PCM/ EPROM - All HIGH readings

[JohnDD]

I reviewed your posts and my 95 Cutlass Supreme manual.

It seems that the only repair done before the car died was the radiator replacement. Did the old radiator leak and cause coolant to get into any connectors or wiring harness? Can you see any signs of this?

The high readings on the codes clearly point to a missing ground going to the ECM. There's no way you could have all the sensors go bad at the same time. It's got to be in the wiring. You need to disconnect the connector at the ECM and measure the resistance to chassis (or negative battery terminal) for each wire that should be ground. The readings should be close to zero ohms. (You need the correct wiring diagram).

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Originally Posted by xeroinfinity

I'd be carefull with the crank pulley, you can damage the rubber part that holds the two pieces together.
I use a long 1/2" breaker bar, and then check with a torqu wrench
You will need a crank pulley puller,
Does sound like your crank sensor is faulty.
ALso double check the wires at the sensor by the block, they tend to get dried out and can crack causing intermitant issues.
ps- if you need to hold the engine you might try something on the flyweel side by removing the cover.

Good Luck

I won't boil the pulley then. Sounds like a bad idea in this case. Maybe put it in the oven on warm?

I just need to rent a puller and then head to the hardware store for a short enough center bolt. Looks like there is some sort of smog pump (near firewall and alternator) hooked up to it too. so it has an old school belt and the serpentine belt behined that on the balancer. Thanks for the tip on the flywheel cover...i'll try that if the breaker bar i just bought (1/2" breaker bar...24 inches long), doesn't do it alone.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Originally Posted by JohnDD

I reviewed your posts and my 95 Cutlass Supreme manual.

It seems that the only repair done before the car died was the radiator replacement. Did the old radiator leak and cause coolant to get into any connectors or wiring harness? Can you see any signs of this?

The high readings on the codes clearly point to a missing ground going to the ECM. There's no way you could have all the sensors go bad at the same time. It's got to be in the wiring. You need to disconnect the connector at the ECM and measure the resistance to chassis (or negative battery terminal) for each wire that should be ground. The readings should be close to zero ohms. (You need the correct wiring diagram).

Hey John,

I checked all (4) major grounds: Steering Column, passenger side seat, and the 2 tranny side ground connections by voltage. had the + lead connected to battery positive and the negative lead i did all the probes to ground with. I got a solid 12 volts on all 4 grounds. they are good.

The bright side is that i have solid injector pulse with the NOID checker, i have fuel pressure to the rails and i have found that the crankshaft position sensor is bad. I reason that i have no spark because of this. The sensor is most probably shorted out causing all this hassle. ...other than that, it's probably an ignition module, but i want to replace the sensor first and seee if it will start, because the ignition module will require a relearn if i remove it for testing, which i will do, if the car doesn't start.

I have compression, i have fuel, but i have no spark!

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by CA Cutlass Supreme

I won't boil the pulley then. Sounds like a bad idea in this case. Maybe put it in the oven on warm?

I just need to rent a puller and then head to the hardware store for a short enough center bolt. Looks like there is some sort of smog pump (near firewall and alternator) hooked up to it too. so it has an old school belt and the serpentine belt behined that on the balancer. Thanks for the tip on the flywheel cover...i'll try that if the breaker bar i just bought (1/2" breaker bar...24 inches long), doesn't do it alone.

That would be your smog pump, courtesy of California.

If using the breaker bar isnt enough leverage, try a longer pipe on the bar.

Also a bad ground wouldnt make high reading, usually the oposite, low readings.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Here's the trick for removing any pulley....Got it from PNW forum member. wrap old belt around pulley, use a chain wrench. Less than a minute, the bolt is loose!

I got the bar from Harbor Freight and a hefty 24" long...made the job easy.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

I pulled the yellow/purple wire that connects the ICM to the CKP(tested good for continuity)... Picture of replacement sensor below.

So, what is the trick to getting this 3X CKP out? This one is down low behind the engine near the frame crossmember (below the transpeed sensor near firewall and under rear exhaust manifold). Looks like it would be impossible to get at from above and difficult from the underside.

anyone?

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/new_CKP3.jpg

[xeroinfinity]

Ok, I edited your post because the pic was to big, we have a limit of 800x600 .

Ok I see a few things wrong right off on that CKP, they are circled in your pic .....
1- wires nicked, good way to short things out for sure!
2- Looks like more bad wire with tape
3- Plug without coverage, bad bad bad!


I would suggest using shrink tubing NOT TAPE!
It get very hot(hott as an oven) down there and tape will fall off or allow water/debrie to work in and cause other nightmares.

Ok on removing the CKP, didnt you get this link here ??
Generaly its accessed from top or if the car is up high enough you can get to it from below but it is a blindeye job, meaning its done by feel prety much. You can also pull the pass side wheel off remove the plastic fender well cover and have a straight shot at it.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

The problem with autozone links, is they write this information for a mechanic, Not a regular joe like myself (not enough detail and trick or tips on a difficult job). What they don't mention, is you have to cut the ends off the harmonic balancer sensor to even think of pulling it through and out ...there's just not enough clearance. That is what i'm thinking of doing with the new sensor. cut the ends off, then connect both ends with mechanics wire and pull through then recrimp the connector end back on. It is a tight hole and i tried to pull out the old sensor, but it doesn't want to go through.

Thanks for the tip on heat shrink. Looks like i'll have to cut the wire and then use a crimp butt connector and heat shrink it back together, unless we are on different pages. I'd like to find a set of posilock connectors, but they are sold out almost as soon as they come in!!

#3 plug w/o coverage? I don 't get this...this is how the plug looked when i pulled it from connector....I don't see anything out of place, but do explain. Or are you talking about the ribbed plastic sheathing that runs the length of the cable?

I was worried about the 3x connector by the firewall. I would like to see anyone pull that thing from under the car and i have small hands...i like your tip about the firewall and the passenger fender. Sounds like the way to go...someone also mentioned pulling the alternator and mount and doing it that way.

[xeroinfinity]

Yeah the zone is generic as they come but free, so you get what you pay for. lol

Might try some penitrating fluid around that 3x CKP sensor and try turning it as you pull it out.
You may also want to pull the front engine mounts loose and rock the motor forward to get better access from above. You will want to support the motor/trans while doing this.

On the #3, the ends of the red and black lead wires(to the left of the black plug) are missing thier protector boots, they can easily touch each other and short circuit things. Probly someone elses handy work.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Originally Posted by xeroinfinity

Yeah the zone is generic as they come but free, so you get what you pay for. lol

Might try some penitrating fluid around that 3x CKP sensor and try turning it as you pull it out.
You may also want to pull the front engine mounts loose and rock the motor forward to get better access from above. You will want to support the motor/trans while doing this.

On the #3, the ends of the red and black lead wires(to the left of the black plug) are missing thier protector boots, they can easily touch each other and short circuit things. Probly someone elses handy work.

Those are homemade jumpers that i made. garden variety alligator clips just weren't cutting it, i tried vinyl tape, but as you said, it unravels against itself...not very secure, so i spread them apart so as not to short while testing against each other.. i had cut the yellow exposed wire and recrimped with a waterproof heat shrinkable splice..unfortunately the hair dryer isn't hot enough to shrink it, so i used Permatex High-temp RTV and covered everything. Should be pretty waterproof and temp safe up to 700 degrees.

My biggest fear is pulling the 24X harmonic balancer sensor. It looks like the only way to pull it is to CUT it out?...there is this tiny hole where it looks like only the wires will fit through...I'll take some pictures tommorrow and then you can see what i am talking about.

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Here is the 24X CKP madness that i have to deal w/. How i will get that out w/o cutting the wire and doing the same for the new one is a mystery to me.

The first picture, lower left blue circle...do you think removing that bolt there would facilitate removal of the 24X CKP? This looks like a class A peanut cluster!

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Zeroinfinity ...yes!




I found the 3X CKP (when the rains stop, i'll remove the passenger wheel and lube it like no tommorrow and spin it slowly). Now i know i can remove that sensor myself. Is it possible for me to buy the purple/yellow connector cable and connectors that connects the CKP to the ICM? If i could get a new connection, that would be great. I know they have to be wound 9 times per foot...must have something to do with the magnetism of the thing.

I'm seriously considering cutting the 24X crank sensor and then resoldering the connection back on, unless you have a trick for feeding the new harmonic sensor on there without cutting the big connector end off to feed it through.

[xeroinfinity]

Ok lets back up a second here, on the RTV that would also be a temp fix, as it doesnt like to stick to plastic wire sheathing or to oily surfaces.
A cheap lighter from your local conveniant store will melt the shrink tubing.
Which I would recomend covering those two terminals you repaired, even if the was to touch the engine, not realy each other, it would fry more electronics. Plus they could get wet easily and then you'd get some corrosion leading ot more troubles.

On the 3x, you thier should be 1 bolt holding it in , other then that it should pull out.

On the 24x you did remove the crank pulley ??
You should be able to get right to it through the pass wheel well just fine, with out cutting more stuff.

All that wire cutting is nothing but trouble if you do not properly secure the wires after repairs. On twisting the wires just twist them with some pliers or a small drill, mainly just keeps them together and not getting melted by the engine heat.

Good Luck Yo !

[CA Cutlass Supreme]

Yes, the balancer is removed from the vehicle and i have detached the banana shaped sensor. The problem is removing and replacing the sensor w/o cutting the connector end off.

If you look at the first image (24X CKP routing in orange) in post #41, this is the routing for the 24X CKP and it is a pain. looks like only enough room for the wire and protective coating to slip through. So the balancer and the A/C unit was rotated away for access, but the pinch points, seem to be preventing me from pulling it out.

The 3X is an 8mm socket right? not a weird hex socket?

[xeroinfinity]

Oh, I didnt hear you say before that it was the wires route that was giving you the trouble.
You may have to remove any brackets in your way, or as you are thinking cut the wires. I would solder them and use shrink tubing, this is one of the most important parts of your engine managment system.

Not sure exactly what size bolt holds the 3x in, but 8mm sounds right, just a standard metric bolt. That didnt sound right.