False Camshaft Sensor Readout

I drive a 1998 Ford Escort Zx2 odviously with the stock 2L Zetec in it. On the way home from work on day the car began running rough at Idle. and at low RPMs. It runs great at 2500+ but below that speed, it is difficult to keep the engine running. The check engine light eventually came on and reported the camshaft sensor was bad. I replaced it twice and reset the computer each time with no improvement. I finially just unplugged the sensor and forced the PCM to run off the crank sensor only. It runs almost normal with the sensor unplugged.

I went to Ford to obtain a wiring diagram for the sensor to find out if it routed through any modules or anything but it bacically goes straight to the PCM.

My question though is has anyone had the same problem? I am not 100% sure that it is the PCM because i am afraid that one of the other sensors is causing this condition.

Almost the exact thing happened to me. I went and bought an OBD II scanner and at first it said my #1 spark plug was misfiring. So i replaced all the spark plugs, reset my check engine light. Then for good mesure i scanned it again and it gave me P1380 "Camshaft position actuator circuit bank 1 open?" At 2000rpm+ it runs fine, it runs excelent for having 120,000 miles on it. But at idel it just sounds downright shitty. Im thinking of replacing the camshafts.... But other then that i have no clue what to do. :banghead:

Well after playing around with stuff I found out that the VCT was the problem. When the camshaft tried the advance and it didn't the PCM assumed that the Camshaft sensor was off. I also found out that the VCT system was an engineering disaster by ford and it is a system that is prone to failure. Something about the oil passages are too small and clog easily and the solonoid is crap. Oh well.. problem solved for now. Unfortunatly the VCT is only available from Ford.