Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Tach cutting out? cam sensor?

[JeffD]

The tach in my '99 Ram is cutting out once in a while, and the check engine light comes on, but then will go off for a while if the tach does not cut out for a while. Is the tach run by a crank sensor, or a cam sensor? What can be causing this? The truck runs fine when the tach cuts out for a couple seconds, it's just annoying having the light come on. Can the sensors be replaced easily?



Thanks.



Jeff

 

[frankram]

When mine did the same thing it was the crank sensor. Some people said it was easy to change other's said it was hard. I let Dodge do it. $195. 00 labor,

$ 55. 00 for the sensor. Good Luck

 

[Riflesmith]

The crank sensor is easy to replace. Unfortunately, it is mounted in the block next to the starter. You will have to drop the starter out of the way to replace. Starter removal is easy.

 

[Deezal Man]

Crankshaft position sensor

Yup, that the culprit.



As been said, its more frustrating than anything because you have to remove the starter to get to it. Better still, the starter uses... I can remember. . if it was torx or... well anyway. . some special style bolt.



It'll run fine, but eventually it will get worse and begin to stall or idle rough at a stop light.



I'd rate it a 2 out of 5 on a difficulty scale. 1 out of 5 being things like oil changes. . Course that's just me.

 

[jwilliams3]

The change is straight forward.

The bad part is sometimes the sensor will want to break off or is baked and basically welded itself to the block.



Good luck.

 

[FArnold]

Tach gone wild

My Check Engine Light came on a bit ago then went off. I started to drive it again when my light came on and my tach quit. I lost power, I was towing a trailer. I stopped and shut it off, it almost didnt start UH OH It started next time but the tach started bouncing around and pegged then stopped, I shut er down then restarted a couple times with no trouble. I am in the process of replacing the Crankshaft Position Sensor. A code scanner said the CPS was out of range. It ran fine back home. I will keep ya posted

 

[FArnold]

Cps

I replaced the Crankshift Position Sensor. The most difficult part was moving the oil dipstick tube out of the way. Removed the starter and there it was.

Truck starts better now when cold and runs good, Haven't driven it much yet though

 

[DSpencer]

If you can do it, get the cps, camshaft position sensor, from Cummins. They are about half the price of the Dodge part. Took me about an hour to do the change and I am somewhat clumsy under the hood. My cps came out easy... . I sprayed it with wd40 and took some channel locks and it popped out. The sensor has an oring that makes it a little hard to get out. I'd use pb blaster if your cps is froze into the hole.