Car died suddenly. Tach died too.

[Deathacus]

Hey there! The usual, '94 3.0 MTX. So I was just cruising down route 8, smooth as salted butter, when all of a sudden she just drops power. No sputtering, no sign of alt or battery loss. Full tank. Just like shutting the key off. Everything thing on the dashboard seemed consistent with coasting conditions, except for the tach. Tachometer just completely dropped to zero, despite still coasting in gear. I pulled over, checked all the fuses, made sure nothing was obviously out of place, let her cool down for an hour and a half and trying to start. She cranks beautifully, but no sign of ignition. Havn't checked fuel pressure but it sounded normal during initial KOEO.
From what I have read, and from my understanding of how the system works, my gut says either cam or crank sensor. Now, about the cam...
She's got a pretty bad oil leak around the camshaft sensor. I have tried replacing the seal once, and it was the verified correct part from SHOsource, not the "close enough" one everyone else lists. I replaced it, even got the special Rotunda kit to do the job right, and now it leaks twice as much SKULLLLEMOJIIII

Anyways, what should I do? Where do I start? If it is the cam sensor, I would really like to fix the leak before I replace it...again. Annny suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Oh yeah, one plug on that head seems to get unusually oily. I know I've started a more in-depth thread about that before. Just though I'd throw that out there.

Oh yeah, I got a new oscilloscope too, should I wanna check things before throwing parts at her.

 

[Irish Pride]

Your symptoms suggest crankshaft sensor failure.

When the crankshaft sensor goes out the car will typically die as you suggest almost giving the impression that you ran out of gas or the fuel pump died.

When the camshaft sensor goes out it will act more like a really bad misfire as the car cannot detect proper timing with the camshaft.

I would start by checking codes just to verify and plan a full upper and front 60k. If you are already doing an upper 60k then you can remove the cam cap on the back cam and get the seal in and out very easily and verify that the new seal is seated properly while also giving you the opportunity to put some fresh RTV under the cam cap. When I do cam seals I do it this way on the back camshaft and I have yet to have one prematurely fail.

-Chad

 

[zoomlater]

When you replace the camshaft seal, use a mirror and double check there are no nicks on the cam. If someone nicked the cam during a previous removal, the seal will fail. They make sleeves if this happened. I second the thin coating of RTV during install, mine would leak when I didn't do that and I had used the install tool as well.

 

[Deathacus]

When you replace the camshaft seal, use a mirror and double check there are no nicks on the cam. If someone nicked the cam during a previous removal, the seal will fail. They make sleeves if this happened. I second the thin coating of RTV during install, mine would leak when I didn't do that and I had used the install tool as well.

Did all that lol

Well, If i'm gonna go with crank sensor, then I probably want to fix my water pump leak too

 

[Devin]

I recently replaced my crank sensor for similar reasons (just codes, didn't die on me yet) and found this:

 

[Deathacus]

I recently replaced my crank sensor for similar reasons (just codes, didn't die on me yet) and found this:

View attachment 94197

Oof. Is that a freeze plug on the pump?
Now, hang on. If the sensor is above the pump, how likely really is it that a leaky pump would fry the sensor? And what are the chances that it is just a gasket and not the pump itself?

 

[Irish Pride]

Did all that lol

Well, If i'm gonna go with crank sensor, then I probably want to fix my water pump leak too

If you know that you have a leaking water pump already then I will say 100% without a doubt that you need a crank sensor.

-Chad

 

[Irish Pride]

Oof. Is that a freeze plug on the pump?
Now, hang on. If the sensor is above the pump, how likely really is it that a leaky pump would fry the sensor? And what are the chances that it is just a gasket and not the pump itself?

The crank sensor is directly below the water pump. It doesn't matter what part of the water pump is leaking. Replace all of it with new parts.

-Chad

 

[Devin]

Oof. Is that a freeze plug on the pump?
Now, hang on. If the sensor is above the pump, how likely really is it that a leaky pump would fry the sensor? And what are the chances that it is just a gasket and not the pump itself?

Yup! My original from the rebuild in 2005. Apparently it got cold.

 

[Deathacus]

'ight. Just ran the ol' paperclip test KOEO and here's what I got.
Hard code: 111 (das gud)
Memory: 211 and 542
So...from what I understand, 211 is the ignition PIP signal. I always thought the cam sensor was responsible for that instead of the crank, no?
And 542 seems to be a fuel pump issue. Fuel pump sounds okay to me. Any more thoughts?

 

[Irish Pride]

Ignore the 111 and the 542. You need a crank sensor.

-Chad

 

[luigisho]

You can do a diy timing belt and front main seal if you are diving in. Everything is already going to be moved out of the way.
Just a proximity of repair/maintain idea to consider.

 

[Deathacus]

The crank sensor is directly below the water pump. It doesn't matter what part of the water pump is leaking. Replace all of it with new parts.

-Chad

Oops, don't know what possessed me to think the crank pully was the water pump. Looks like a classic weep hole leak. Happy that it still looks like Green Berry Rush after all the flushing I did last year.
Any reason not to attempt my own rebuild? Seems like only the front nose needs changed but everyone I see is selling the whole unit.