Bad Crankshaft Sensor symptoms?

[1996VWGolf]

I recently took my car to the shop trying to fix the problem of my car jerking when i accelerate sometimes. change the timing belt and chain. still the same problem. Mechanic told me the reason it is jerking or kinda trotting when i accelerate would maybe be the crankshaft sensor gone bad.

Im trying to figure out what would be the symptoms of a bad crankshaft sensor? is the car jerking one of them?

thanks in advance

[Pj1103]

The usual sign of a bad crank sensor would be a turn over with no start.

There isn't much you can do to diag that sensor...

Well that's what i got from my Bentley..

If i were you id start looking at ignition problems. Like a short.

Is it wet when this happens?

[Bariman82]

When mine went out, the car would stall completely at random; stoplights, 60mph, didn't matter. Sometime it would restart right away, sometimes 30 minutes later, and I had to get towed twice. I didn't experience any jerkiness.

[1996VWGolf]

Would any of you know wat might be the reason my car jerks like that when i accelerate?

[Pj1103]

Would any of you know wat might be the reason my car jerks like that when i accelerate?

Ignition short is a common one like i said before. Bad coil/dizzy cap/wires...etc

Are you getting a CEL? If it were ignition you would get misfire codes most likely.

Or does it occur when your car is warmed up? If so look at your cat, if its glowing red its clogged.

And for good measure, replace your fuel filter, cheap easy and probably never done before...And a clogged filter could cause some of these symptoms.

[1996VWGolf]

Ignition short is a common one like i said before. Bad coil/dizzy cap/wires...etc

Are you getting a CEL? If it were ignition you would get misfire codes most likely.

Or does it occur when your car is warmed up? If so look at your cat, if its glowing red its clogged.

And for good measure, replace your fuel filter, cheap easy and probably never done before...And a clogged filter could cause some of these symptoms.

Things i have changed so far thinkig it would be the problem are the fuel injector, distributer, distributer sensor, coil, fuel filter problem still exist.i removed my cat for a short while thinking it might be the problem, found out my cat was busted and nearly clogged. Muffler guy told me that the reason that happened to the cat is because the fuel isnt being burnt properly in the engine so the cat was burning it, but the problem still exist
I think i did get cel code ill check and get back to you. I still need to see if it might be the spark plugs dont remember if i changed them or not

[1996VWGolf]

The fault codes i got were these

P0341 Camshaft position Sensor
^i found out it might be bad timing so i had my car timed so im not sure if the problem still exist or not

P1582 Manufacture Specific Code

P0422 Main Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1

not sure if any of these would be the problem or if the problem might be there and the code wont pop up

[Pj1103]

Well if i were you, id check the wires to make sure they're not shorting on the block or around the dizzy.

Then if that is okay, check the wiring from the cam sensor to the ecu.

Check the motor ground on the back of the valve cover to the firewall.

And you could always swap ecus to see if ts an ecu problem...though unlikely.

Thats all i can think of..

But the P1582 code is weird, when did you get this? Its probably unrelated but id look into it...Does your car have a iac valve?

All that code means is that your tb/iac valve is dirty..and you should clean it.

[veedubbd]

im having a similar issue and i think its relating to the crank sensor. i found this in a older post

"You can test the crank sensor before replacing. Check resistance on pins 67 and 68 at the ECU connector. Should read between 500-700 ohms. Sometimes when that sensor goes you can still drive the car, but it will always stall out after a certain amount of time. Will usually start back up after sitting for a bit."

This is excatly what my car started doing. i checked resistance at the connector in the front of the engine bay (theres 3 pins, 2 will give you a reading) and got a reading of 838ohms which is too high and may get higher as it warms up.

but does anyone know if it is a crank position sensor or is it a knock sensor? if its a knock sensor it can host a few problems ie. no start, dies while driving, advanced or retarded timing (which could make motor run rich and plug a cat in a hurry). i dont feel it a position sensor (but dont know for sure) because the dizzy has the hall effect sensor and is driven by the crank/tiiming assembly

any other input appreciated!
i hope this helps both of us (ill know by sunday) good luck!

[Pj1103]

The crank sensor reads a toothed wheel on the crankshaft, probably a type of magnet sensor, but is different from a knock sensor, or a hall type sensor.

The knock sensor uses a crystal to create voltage, and the hall sensor uses multiple magnets or w/e.

About the crank sensor(Bentley calls it engine speed/rpm sensor) from my Bentley.

"If this sensor is faulty, the engine will not start. To check for a faulty sensor, crank the engine for at least six seconds and then check for a stored fault code (DTC) in the On-board Diagnostic memory as described earlier under Diagnostic Trouble Codes."

And yeah the listed ohmage is 500-700.

I mean i am only speaking from my Bentley, ive never had a crank sensor go bad..

So i mean it very well could be, that the jerking is the sensor going, nut not completely faulty.

If i were you id just replace it...

[1996VWGolf]

not sure on the iac valve im not sure if my car has one... where would it be located so i can check to see if i do. i have a 97 jetta gt if u need a picture of my engine compartment ill be happy to take it

i will hopefully be replacing the crankshaft sensor sometime tommorow or sat. gonna pick one from a local junkyard for the meantime then ima buy a new one. if this aint the problem thatll atleast knock something out of the list

[1996VWGolf]

kinda late on this but edit was i do have the CEL on im thinking its from crankshaft or because i need to repair this p1582 code

[jmt2880]

I ran into a issue that sounds the same. I traced it down to a broken and shorted wire going to the MAF sensor. I also cleaned the MAF while it was out and the symptoms went away after that.

[aphythiate]

Your 97 has no IAC/ISV. That P1582 code is referrencing the throttle body.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ation-at-limit

I would clean the throttle body. Jerkiness/bucking can often be a throttle body or TPS (in your car they are in the same assembly) issue, if it's not due to bad plugs, wires, cap, or rotor.

[aphythiate]

i will hopefully be replacing the crankshaft sensor sometime tommorow or sat. gonna pick one from a local junkyard for the meantime then ima buy a new one. if this aint the problem thatll atleast knock something out of the list

Why? If it were failing your car would flat out die or not start. Plus your code is for CAMSHAFT position sensor, not crankshaft. If you change every sensor on the car just to knock it out, you'll be in over the value of a little mk3 really quickly. This is called parts-changing, is one of the biggest wastes of money in the automotive field. If you haven't tested the sensor and proved it to be failed, don't swap it.

Clean the GD throttle body, then do a throttle body alignment with a VAGCOM. Failing that, at least pull the battery cables for a minute, put them back, and leave the key in the run position for 10 minutes, don't start it, and don't touch the gas. Failing that, your throttle body may have failed, but I doubt that. It's just dirty.

[veedubbd]

so i tested a bunch of 2.0 crank sensors at the scrap yard today and noticed that obd1 were between 500-700ohms and obd2 was between 800-900 ohms. theres no way the sensor is gone in that many obd2's. mine before and after a drive was: 838 /1000+

anyone have anything to add to this?

[Pj1103]

Well considering what aphythiate said, id go for the cleaning the throttle body, because your cars idle is controlled by the butterfly in the TB. And you have the code suggesting its dirty and can no longer can adapt to the gunk.

And as stated before, if your crank sensor was faulty, you probably wouldn't have a running car, or you would have a code for it.

So though i contradicted myself before about replacing the crank sensor first..I would, clean your Tb, make sure your plug wires are okay, and after that id pin out your whole engine wiring harness.

You'd have to pop out your ecu and use a multimeter to make sure all the wires are working. You'd be best off getting a Bentley, but you could also use a2resource.com to find the pin out locations.

Then replace you sensor, if none of that works...

[Pj1103]

so i tested a bunch of 2.0 crank sensors at the scrap yard today and noticed that obd1 were between 500-700ohms and obd2 was between 800-900 ohms. theres no way the sensor is gone in that many obd2's. mine before and after a drive was: 838 /1000+

anyone have anything to add to this?

That's weird. I looked through my Bentley, and found it only lists obd1 component testing, where i found the 500-700ohms permitted.

I'm assuming either they're all the same, and this...http://www.germanautoparts.com/Volks...ectrical/182/2 ..proves my assumption.

So I'm not sure why they would read different...

[Pj1103]

Ohh and yeah i'm wicked bored, and i like this **** so..

These are the pin out tests you should do...

Camshaft position sensor

Terminals at disconnected ecu connector.
-44 and 56

Test conditions
-Disconnect harness connector from sensor and jumper terminals 1(white/red wire) and 2(Brown/black or brown yellow wire) in connector.

Test value
-maximum 1.5 ohms

Throttle position sensor

Terminals at disconnected ecu connector.
-33 and 41, 33 and 40, 40 and 41.

Test conditions(order of listed terminals)
-None, A-throttle closed and B-open throttle slowly, A-throttle closed and B-open throttle slowly,

Test value(order of listed terminals)
-1.6 to 2.4k ohms, A-1.0 to 2.0kohms and B-resistance increases steadily, A-2.5 to 4.0k ohms B- resistance decreases steadily.


Sorry if its confusing, i'm lazy and don't wanna type anymore.

But here's an examples for the tb sensor, terminals 33 and 40, throttle closed(A), 1.0 to 2.0k ohms(A).

Hope this helps

[1996VWGolf]

is this the part you guys are talking about? if it is i so happen to have an extra one

what would be the best substance to clean it with? i was thinking a toothbrush and a spray called awesome if anyone know which one lol

also would it be ruined if i thoroughly clean all of it with the spray? or is there something i have to watch out for?

[veedubbd]

thanks for beein bored pj1103!! nice work

that TB looks pretty clean to me and looks obd2 (same as mine)

my TB looking just fine and its not even a year ago i ported/ cleaned it. tested and pulled a CPS for $5, will put in tomorrow and go for a long drive and see what happens.

but yes i would actually like to trace all the wires, make sure all grounds and connections are good, heck id LOVE to replace all the bushings in the front end, balljoints, brakes (including rear disk swap), new shocks/struts/springs most of which are effed, all of which i have! problem these days is not having the time! sucks... but if its not running properly then whats the point of the rest right?

[veedubbd]

as for cleaning mine i used throttle body cleaner and a toothbrush, made sure the vacuum port was clear and let it dry. theres nothing under the black cover that should have to be cleaned unless the cover is cracked and the internals dont look like they can serviced by anyone other than a licensed tech.

[1996VWGolf]

I havent seen the one on my car yet just found out i had en extra one so i decided to clean this one and just do a quick swap.

this is the one imma replace it with. i think this is clean enough.

[Pj1103]

Looks great hopefully itll solve your issue

[1996VWGolf]

it didnt sadly it did feel better but it still would feel like if something was clogged... imma see if it might be the fuel pump... i also changed the crankshaft sensor since my car wont start now... turned over after i change the TB... noticed an electric current going from the spark plug to the coil... center spark plug was broken removed cap since it was stuck... forgot distributor cap fire order.. finally got it and now my car still wont start... when i try to turn on the car it gives loud ass back fires but engine wont roll over and start anyone know what might be the cause of tht?

[1996VWGolf]

nvm fixed it

found out i jumped the timing on the distributer without knowing

either way car start alot better thn before

still a little problem of when the car startles when im moving its not doing it alot anymore but its still does it... any reason what it might be

[detepeslk]

ever solve probleM what exacly was it ?