Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) CAM SENSOR? Engine codes

[hackengineering]

I recently had the check engine light come on and after driving it about 20 miles and shutting the truck down the light disappeard. Few days later i drove the truck first start up all was well then the next start up the check engine light came on and the tach went very screwy going on and off and affecting the power of the truck. When i had the codes read at autozone there were two one for the cam sensor the other for a turbo charger boost sensor. I wish i could remember the codes but i was more worried about deleting them to see if they happen again. I basically went through the fuses and wires with no luck and desided to take a 300 mile trip last weekend and have had no issues or any additional codes.

I am assuming it has to do with the cam or crank sensor which i can not find with on this truck. Would a cam sensor go in and out and work fine like it is and then eventually go out?



The truck is a 2000 (manufactured in Nov 1999) 4x4 with edge juice.

 

[ALepley]

The boost code is an inactive overboost code, nothing to worry about that. All programmers/chips throw that inactive code. Im not to sure about the cam sensor, there is a crank sensor located behind the starter that can cause problems with power and the tach. In order to get to the crank sensor you will have to remove the starter. I had my crank sensor go out, but at first it was intermittent. It would hit and miss driving down the road. Advice on replacing the crank sensor let your engine warm up a bit before you try to remove it. I made the mistake of not letting it warm up. I worked on getting that sucker out piece by piece for 4 hours.

 

[hackengineering]

Cam sensor - Crank Sensor

I have seen on TDR were the Y2K truck could have either the crank sensor or the Cam sensor. Will i see the sensor that is near the starter. I looked but i am not possitive i have seen anthing yet. Is it just one wire or is there a group? Where would the other sensor be if it is a cam sensor?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ALepley]

the cam sensor is located by the vp44(injection pump). it should be visible when looking by the vp44. the crank sensor just has a plug with 2 wires going to it. the crank sensor has a metal collar holding it in place. you wont see the crank sensor from the top. if you get under the truck and stick your head above the starter you will see it.

 

[grimesja]

I don't know about the 00 but my 01 does not have a crank position sensor according to the Dodge manual. The cam position sensor is located as ALepley said by the VP-44. You will need a deep well socket to remove it.



I hate to say this but all of the codes which I have received on my truck have always been directly attributed to the VP-44 to the ECU. I have changed APPS, cam position sensor and the ECU all for no reason, except the codes pointed to these items. I would not change anything until you can get a good diagnostics done on the truck. Just my $. 02 from my experience.



Good Luck,

John G.

 

[BarryG]

I also have been fighting intermitant codes and rough running as well as occassional loss of tach signal for about a year now. Mine throws the cam sensor code and a vp code. The vp has been replaced as it was bad but this particular code keeps coming back as well as the cam sensor code. The cam sensor I have changed as well as took a known good one from another truck. All to no avail. So I swapped out the ecm no go. I have checked the wiring for continuity, resistance etc I have checked the pins at each end of the wires , the connectors for those wires etc. I also did dodges super scientific wiggle test on the wires as mentioned in the service/repair procedures manual that I got from someone on here, thanks JLandry. Everything looks and tests fine. It is intermitent and almost everytime I try something I think great it is fixed then a week later it does it again. So I have been living with it waiting for it to go bad so I can either take it in to dodge for the star scan reader or rent one.

Now just a few weeks ago I was doing routine maintenance oil/filter/ fuel filter etc. I remembered reading on here that the alternator wires have caused some people some problems of various sorts. So while under the hood I grabbed the wires there and wiggled them and seperated them as much as possible. All looked fine/normal before I started and really looked no different when I was finished except they were better seperated. I have not had a reoccurance since then. I just got back from a 2500 mile trip as well and not one hiccup in approx 3500 miles since I messed with it. Which is fantastic compared to how often it was doing it before. I wont say it is fixed yet but if it does it again that is the first place I am looking. I may just go ahead and individually wrap those wires with some sort of shielding.

 

[hackengineering]

I also have been fighting intermitant codes and rough running as well as occassional loss of tach signal for about a year now. Mine throws the cam sensor code and a vp code. The vp has been replaced as it was bad but this particular code keeps coming back as well as the cam sensor code. The cam sensor I have changed as well as took a known good one from another truck. All to no avail. So I swapped out the ecm no go. I have checked the wiring for continuity, resistance etc I have checked the pins at each end of the wires , the connectors for those wires etc. I also did dodges super scientific wiggle test on the wires as mentioned in the service/repair procedures manual that I got from someone on here, thanks JLandry. Everything looks and tests fine. It is intermitent and almost everytime I try something I think great it is fixed then a week later it does it again. So I have been living with it waiting for it to go bad so I can either take it in to dodge for the star scan reader or rent one.

Now just a few weeks ago I was doing routine maintenance oil/filter/ fuel filter etc. I remembered reading on here that the alternator wires have caused some people some problems of various sorts. So while under the hood I grabbed the wires there and wiggled them and seperated them as much as possible. All looked fine/normal before I started and really looked no different when I was finished except they were better seperated. I have not had a reoccurance since then. I just got back from a 2500 mile trip as well and not one hiccup in approx 3500 miles since I messed with it. Which is fantastic compared to how often it was doing it before. I wont say it is fixed yet but if it does it again that is the first place I am looking. I may just go ahead and individually wrap those wires with some sort of shielding.

What kind of voltage are you guys getting. From my Attitude controler i am seeing 13. 8, i know this is not to accurate unless you know where it is measuring but i have noticed my voltage seems a bit lower on the dash where it used to read above 14v and now seems maybe . 5volts less. One year old alternator. I want to check at the alternator itself but figured i would check what it should be first.

Thanks

CH

 

[BarryG]

I have also been keeping an eye on my voltage through the attitude thinking maybe when it acts up that I might find a correlation. So far I have not seen one. My voltage seems to vary from 13. 6 to 14. 1 seems that the warmer it is outside the lower the voltage at least to a point or maybe better to say the colder it is out the higher the voltage.

 

[ALepley]

The voltage display on the juice is the Ecm voltage. My voltage will vary depends on the load thats being put on it. It ranges from 13. 6 to 14. 0. The Ecm voltage and the voltage on the charging system will vary from each other but not by much.

 

[hackengineering]

#ad




After driving 600 miles and no codes i started it up today and it threw the same codes and once i saw the tach do something scewy just briefly. I am still trying to see which sensor i have if it is a cam or crank. Does anyone recognise the wire loom in the picture. It is right below the VP and goes into the timing gears right above the Vacume and PS pump. I just want to get this part ordered befor i tear into the truck.

Thanks

CH

 

[AMatsonIII]

That is the Camshaft position sensor. Just replaced mine. Use a 12" 3/8 extention with a allen head socket. Cant remember the size... you are gonna need patience. Good luck. Found the best way was from under neath the truck.



Alex

 

[hackengineering]

Just finished replacing a cam sensor in the truck. Someone is borrowing my code reading should i be ok driving 40 miles to an autozone to have them cleared? My Service engine light is still on but i assume it would stay on since the sensor was shot.

Thanks for all the help.

CH

 

[BarryG]

If I recall correctly from my truck that code takes 3 start cycles to clear on its own. I dont think starting it three times in a row will do it. I think a start cycle is from a cold engine to warm. At least that is how it seemed to work on my truck.

 

[hackengineering]

Sorry to contiune this thread but truck is still not running correctly. Tachometer is still bouncing but now it seems to be a miss in the truck and not just the tach shutting off. I have lent out my code reader so until i get it i will not know much more. All i can get to come up on the display is 1693 which does not help.

 

[JCurry]

I have the same exact problem with my truck. It has been missing/stumble and the tach goes to zero or changes 200 rpm. I have replaced the cam sensor twice with new parts from mopar and car quest and have the same codes and issues. I havent been able to drive the truck for over 5 months because i dont have the $ to get raped at the dealer. I get code 1690 Fuel injection pumpCKP sensor does not agree with the ECM CKP sensor. My AirDog 150 has 16psi constantly and i put in a used VP44 about 2000 miles ago. The VP44 had 90k miles on it and had a FASS on it from 40k on (Got it from a friend). I have Timbos APPS sensor on the truck too. The truck was running great and one day i was waiting for my trailer to be loaded, idling, and it just started running like crap. I was able to get home but haven't drove it since. I hate to see someone else with the same problem but would be nice to know what mine could be. I have been driving my 95 until the 01 is fixed... but im getting tired of it sitting! I will subscribe hopefully you can get yours resolved along with mine!