Cam Sensor Spark Issues

[LAMMONS0003]

I just replaced the cam sensor on my car with a Caspers cap. The light never lights even when rotated 360 degrees. I have 10.9 volts on the power wire. I have 6 volts on the trigger or signal wire all when it approaches the cut out spot in the interupter ring. A concern of mine is even when the cap is completely removed from the sensor shaft the LED never lights and signal wire still has 6 volts. While the cam sensor is on a solid part of the interupter ring voltage goes close to battery voltage or 11 volts. I have used my original ignition module and bought an adapter to 86/87 and tested with another ignition module. I am out of ideas???????

1984 Buick T Type only modifications are caspers cap and small camshaft kit.

 

[novaderrik]

does the car run?

 

[LAMMONS0003]

It ran whole time I did the camshaft breakin and about 1 mile 4 tenths ( I reset odometer) after teh break-in. It died and has been dead ever since. I have no spark or injector pulse.

 

[novaderrik]

check the basics- is the ecm getting power? check the ecm fuse and the orange wire that goes from the battery.

 

[LAMMONS0003]

I have power every where i should. I even have near battery voltage at the A terminal of the cam sensor plug. The B terminal that you back probe when setting an OEM style sensor has either 11.1 (near battery voltage) or 6.0 volts. I never drops to zero like it should. I even removed the cap from teh sensor shaft. this should be the same as teh cut out spot on the interupter ring. Voltage still never drops below 6.0 volts. Terminal C always has 5 to 5.1 volts which I think is refernace voltage.

 

[novaderrik]

i could never get my car to show the "proper" readings when i was fiddling with the cam sensor.. i just lined up some dots and it runs..
the cam sensor has nothing to do with the spark- that's triggered by the crank sesnor and ecm. the cam sensor just times the fuel injectors. since you are gettign neither spark or ijector pulse, then your problem is elsewhere..

you say there is power everywhere there should be- does the check engine light come on when you turn the key on? if not, have you unplugged the ecm and checked for power at the plugs?
i had a clogged up heater drain that caused rain water to drip on the ecm plug, which caused the pin in the ecm that gets battery power thru the orange wire to corrode and break off.. it would run sometimes, but randomly die and maybe restart.. i only figured it out when i pulled the plug out of the ecm and the pin on the ecm side came with it.. that was when i decided to swap to the 87 ecm..

 

[pacecarta]

the cam sensor has nothing to do with the spark- that's triggered by the crank sesnor and ecm. the cam sensor just times the fuel injectors. since you are gettign neither spark or ijector pulse, then your problem is elsewhere..

you wouldnt want to bet on that


cam sensor sets up the first spark event-- #6(the 6-3 coil) and #1 injector-- and then if its still working after fireup it reestablishes that point every two revolutions of the crank , the setting of the cam sensor doesnt need to be exact because once it knows the general position of crank to start the order then looks at the crank sensor makes sure it happen exactly on time every time

without the cam sensor to start the order the ign module doesnt know which coil to fire off or which injector to start first

if the sensor dies while running (or if you unplug it while running ) the car defaults to batch fire mode and is no longer firing the injectors sequentially ...
it will run but it wont restart without a cam sensor signal


try a standard cam sensor cap as thats more than likely the issue but if not check the crank sensor as its responsible for advancing in order the injector firing and coil firing (3 steps every revolution) , its possible the balancer ring hit it and damaged it
after the sensors do their job the ignition module is the next link in the chain feeding a rpm signal and the timed trip for each injector to the ecm at which time the ecm applies the duty cycle (Pulse width) to the injector based on other things like maf,o2sensor , load based on rpm ,coolant temp sensor which effect short term interger and stored blms