Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Engine speed sensor gone nuts!!!

[gary johnson]

My mission to kill the dowel pin was a success! However, upon re installing the speed sensor I ignorantly used a metal feeler gauge to set at . 049. Service manual( hindsight) says to use brass feeler gauge. Now my tach reads backwards or decreases in rpms and service engine light comes on. Any opinions as to what happened before buying a new sensor and ruining that one too

Thanks

Gary

 

[GAmes]

Have you tried something simple like unplugging the ess to reset the PCM? If that doesn't work, maybe a new ess is needed. I have inadvertantly allowed the ess to magnetically attach itself to the damper with no ill effects. Was the ign switch turned on? That is the only way I could imagine stray voltage getting into the system.

 

[hsmith]

Man, that is strange. Does the thing charge, have cruise?

 

[gary johnson]

Yea it is strange. I had disconnected both batteries before starting the job. I didn't try unplugging and reconnecting the ess, just removed it period. With 135k on the truck, I don't mind buying a new sensor from Genos. hsmith... . I do have cruise... . would there be a connection there?



Thanks

Gary

 

[Cosmo]

Who owns brass feeler gauges?

I don't remember how I set the gap on mine... I know I didn't look up a spec, and I know I just eyeballed it and called it good with no ill effect.

 

[DRAG DIESEL]

I don't remember how I set the gap on mine... I know I didn't look up a spec, and I know I just eyeballed it and called it good with no ill effect.

Just tear the top off the box and use it for the gap, presto.

 

[gary johnson]

Have you tried something simple like unplugging the ess to reset the PCM? If that doesn't work, maybe a new ess is needed. I have inadvertantly allowed the ess to magnetically attach itself to the damper with no ill effects. Was the ign switch turned on? That is the only way I could imagine stray voltage getting into the system.

With a few days to wait for new ess to ship, I decided to re connect the old one just for the hell of it. Bingo! All systems go..... have no idea what caused the problem. Wife always says to leave it alone for awhile and it will be fixed in the morning.

 

[GAmes]

Who owns brass feeler gauges?

I do. Shortly after joining the TDR and learning of the KDP. I already had a factory service manual, so I did a little research on pulling the front cover. I didn't even know there was such a thing as brass feeler gauges, but the first parts store I went to had them. I contacted another member who lived in Waco and also had a '97. We met at his house the next weekend and killed both KDPs. He has since moved to AZ, but 11 years later we still keep in touch.

 

[GAmes]

With a few days to wait for new ess to ship, I decided to re connect the old one just for the hell of it. Bingo! All systems go..... have no idea what caused the problem.

Keep the new one handy. About a year ago mine quit,so I ordered a new one. The next day it started working again. I put in the neighborhood of 90k miles on it, then a couple weeks ago my cruise control kept kicking off. When it did my tach needle would jump, just a little. I installed the new one in a truck stop parking lot in SD and went on down the road.