0 registered members (),
228
guests, and 4
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums69
Topics113,597
Posts1,341,080
Members1,801
|
Most Online731 Jan 14th, 2020
|
|
|
Touting for interest - plug-in cam sensor tester
#1346774
27/05/2012 19:19
27/05/2012 19:19
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,553 Berlin
barnacle
OP
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
|
OP
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
Forum Demigod
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,553
Berlin
|
Here's the scenario. It's raining, it's dark, and your 20v/vt won't start... and there's a red light on the dash.
Curses, you cry, the only fault that prevents starting *and* shows a red light is a cam or crank sensor fault - I wonder which it is? If only I had some sort of test box I could plug in...
Coincidentally, I've just demo'd the first prototype of such a device - it plugs in between the crank sensor and the loom connection and flashes an LED as every pulse is received. It doesn't affect the ECU and it can't tell you anything about the crank sensor (except that if the cam is working, and you need to sort the crank out!) - it's purely to confirm that the cam sensor is putting out pulses.
I'm thinking of a small metal box - about 1" by 1.5" by 3" - and a couple of cables to the loom, long enough that you can position it to be visible from the driver's seat. I expect the price to be under forty quid.
Is there any interest? Is it worth me knocking a few up?
(As an aside: I have heard - but do not know for certain - that in the case of a cam sensor failure, the engine can *sometimes* be fooled by injecting a fake pulse on the line. I suspect I can include something along that line as a possible 'get you home' emergency start...)
|
|
|
Re: Touting for interest - plug-in cam sensor tester
[Re: barnacle]
#1346786
27/05/2012 20:21
27/05/2012 20:21
|
dlongstaff
Unregistered
|
dlongstaff
Unregistered
|
|
|
|
Re: Touting for interest - plug-in cam sensor tester
[Re: barnacle]
#1346812
27/05/2012 22:05
27/05/2012 22:05
|
nismo
Unregistered
|
nismo
Unregistered
|
|
|
|
Re: Touting for interest - plug-in cam sensor tester
[Re: barnacle]
#1346880
28/05/2012 09:46
28/05/2012 09:46
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,410 Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG
Club Treasurer Member 311
|
Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,410
Lightwater, Surrey
|
Ah, the infamous "flashing LED" trick to fool the cam sensor. But I'm not sure if you mean the crank/rpm or camshaft/phase sensor? ...it plugs in between the crank sensor and the loom connection ...it's purely to confirm that the cam sensor is putting out pulses... Which one does it test? Isn't the cam sensor signal easier to check than the crank/rpm? The blue cam sensor connector IIRC is easier to get to (behind manifold approx in line with oil filler cap) than the crank sensor connector. The thing with the cam sensor is it's only there to help the ECU send the sparks at the right time, in phase with the right stroke of the cylinder, to make sure it's not 1 engine revolution out of sync. Much like the wasted spark system on the 16v/vt, I've always thought that the ECU could use just the crank/rpm sensor to send out sparks, guessing if eg: when cylinder 1 is on compression stroke, send a spark, if engine doesn't start within say 2-3 more revs, then switch to the other phase since cylinder 1 must have been on exhaust stroke, then after 2-3 more revs if it still won't start, switch on the injector light and stop (or just keep going and if it starts, switch injector light off). Not a perfect system, but not bad as an emergency stand by, is that what you had in mind?
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
|
|
|
Re: Touting for interest - plug-in cam sensor tester
[Re: barnacle]
#1348472
03/06/2012 16:03
03/06/2012 16:03
|
Big_Muzzie
Unregistered
|
Big_Muzzie
Unregistered
|
The only issue with tricking it:
If it's doing it's job because your timing is out and you start it up and destroy your engine as very almost happened to me a few weeks back.
I think you'd be safer having a "is it the crank sensor" and if it's not then find a specialist.
|
|
|
|