Cam position sensor failure
 

Can a cam position sensor failure error cause the car to lose ignition and turn off? I was driving with HOD at Homestead today and the 5th session going into turn 8 I went off track due to this. I was threshold braking and downshifting into 2nd and all of a sudden the brakes went hard. Started pumping but lost 85-90% of the braking force. When I went off , I relaized that I had no power steering and dash was dead.

Never had the car shut off on me, but it would make sense due to the loss of a cam position sensor.

Can somebody back me up or prove me wrong?

Current engine codes are as follows:

Pending P0341 cam position sensor
Pending P0016 cam crankshaft position correlation sensor
P0341 cam position sensor

I'm guessing an easy fix, just replace cam position sensor? Or could it be more than that?

Any ideas / suggestions welcomed.

Sean

Cam Gear, chain, bolts ......

You put a camshaft in, correct?

I ask for 2 reasons

1. Correlation code, meaning the PCM has detected an error between when it see's the crank and cam sensors - not in sync

2. Failure of cam postion sensor would send ignition into limp home mode

Cam has been in for almost a year with no problems. Katech timing chain so I think I'm good there. Engine would turn over but not start so I'm drawing a blank on this. Needed a flatbed to get it home.

Coming from an old school point of view, failure of the cam positioning sensor will not cause the engine to die. Failure of the crank sensor to the ECM will stop it in its tracks.

So what does it take to swap crank position sensors?

I'm not certain but I tend to think with the cam position sensor not working the engine will not run. It won't know when to open each injector or fire each spark plug. The ecm needs to know where in the rotation the engine is. This has to come from either the crank or cam sensor, I think it comes from the cam sensor.

Bad cam position sensor will hard start as well as backfire upon start-up.

With a bad crank sensor the car won't even start. With a bad cam sensor it'll start (but take more cranking time) and still run properly.

Thanks for the input guys. Time to put it up on stands and start troubleshooting...

Do you have an underdrive pulley?

Don't know if it's the same but I had a cam sensor go bad on my van and it wouldn't run at all.

Yeah I am thinking the same. I know a few people above have said the car will run with a bad cam sensor, but I have read numerous threads about 2005s not starting because of the cam sensor. Of course the 05 has other not starting anomalies, but i know the cam sensor has caused some not to start.

Yes, why do you ask?

Took off the valve covers today and 6 springs are compressed with the rocker arm moving freely. About 0.125" gap. Tried to turn over motor and no vavletrain components move - not a good sign. Looks like it may be a broken timing chain for sure. The question is what caused it???

I will post pics in a few I the gap between valve stem and rocker arm

Here is what they are supposed to look like... no gap between valve stem and rocker.

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/...9/IMG_2072.jpg

I have 6 that look like this:

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/...9/IMG_2071.jpg

I bought the Katech C5R timing chain. I thought these were indestructible. Does the vendor have any warrantee if it broke due to material defect? I will start pulling the motor apart in the next week or so to confirm this was the problem.

^ That is nuts! It sure does look like a broken timing chain. I can not believe this though, the C5R chains are amazingly strong.

With the bent valves lets hope you didn't damage the pistons bad. I had a chain go on a L72 and luckly it was at low rpm's and didn't damage them that bad. Also check the bearings. Usually they are okay but beter safe than sorry.

Thy way I can make sense of it is that the cam bolts backed out, had piston to valve contact, the engine locked up and snapped the chain. Cam has been in for almost a year so it seems unlikely the cam bolts would wait that long to back out. Hours of dyno time and 7 track days is a long time to wait to back out cam bolts...

If the chain snapped due to material flaw, think I have a shot at a reimbursement on my motor? Bought the chain from Hinson, maybe I can call them to discuss.

I think you defiantly have a case here if that chain broke. Man I wish you good luck on this one. Keep us posted. :blueangel:

I will definitely keep you guys posted. Won't start breaking into the motor for a week or so but will take as found pics to post.

Cool. Please do.