Do you have problems starting or getting the engine going? A defective crankshaft position sensor may be the cause of these problems. You’ve found the right place to get more information about this essential component of your car’s engine. In this section, we will address all of your concerns regarding the sensor. This is all about the sensor’s placement to its expense and how to test and repair it. If your car has issues due to the crankshaft position sensor, don’t worry; when you finish this article, you’ll clearly understand the problem.
What Is A Crankshaft Position Sensor?
Your vehicle’s engine control mechanism wouldn’t function without this. It monitors the crankshaft’s location and rotational speed and relays that data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to regulate the engine.
How Do Crankshaft Position Sensors Work?
Every engine with combustion has a crankshaft position sensor, but not all put it in the same place. Several cars have this in a variety of places. Common locations include the front of the vehicle near the primary crankshaft gear, the transmission bell box, and the engine block.
The “magic” occurs in the sensing element of a crankshaft position sensor, which is housed in a tough plastic casing. A two-wire pick-up coil is sometimes used in earlier vehicles, but modern vehicles use a three-wire Hall gauge that generates a magnetic field. They both perform the same job but employ distinct forms of technology.
The crank sensor’s function is to determine the rate of movement regardless of its installation location. Oil pressure sensor also plays an important role in your car’s engine working and a bad oil pressure sensor can cause trouble while driving. A reluctor ring, with missing teeth or other reference points, is located close to the detecting element and coincides with the cylinder’s top-dead-center. The sensor picks up on the ring’s rotation and generates a burst voltage indication when it identifies the reference spot. That information and data from camshaft position sensors are sent to the internal computer, which performs its necessary tasks.
Symptoms Of A Bad Crankshaft Position Sensor
Faulty crankshaft position sensor symptoms are the following problems for your vehicle:
- Misfire in the engine
- Delay or hesitance
- Problems getting the motor to turn over
- less efficient use of gasoline
- Idling roughly
- Check engine light is on
A bad crankshaft sensor can also affect your vehicle’s speed sensor. To Find out more about your speed sensor location click here.
Temporary Fix for Crankshaft Position Sensor
Cleaning the sensor or the connection may temporarily solve a malfunctioning crankshaft position sensor. However, this is only a temporary solution; the sensor needs to be replaced right away.
Crankshaft Position Sensor Location
Crankshaft orientation sensors can be found in various places, some specific to your vehicle’s make and model. The transmission bell box or engine gear are common places to find it.
Testing a Crankshaft Position Sensor
A voltmeter and repair guide is needed to check the bad crankshaft position sensor. It can be pricey, so it’s smart to ensure the issue is with the sensor before replacing it. The engine position sensor can be tested in different ways:
CKP Trouble Codes
The engine control unit (ECU) has recorded a trouble code if the check engine light is on. A diagnostic scan utility can be used to examine onboard diagnostic error messages. Crankshaft sensor issues are denoted by codes ranging from P0335 to P0338.
If you suspect a problem with your crankshaft sensor, this is the simplest and most direct method to investigate it. The crankshaft sensor usually fails and triggers the check engine light. Crankshaft sensor failure may occur before the ECU displays any warning. Additional testing can be done as a precautionary step.
Setting RPMs and Cranking the Motor
The following procedure for checking the motion sensor also uses a diagnostic scanner. The analyzer has an option that displays the engine’s rpm so you can keep tabs on its performance (RPM). Can you imagine where the sensor receives that data? The electrical control section of the car has not detected the engine position sensor, which is indicated by the crankshaft position sensor circuit. The CKP sensor feeds data about engine power into the car’s central processing unit.
The gauge that measures the engine’s rotational speed is your best bet. Crank the motor while monitoring the speed with the sensor. Between 100 and 500 Revolutions should show up on the scanning device. If the measurement is inaccurate, it means the crankshaft sensor is malfunctioning. If the crankshaft sensor returns a measurement of 0, it has failed. To improve your car’s engine efficiency, you need to analyze further the camshaft position sensor.
Multimeter Testing Methods
Although only some have ready access to a diagnostic tool, you can still check for a faulty crankshaft position sensor using one of a few different methods. When troubleshooting the electrical components of your car, a voltmeter is a more prevalent and helpful instrument. A voltmeter can assess electrical potential, current, and impedance.
You can check the pressure after taking out the sensor. Join the sensor’s leads to the multimeter’s probes. When the resistance reading is 0, a brief circuit exists. An unbroken circuit has infinite impedance. Both of those numbers suggest the sensor is broken. Verify the measurement against the manufacturer’s guidelines for accuracy. You should change the sensor if your measurement significantly differs from the target resistance.
Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement
A defective engine position sensor necessitates immediate replacement. Swapping out the crank sensor requires no specialized tools or expensive diagnostic equipment, but you may need these for inspection and testing before the swap. After locating the problem, swapping out the sensor is as simple as swapping out any other component in a vehicle. If you have a bad camshaft sensor you can also replace it.
Cost to replace crankshaft position sensor
Replacement expenses are not standard and will change based on vehicle type and sensor position. The total cost, including work, should be between $100 and $300.
Autozone Crankshaft Position Sensor
Crankshaft position monitors are available in abundance at Autozone for various vehicle types. If you know your car’s make, year, and model you can use that information to quickly find the right sensor for your car. A knowledgeable employee at a nearby AutoZone store can also assist you in your search for the required component. If you need a component quickly, you can pick it up from a store or deliver it for free the next day.
FAQ
How to test crankshaft position sensor?
Join the sensing wires to the meter terminals. Ensure the meter’s cable leads are not caught in the engine’s moving components. To check the odometer’s accuracy, have a helper start the motor for a few seconds while you observe the display. The sensor output should be a pulsating electrical indication.
Where is the crankshaft position sensor located?
It is common practice to install the sensor. You can do this either in the timing cover or on the side of the block where the cylinder part of the block enters.
How to replace crankshaft position sensor?
Check the motor for any sensors on the lower levels that might be fit for the new sensor you bought. You can also use a tool like Google Images or an internet maintenance guidebook to help you.
What does crankshaft position sensor do?
It acts as a speedometer, motor RPM monitor, and ignition timing setter. Because of this monitor, distributor synchronization is automatic.
Conclusion
Now you know bad sensor symptoms, and if you notice these problems, do not waste your time. You should immediately examine the sensor to prevent further harm to your engine. After reading this article, you may know what a crankshaft position sensor is, how to evaluate it, and how much it will cost to repair it.
