intermittent kill with a p0342 code

P0342 Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Low Input code.

Vehicle intermittently kills, after or while light is triggered.

Input voltage when van is running is = battery voltage (12.56 volts)

Normally I would suspect a faulty CPS however, when unhooking the CPS, the vehicle still runs.

When the vehicle dies, it does a hard crank over, as if it were out of time.

Once it restarts it runs perfect until it dies.

Any ideas???

What year is it? If it has variable valve timing, you might have a problem with the VVT hanging up and retarding/advancing one of the cams too much causing it to die. If it thinks the cam is moved like it should and the sensor is telling it different, the pcm probably thinks the camshaft pos. sensor is messed up. You might pull the oil control valve, should be near the cam gear, and see if it is junked up.