PM

this is located on the driver side of the engine right?

that looks like it's the water temp sensor.

cam angle sensor is located in the front of the engine on the driver side

it's directly across from the battery.

check the connector and see how it looks

Good luck.

BW

oab_au · #3 06-07-2010, 05:17 PM

A bit hard to see, but it looks like the ground wire off the back of the manifold to the firewall.

Harvey.

gbianchi · #4 06-07-2010, 08:34 PM

+1 for the ground wire and is hard to tell.........G

Subix · #5 06-07-2010, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbianchi

+1 for the ground wire and is hard to tell.........G

if that is the case... then, shouldnt it be connected to something yes? heh... Ill have to get under there and look again...

*and there are two wires shown... one from the bottom side that just looks like a covered wire and the one with the white end connector style which is what I was referring too... if that helps make it any clear... *

Subix · #6 06-08-2010, 08:23 AM

ok, it is indeed the firewall ground but it still needs to be connected to something yes? I'm doubting it would prevent the car from starting I suppose but still...

1986nate · #7 06-08-2010, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subix

ok, it is indeed the firewall ground but it still needs to be connected to something yes? I'm doubting it would prevent the car from starting I suppose but still...

Clint, that one most definitely could cause it to not start.

Hopefully that's all it is

Subix · #8 06-08-2010, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1986nate

Clint, that one most definitely could cause it to not start.

Hopefully that's all it is

So my only question is... where do I connect it to? I don't see any open terminal to connect it to or what not?

I mean, it's not that long so?

poweredx2 · #9 06-08-2010, 12:37 PM

On my car I replaced it with a larger gauge ground and it should connect to your firewall and down to your brace that run from the tranny to the engine.

oab_au · #10 06-08-2010, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subix

ok, it is indeed the firewall ground but it still needs to be connected to something yes? I'm doubting it would prevent the car from starting I suppose but still...

That ground is important, for a good connection from the engine sensors, like the crank, cam position sensors, to the ECU grounds. The signal from these sensors is an inductive signal, that is prone to interference.

Harvey.

1986nate · #11 06-08-2010, 05:39 PM

Clint, If you don't have something figured out by Saturday, I can give you a hand obviously.

Trevor · #12 06-08-2010, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oab_au

That ground is important, for a good connection from the engine sensors, like the crank, cam position sensors, to the ECU grounds. The signal from these sensors is an inductive signal, that is prone to interference.

Harvey.

The firewall ground has no function in respect of the crank and cam sensors. These are not grounded to/at the engine and for good reason. Together with their shielded leads, the sensors are grounded only within the TCU. Ground connections at the engine would create an interference loop, i.e. the same as a hum loop within an audio system. The ECU ground connection is via the body structure, rather than the engine.

oab_au · #13 06-09-2010, 12:15 AM

Quote:

The firewall ground has no function in respect of the crank and cam sensors.

No, I repeat,
“That ground is important, for a good connection from the engine sensors, like the crank, cam position sensors, to the ECU grounds.”

If that ground was not there, all the voltages generated in the rubber mounted engine mass, would ground to the body structure, through all the engine sensor’s wiring. The signal from them could be corrupted. Even the exhaust is grounded for the same reasons.

Harvey.

Trevor · #14 06-09-2010, 03:55 AM

I have been threatened with being banned from this forum if I have the audacity to argue, in particular with Harvey. He has been afforded kindly protection against correction. However freedom of speech as such, allows me also to repeat and uphold what is fact.

The firewall ground is in no way important regarding a good connection, or indeed in any connection involving the crank and cam position sensors.

Any voltage mystically generated in the rubber mounted engine mass can not ground through all the engine sensor’s wiring, because all the sensor wiring, for that very reason is held above ground and insulated from the engine. All grounds involved in the sensor wiring terminate within the TCU, so that the shielded input circuits remain above ground and are single ended so that an inference loop can not be completed.

The exhaust is grounded, as are all metal structural components, in order to prevent the possible build up of static electricity, in an environment which includes combustibles.

Protection relies on a current to ground opening a fuse, the essence of all multiple ground distribution systems. Safety concerns call for more than one engine ground connection, this being the point passing maximum current via the unprotected main starter circuit.

oab_au · #15 06-09-2010, 06:34 PM

[QUOTE=Trevor;649573]Clip,,,,,,,,

Any voltage mystically [I]generated in the rubber mounted engine mass[/I] can not ground through all the engine sensor’s wiring, because all the sensor wiring, for that very reason is held above ground and insulated from the engine. All grounds involved in the sensor wiring terminate within the TCU, so that the shielded input circuits remain above ground and are single ended so that an inference loop can not be completed.

The exhaust is grounded, as are all metal structural components, in order to prevent the possible build up of static electricity, in an environment which includes combustibles.

Clip,,,,,,,,,,,QUOTE]

One of the main voltage charges generated in the engine mass is in the form of static electricity. These voltages have no respect for 12 Volt insulation. It will use any wire regardless if it is, active, ground, shielded, or signal, to discharge to the body.

Harvey.