Replaced Crank and Cam Sensors: Still Dying - Page 2

polarzak · #16 10-25-2007, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smith1000

I remember riding in a Vega once. Didn't Vegas blow up when rear ended? I don't see how you ever figured out it was the gas cap causing the problem.

It was the Ford Pinto that used to explode when hit in the rear. We used to joke that one of the Pinto's options should be an asbestos suit

As for figuring out the gas cap was the problem, my girlfriend at the time lost the gas cap, I picked up another, (cap not girlfriend) and the problem went away.
Someone said the vent in the old one must have been blocked.
Anyway, good luck with your problem.

Smith1000 · #17 10-25-2007, 05:36 PM

That's right. It was the Pinto that had the gas tank problem. I wish my wife would accidently fix this problem. I have 2 Lesabres and was going to swap the gas caps on them last night to see if that changed anything. I then remembered the caps are held on with that plastic thing to keep from losing the cap. If it is still dying, I'll look at it closer over the weekend. Thanks.

LeSabre97mint · #18 10-25-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smith1000

That's right. It was the Pinto that had the gas tank problem. I wish my wife would accidently fix this problem. I have 2 Lesabres and was going to swap the gas caps on them last night to see if that changed anything. I then remembered the caps are held on with that plastic thing to keep from losing the cap. If it is still dying, I'll look at it closer over the weekend. Thanks.

Hello

Vehicals 1996 and newer (maybe even older) do not have a vented gas cap. Instead the tank is vented to a carbon caniter which holds the gas fumes until the engine is started and the the fumes are burnt.

Regards

Dan

jase386 · #19 10-26-2007, 01:07 AM

also try the fuel pressure regulator. friend had one that kept dying all over town, 5 mechanics couldnt find the problem, 6 was the charm. changed out the fuel pressure regulator and no more problems.

Smith1000 · #20 10-26-2007, 05:00 AM

Thanks. The fuel pressure regulator was listed as one of the engine problem areas on the MSN Auto site. Also, the crank and cam position sensors and , I think, the upper plenum problem-some other items which seemed to hold true.

Depending on how the car does in the next few days (it hasn't died for the last 2 days), I will relieve the pressure and take it out and clean it or replace it. I have not replaced it in this Lesabre, but I did in my other one years ago. I still have the old one out of that car. I am fairly sure that part is still good.

Smith1000 · #21 10-31-2007, 08:18 PM

It had not died at all for days and then, today, it died 3 times. It died on my wife twice on down hill curves. I drove it this evening and it died on me in town, after a slight down hill grade. It leveled out at the bottom, then died. There was a lot of traffic and a light. It was very difficult to brake hard enough to avoid rear ending the car in front that was also braking.

My wife will switch over to a different car for a few days. I noticed a red light lit up on the dash when it died. I did not catch what it was for sure. It was staight ahead, slightly right. It restarted easily. Would this be the alternator light? After starting and driving a bit further, I noticed the alternator gauge needle dropped slowly all of the way down to 13 momentarily. It then returned to charging at what looks like about 15 volts, but maybe it is not quite that high. Would an alternator going bad intermittantly result in a dying situation? I think the light may have been the alternator light. It may need an alternator. I have never replaced it since we have had the car. It has right at 150,000 on it. It had about 103,000 when I bought it. Thanks

Smith1000 · #22 11-01-2007, 08:01 PM

I am fairly sure it is electrical at this point. I have never replaced the cam and crank sensors in this car, so maybe I will go ahead and swap them out. It has 150,000 on it, so they are pobably due. They seem to be a problem area.

jackfoxx · #23 11-02-2007, 06:39 PM

I have had a similar problem for the last few months. It has only died 3 times now but sometimes coming to a stop you can watch the tach drop RPM's quickly and then recover, sometimes it does it 2-3 times (drops) and when you come to a stop everything is fine. Sometimes it will drop and kill the engine. It always happens when you are braking coming from a speed of 30+mph. Sometimes the SES light will go on and I drive right to the mechanic. Turn the car off and hook up the Snapon scanner/computer, turn the car back on and the SES light is no longer lit and there are no trouble codes showing.

Friend of mine says he believes it is the alternator. Since I replaced it 5 years ago with a lifetime warranty unit, I am going to try to swap it out this weekend. Not sure about his theory regarding the alternator, but he has been right about a bunch of problems I have had with this car over the years.

Jack

Smith1000 · #24 11-03-2007, 02:09 AM

Jack,
I'm not so sure about it being the alternator. I searched on this board on alternator threads and did not find much, if any, evidence that the alternator may cause the engine to die if the battery was otherwise charged up at the time. I would expect the voltage light to come on, the lights to dim and the engine to stay running. It would cause the lights dimming, etc, but it did not seem the alternator was killing the engine. It seems like some replaced the alternator and it did not solve the problem. The problem susequently reappeared. It did solve the no-charge situations.

I have 2 '97 Lesabres and only about a month ago I had to replace the alternator on the other one. It was failing to charge. Lights would go dim, etc, but the car would stay running (off the battery) and the lights would get dimmer and dimmer.

I found quite a few posts on bad crankshaft and camshaft position sensors. One or both of these sensors going bad can cause a similar problem. One causes a no start situation. The other can cause the engine to die intermittantly with no code. Since the sensors are located near eachother, I decided to go ahead and just replace them both. Also, these sensors are noted as a common problem area for the vehicle. I have never replaced them in this Lesabre, but I have in my other one which has a lot more miles on it. This problem has not set a code. That may be because it is so interimittant. You hit the brake, slow down and it dies. It will immediately start back up.

Other problems noted causing this were a bad ignition module or bad PCM. Without a code, it is hard to tell. Bad ignition modules seemed to cause it to die and then not restart for some time. Please let me know if the alternator fixes yours. Mine seems to be charging well at the moment and I checked the wiring and connections to it and they look good. My wife switched over to a spare vehicle, so I'll work on her Lesabre during the day today.

Smith1000 · #25 11-05-2007, 06:58 AM

I replaced my crank and cam sensors yesterday and still have the intermittant dying problem. My ABS light is on. It is behaving very similar to what occurred in this thread:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ghlight=brakes

My wife normally drives the car. I have been driving it more trying to figure out the problem. It begins to die on the down hill as the engine RPMs decrease, lights on, radio, on, etc. It has a load on the electrical. When pressing the brakes slightly, the tach drops way down or dips intermittantly. It will then die-sometimes, but not always. It seems more common when slowing from about 35 mph. The alternator gauge needle drops down to 13 volts. I think that may be a symptom of the low idling, dying problem. When it does die, the red volts light is on on the dash. Anyone have any ideas?

It may be a vacuum problem with the brakes or the throttle body. I can possibly clean the throttle body better. Thanks.

maxwedge · #26 11-05-2007, 08:04 AM

What year is this for starters?

jackfoxx · #27 11-05-2007, 09:11 AM

I didnt get a chance to get the alternator swapped out this weekend, so I will have to try next weekend.

I have replaced the ECM, Crankshaft sensor, Camshaft sensor, O2 Sensor, and the TPS all in the last year while trying to figure out another problem. The intermittent dying started a few months ago.

It almost seems like a small vacuum leak in the power booster except it doesnt happen everytime you step on the brake. It is very erratic.

I am going to try and shoot some video of the tach while it is haappening to see if anyone has any ideas.

Jack

Smith1000 · #28 11-05-2007, 05:33 PM

It is a '97. I will look at the throttle body closer tonight and the vacuum line to the brake power booster.

Smith1000 · #29 11-05-2007, 05:39 PM

Jack, Is it similar to this problem?

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ghlight=brakes

I am going to take a closer look at the throttle body and power booster vacuum tonight. I replaced the cam and crank sensors and still have the dying problem. When I step on the brake, the tach will dip down and it will sometimes die, but not always. It does not sputter; it just quietly shuts down. Sometimes it will do it by just allowing the car to slow down without stepping on the brake. My ABS light is on and it has been on for about 4 months. I don't really think it is related to the dying though.

BNaylor · #30 11-05-2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smith1000

It is a '97. I will look at the throttle body closer tonight and the vacuum line to the brake power booster.

Sorry Smith1000 but this looks like the same issue as your other post. I believe it would be better to keep them together to cut down on the confusion factor and any possible redundant answers.

So I have merged the two threads.

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