Crankshaft Sensor??? or what

[tkb5009]

This is my first post to this site - I hope to find some answers as I know there are MANY knowledgable people out there with the same issues as me! I have a 1994 Olds 88 Royale - with 257,000 miles on it! I am the second owner (have owned it since 98,000 miles in 1998. Make a long story short - I having problems with misfires when engine is cold, as soon as it runs for a few blocks and warms up, it runs fine after that. It does this even in summer weather - I ran fault codes on it this spring - camshaft sensor came up - changed that - mis fires have continued ever since. Have been noticing loss of power while in cruise control while going up hills - will lose 10 mph off cruise easily - if I step on gas, I can keep the speed consistent. I have also noticed "hesitation" when starting engine lately, thought maybe my alternator was starting to get tired. I went to work, went out an hour later and it wouldn't fire. It would turn over but would only cough and sputter with no fire. Left it till later and checked for spark - i have spark, no fire tho. Can hear fuel pump turn on. Towed it home and here I am. Took ign module to be checked at Advance - it came back good two times. Is it possible to jump time????? Does it make sense that it is the crankshaft sensor?? This car has been good to me - I want to keep it going. Do I need to pull that harmonic balancer to change the crankshaft sensor? I just replaced that harmonic balancer 2 months ago

Any help here would be great!!!!

Thanks!

[rockwood84]

i'm guessing 3.8 engine. the crank sensor will make it miss but unless you bought the other one from autozone then i'm guessing plug wires.

[tkb5009]

I have not changed the crankshaft sensor yet - I only have changed the cam sensor (this past spring). I replaced plug wires within the past year also -

Haven't tackled the crankshaft sensor because it looks to be pretty "labor intensive".

and.... I am not even sure if that is the problem yet - may be a stretched timing chain???? this car does have 257,000 miles on it -

[rockwood84]

what size motor?

[Jrs3800]

This is a 3800 Tuned Port engine...

What kind of plugs do you have in the engine?

And you say it runs fine after a few minutes?

[tkb5009]

Well.... When I pulled the harmonic balancer yesterday, it was in pieces - literally in pieces - it broke apart near the keyway. I got a replacement and changed crankshaft sensor at same time. Viola - it started after that.

I have Bosch Platinums in the car now (spark plugs).

The car still missed after I got it running yesterday, until it ran for a few blocks, just like usual.

Check engine light came on after a few minutes of running also - Took it to Advance to check codes but the no longer have the OBD I any more, only OBD II. When I restarted it - engine light did not come on again.

I will be changing spark plugs this week, the other ones are terribly dirty and corroded. Will get what manufacturers recomend.

Not sure why this car continues to miss when engine is cold - does not happen after car heats up - Ignition module tested fine - Will try spark plugs next...

Thanks for the input.opcorn:

[Jrs3800]

Originally Posted by tkb5009

Well.... When I pulled the harmonic balancer yesterday, it was in pieces - literally in pieces - it broke apart near the keyway. I got a replacement and changed crankshaft sensor at same time. Viola - it started after that.

I have Bosch Platinums in the car now (spark plugs).

The car still missed after I got it running yesterday, until it ran for a few blocks, just like usual.

Check engine light came on after a few minutes of running also - Took it to Advance to check codes but the no longer have the OBD I any more, only OBD II. When I restarted it - engine light did not come on again.

I will be changing spark plugs this week, the other ones are terribly dirty and corroded. Will get what manufacturers recomend.

Not sure why this car continues to miss when engine is cold - does not happen after car heats up - Ignition module tested fine - Will try spark plugs next...

Thanks for the input.opcorn:

The plugs may be the cause of the current issues with the car... Never Use Bosch Plats in any GM car with the DIS system... At this point I think you may be describing the failure of the plugs... Use AC Delco, NGK or Autolite