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Crank sensor problems

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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 04:33 PM
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Buellwinkle's Avatar
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Crank sensor problems

The crank sensor went bad after getting the car detailed at the dealer. Mechanic thinks it may have been damaged while steam cleaning the engine. Where is this sensor? Wouldn't want to damage it again if I steam cleaned the engine myself in the future (when the freebies dry up).
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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 04:45 PM
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Re: Crank sensor problems

Originally posted by Buellwinkle
The crank sensor went bad after getting the car detailed at the dealer. Mechanic thinks it may have been damaged while steam cleaning the engine.
I think your mechanic is wrong. It would be hard to believe that a steam cleaning could damage this since it is well protected. The underhood environment is very severe in the best of circumstances so a little misplaced steam cannot damage the sensor. It is typically located between the rear of the engine and the transmission housing and should be visible from the bottom of the engine compartment.

Last edited by viper; Sep 4, 2002 at 04:50 PM.
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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 04:52 PM
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Try looking on the block near the front cover of the engine for a plug and two wires down by the crank. It is either a mangeto or optical sensor on the crank that trips at cylinder 1 TDC to let the ECU know where it is in the cycle. It might be shorted due to the steam cleaners juice getting in the rubber boot.

As an aside, on many cars the sensor is located on the front of the engine and reads off the crank pulley!!! There is a little pointer that trips an optosensor as the crank passes through it.

Last edited by mdp c230k; Sep 4, 2002 at 04:58 PM.
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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 04:55 PM
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Re: Re: Crank sensor problems

Originally posted by viper
I think your mechanic is wrong. It would be hard to believe that a steam cleaning could damage this since it is well protected. The underhood environment is very severe in the best of circumstances so a little misplaced steam cannot damage the sensor. It is typically located between the rear of the engine and the transmission housing and should be visible from the bottom of the engine compartment.
The sensor is most likely OK, its the wires to the sensor that are the problem.
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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 05:55 PM
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Originally posted by mdp c230k
As an aside, on many cars the sensor is located on the front of the engine and reads off the crank pulley!!!
That may be difficult as the factory crank pulley is in a box in my garage. I had the crank pulley off and have a picture of it and there's no connector/wires anywhere near the crankshaft at the front of the engine.
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Old Sep 4, 2002 | 06:01 PM
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Originally posted by Buellwinkle
That may be difficult as the factory crank pulley is in a box in my garage. I had the crank pulley off and have a picture of it and there's no connector/wires anywhere near the crankshaft at the front of the engine.
You might have noticed I said 'As an aside', that means that it does not pertain to this perticular car. We all know the coupes pulley does not have a roll in the crank sensor circuit, we would have argued about it if it did. I'll try to take a look and see if I can spy the sensor wires if I get home in time tonight.
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