if i had a failing cam position sensor would that cause the engine to have no power at certain rpm???....cuz my check engine light came on....a few weeks ago and i scanned it at school and it said cam position sensor malfunction...so i cleared all the codes and it was good so i thought maybe it was just a 1 time thing .... and it just came back on last night and there are points between 1000 and 2000 rpm where the engine just like dies out...it doesnt stalll...it just has no power so u feel the car just bog down and u gotta put the petal to the floor almost to get past the bogging......if this isnt the problem then maybe its a blown head gasket....it seems to be burnin a lil oil to...help?...i just need this engine to last the summer before i do a swap
This has been happening to lots of Mustangs this vintage, and many people discover that their alternator is going bad and disrupting the sensor.
Catching the alternator problem is a bit tricky, but I've discussed this with some knowledgable Ford guys, and they tell me the sensors rarely go bad... A good auto-electric shop can put the alternator through some tests and spot the defect, though most of them will hit you with a hefty charge for that.
Taking the alternator in for a quicky test at the nearest AutoZone won't be much help, since the diode will not necessarily prevent it from cranking out amps while it is messing up your sensors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freefallin
if i had a failing cam position sensor would that cause the engine to have no power at certain rpm???....cuz my check engine light came on....a few weeks ago and i scanned it at school and it said cam position sensor malfunction...so i cleared all the codes and it was good so i thought maybe it was just a 1 time thing .... and it just came back on last night and there are points between 1000 and 2000 rpm where the engine just like dies out...it doesnt stalll...it just has no power so u feel the car just bog down and u gotta put the petal to the floor almost to get past the bogging......if this isnt the problem then maybe its a blown head gasket....it seems to be burnin a lil oil to...help?...i just need this engine to last the summer before i do a swap
thanks ahead of time
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
This has been happening to lots of Mustangs this vintage, and many people discover that their alternator is going bad and disrupting the sensor.
Catching the alternator problem is a bit tricky, but I've discussed this with some knowledgable Ford guys, and they tell me the sensors rarely go bad... A good auto-electric shop can put the alternator through some tests and spot the defect, though most of them will hit you with a hefty charge for that.
Taking the alternator in for a quicky test at the nearest AutoZone won't be much help, since the diode will not necessarily prevent it from cranking out amps while it is messing up your sensors.
So what is the solution? Replace the alternator?
And if the car seems to run right aside from that, is there any issues with just driving it with the sensor "warning" going off now and again? I mean if everything else seems fine and you are still getting a charge and all.
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- Sam
The shackles of opression and dependence are most easily slipped on with a smile and kind words of hope.
And if the car seems to run right aside from that, is there any issues with just driving it with the sensor "warning" going off now and again? I mean if everything else seems fine and you are still getting a charge and all.
Replacing the alternator solves the problem IF the sensor itself is not bad (according to Randy and several others I trust, these sensors rarely go bad).
I hesitate to tell people over the internet to just buy a new alternator without knowing how many miles are on the car, but if its up there, and still has the OE alternator, sure, that would be what I would do.
This usually occurs just before the alternator craps out anyway, and there have been reports of poor driveability (the cam sensor has to do with the operation of the PCM and how well the tune works). The interference is usually spotty, though, so when the interferrence was NOT occuring, the car should run normally...
So yes, it could be driven that way, probably indefinitely (or until it had to pass emissions, at which point uh-oh).
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Replacing the alternator solves the problem IF the sensor itself is not bad (according to Randy and several others I trust, these sensors rarely go bad).
I hesitate to tell people over the internet to just buy a new alternator without knowing how many miles are on the car, but if its up there, and still has the OE alternator, sure, that would be what I would do.
This usually occurs just before the alternator craps out anyway, and there have been reports of poor driveability (the cam sensor has to do with the operation of the PCM and how well the tune works). The interference is usually spotty, though, so when the interferrence was NOT occuring, the car should run normally...
So yes, it could be driven that way, probably indefinitely (or until it had to pass emissions, at which point uh-oh).
Thanks.
__________________
- Sam
The shackles of opression and dependence are most easily slipped on with a smile and kind words of hope.
ya its got like 280+ km....dunno wat that is in miles......and not sure if its the original or not...i havent replaced anything like that yet though so it could be?......and it does sorta seem like a bad tune...cuz it only happens between 1 - 2grand.......make sense?
ya its got like 280+ km....dunno wat that is in miles......and not sure if its the original or not...i havent replaced anything like that yet though so it could be?......and it does sorta seem like a bad tune...cuz it only happens between 1 - 2grand.......make sense?
Thats high miles 174,000 or so. By this age, I would think the motor is suspect in all respects.
You may have a badly worn, well, EVERYTHING. Motor internals on up.
Start with a good mechanic doing a leak down test to see how the motor's compression is doing. If its bad, no need to start worrying about little things - time to start planning a major overhaul, motor swap, or (my personal favorite) shopping for a newer model.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
i dont think i would go for a new model yet.....i love the body style of my car
hate the years after up until i think like 07 or something where they redesidned the whole thing....i love the new mustangs.....but could never afford one....so stickin with what i love
planning on doin a swap next winter so thats y im getting all my info on this stuff now
FWIW, I had a "misfire due to Cam Position Sensor" code at one point after my cam install. Essentially, the car would misfire under load at anything less than 2k rpms, essentially. We tried realigning the CPS and other such fixes (it was a new CPS, also... long story), and none of them worked.
Eventually, we decided the problem was likely NOT the CPS, but something else causing the CPS to react or causing a problem that LOOKED like a CPS problem to the computer.
Ultimately, I just kept the car above 2k rpm when under load until I got it over to Justin @ VMP for a dynotune, and it's run like a top tune-wise ever since... and makes good power.
Cliffnotes:
1. Just because the code says it's the CPS doesn't mean the root of the problem is the CPS.
2. Justin's dynotunes ftw
FWIW, I had a "misfire due to Cam Position Sensor" code at one point after my cam install. Essentially, the car would misfire under load at anything less than 2k rpms, essentially. We tried realigning the CPS and other such fixes (it was a new CPS, also... long story), and none of them worked.
Eventually, we decided the problem was likely NOT the CPS, but something else causing the CPS to react or causing a problem that LOOKED like a CPS problem to the computer.
Ultimately, I just kept the car above 2k rpm when under load until I got it over to Justin @ VMP for a dynotune, and it's run like a top tune-wise ever since... and makes good power.
Cliffnotes:
1. Just because the code says it's the CPS doesn't mean the root of the problem is the CPS.
2. Justin's dynotunes ftw
You always have to get a tune after an aftermarket cam is installed the CPS controls injector timing so thats why Justins tune fixed you up , I think he has a different problem .
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660.0 RWHP 583.0 Ft. lb's trq. @17.4 PSI
11.584@124.58mph( Old set up)
2002 V6 3.8 liter.
T-5 G-Force Dog Ring
Custom T-80 Turbo built by Delk Performance
You always have to get a tune after an aftermarket cam is installed the CPS controls injector timing so thats why Justins tune fixed you up , I think he has a different problem .
Right... I wasn't suggesting that my problem was the same as HIS problem (and yeah, the tune was planned from the beginning of the cam swap, I just wanted to MAKE it to Orlando for the tune ), I was simply saying that just because the code says CPS doesn't mean the problem will be inherently solved by slapping in a new CPS.
Right... I wasn't suggesting that my problem was the same as HIS problem (and yeah, the tune was planned from the beginning of the cam swap, I just wanted to MAKE it to Orlando for the tune ), I was simply saying that just because the code says CPS doesn't mean the problem will be inherently solved by slapping in a new CPS.
Thats true , I would check the battery voltave and the voltage to the CPS .
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660.0 RWHP 583.0 Ft. lb's trq. @17.4 PSI
11.584@124.58mph( Old set up)
2002 V6 3.8 liter.
T-5 G-Force Dog Ring
Custom T-80 Turbo built by Delk Performance
the battery voltage should be good.....still starts and charges and everything .. its in the good range on the dash atleast....and to check the sensor i would need to find my voltmeter........but how could the alternator be interfering with it?...like someone said ealier in this thread??
the battery voltage should be good.....still starts and charges and everything .. its in the good range on the dash atleast....and to check the sensor i would need to find my voltmeter........but how could the alternator be interfering with it?...like someone said ealier in this thread??
What happens is that this particular alternator is located near this particular sensor, and when the alternator's diode starts to fail, it disrupts the electromagnetic fields of sensitive components near it (in this case, the cam sensor).
Thousands of Mustang owners have gone the route of replacing the cam sensor, then discovering it does NOT correct the problem.
Check out the sensor, and if it shows good, either have the alternator checked out at a good auto electric shop (they will need to have the proper equipment, its hard to diagnose otherwise) - or just replace it (Motorcraft would be my suggestion).
BUT at this point in the car's life (it is the equivilant of a 75 year old person), its likely to need a heart transplant soon anyway.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
makes sense....cuz the engine light keeps comin on and off so maybe the alternator is starting to go...and workin on the heart transplant......bigger is better:P hahah (5.0!)
cam position sensor? 
