Cranks and Cranks, But Wont Start!!

[Justin Wheeler]

Let me tell you guys, this has been a total nightmare. Just got through spending some insane amount of money at a dealership only to find I had a faulth camshaft chain tensioner. So I replace that and get everything back together and crank her up, but she wont start. Just turns over and over. Checked for spark at both the plugs and wires, its good. Can smell fuel on plugs so there is some sort of fuel getting there. Also the tach is moving around in a very strange fashion. Not just holding at a steady spot but jumping from 500, to 1000, to 2000 sometimes. Seems kind of weird. Do you guys have any ideas, because I'm stumped. The car hasn't ran in like 3 weeks and I'm ready to have her back. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[jmkinmsp]

Crankshaft Position Sensor....WELLS part# SU242 $42.99 at Autozone.

 

[rangerj]

Justin,

If you are going to buy a crankshaft position sensor consider Dana or Echlin through NAPA, or other automotive parts stores. These were the OEM supplier to Ford for the original parts.

I am on my third camshaft position sensor made by Wells in less than 5K miles (from Auto Zone). Before you replace the sensor check the codes for any faults. Make sure that the problem is not a poor connection, or a poor ground (there are several in the system).

A fault code does not automatically mean that the sensor that coded is bad. It means that the computer is not getting the information from the sensor that it is programmed to expect.

The cause could be a poor connection, a poor ground in the circuit the sensor is in, a broken wire or its connection, corrosion in the wire or at its connection.

A simple multi-meter from Sears or Radio Shack for about $20-$30 is necessary to test for voltage, ohms resistance, and/or continuity (no break in the wire) in the wires or a sensor.

If you do find that the crankshaft position sensor is bad, check very carefully for any signs of coolant leaking from the water pump. A failed water pump is a common cause of a failed crank sensor (but not the only cause). Happy holidays, rangerj

 

[ISHOU]

If your getting spark like you said, the crankshaft position sensor is fine. Check your plug wire routing. If you used the Chiltons manual for reference to install your plug wires, it is wrong. Do a search on this forum for the correct way. Chiltons has the coil pack wire connection wrong.

 

[Justin Wheeler]

Thanks for the help, I have a crank sensor on the way, bought from Parts America for $40. We'll see what that does. It just doesn't add up. Spark, fuel, tach moving while cranking (although rather spastically), and no codes to point any fingers at. When I crank it, the car doesn't even try to start at all. It just cranks and cranks. I'm wondering if I have the timing so messed up with the whole replacing the rear camshaft tensioner and taking the timing belt off and everything else that I did, that it wont even try. I guess we'll know after tommorow when I get it apart and put that new sensor in there. Any tips on making sure the timing is correct and that the sprokets are correctly alligned and in sync with the crank? Is there an easy way? Hope it works.

 

[Huntervf]

Working on a friend's 92 SHO I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start...in fact it didn't even sound right while cranking it. Turns out he didn't have it timed right at all. Still though, it would at least stumble. If you've checked codes & found none, have a tach reading as well as spark then I would guess that your timing is off; espically since you were into the cam chains & timing belt.