How to create a temporary fix for crankshaft position sensor!

Let’s talk about temporary fix for crankshaft position sensor!

What a crankshaft position sensor (CPS) is and how they go bad.

• The crankshaft position sensor (not to be confused with the camshaft position sensor) is the most important sensor in your engine management control units. Unfortunately, your engine will not start without this work.
• The crankshaft position sensor is a sensor that monitor’s the rotational speed and the position of the crankshaft (the crankshaft drives the camshaft). Communicating the crankshaft position to the engine control unit (ECU) to regulate fuel injection, engine timing, and ignition.
• If your vehicle’s crankshaft position sensor goes bad, it won’t properly deliver important information to your vehicle’s computer. Delay the crankshaft position sensor’s replacement, and you will end up with many other engine problems that cost a lot of money to repair. Save yourself time and money and have it replaced if you have any concerns. Your problems are related to the crankshaft position sensor, which we will look further into below.
• For more in-depth of the crankshaft position sensor, please click the link

How does a crankshaft sensor go bad?

The most common reasons for bad crankshaft sensors:

• Wiring – It can be the wiring harness, engine control unit, or even the wiring of the sensor itself that has been cut or damaged.
• Rust – A lot of older cars can create rust that can compromise the connection of the crankshaft position sensor, especially those exposed to salt.
• Heat – An abundance of heat from the engine overheating can melt or destroy the crankshaft position sensor.
• Time – Nothing last forever; after hundreds of thousands of miles, your car takes on a lot of wear and tear. This will eventually happen to all car parts.
• Casing Crakes – The plastic becomes brittle and can crake. When this happens, the sensor is not going to read the information correctly.

Signs you have a faulty crankshaft position sensor:

• Check engine warning light: Or flashing check engine light- If the Engine control unit (ECU) is not receiving the correct information from the crankshaft position sensor, the check engine light can come on. Of course, the check engine light can come on for many other reasons as well. You will need an OBD-I or OBD-II tool (an electronic device used to read codes your engine’s computer gives off) to be certain.
• Violent shaking: while driving, stalling, hard acceleration, engine performance- If you’re driving, and your vehicle starts shaking, has poor acceleration, or stalls, it could be due to (as stated above) your ECU not getting the correct information from your crankshaft position sensor, and the computer will not read the correct fuel ratio. This often happens due to a miscommunication between the crankshaft and the ECU that causes the engine not to get enough fuel. If this problem is not fixed quickly, there can be severe damage to the engine!
• Vehicle won’t start: There are a lot of reasons why a car won’t start, but sometimes it could be due to a bad crankshaft position sensor that has been neglected and, over time, will shut down. It is important to resolve these problems as quickly as possible.
• Smaller symptoms could include: poor fuel economy, rough idle, and issues starting the vehicle, faulty voltage. These could be caused by many issues other than the crankshaft position sensor, though, so it’s best to check with an OBD tool or a local mechanic.

Methods to temporarily fix a bad crankshaft position sensor:

1. Restart the car:

• If the car stalls while driving, pull over. Wait until the car cools down, and then try restarting the vehicle. This method allows the oil to fall off the crankshaft sensor. Sometimes you can wait a full day. This is a very short term solution that can get by till it gets fixed.

2. Remove and clean the bad crankshaft sensor

• Suppose you can locate the crankshaft sensor safely. Disconnect the wiring plug and wipe any oil residue off the sensor. And reconnect and attach everything. This is a temporary that might work for an emergency.

3. Add and check fuel and oil quality and levels:

• If the car suddenly stops because the ECU does not supply enough fuel to the cylinder, you can fix it by filling it up with fuel.
• Also, though not likely, check your oil levels. If you have low oil levels, it can produce high heat levels in the engine and can compromise your crankshaft position sensor, wires, and many other components.

Disconnect the sensor:

• First, take the negative wire off your battery for your safety!
• Next, find the location of your crankshaft position sensor and disconnect it.
• Observe all wires and connections, including the ground, and wiring harness (the wiring harness is very complex with a lot of wires).
• There are times that the engine will overheat and cause the protective plastic to melt and create further damage to your crankshaft position sensor.
• Make sure there is no rust on any of the connections, as this is common in older cars or cars that are exposed to salt in the winter.

***(If there is rust, you can use a wire brush or you can also use a cleaning solution, make sure to allow the cleaning solution to dry before plugging the crankshaft sensor back in.)***

How to start a vehicle with a bad or faulty crankshaft position sensor:

• Inspect the engine’s spark plugs and wires. If they’re worn or damaged, they could be causing the crankshaft sensor to fail.
• Try starting the car with the engine’s throttle slightly open.
• Have the engine’s computer system checked for codes.
• Replace the crankshaft sensor.
• Check the wiring harness for any damage or loose connections that could cause faulty wiring.
• Have the car’s ignition system checked.
• Try using starter fluid; your car should start when using starter fluid if there is a spark.

Crankshaft position sensor location:

• The Crankshaft Position sensor is normally located on the side of the block with a cylindrical portion that inserts into the block. (depending on your car model, it could be on the timing cover).

In conclusion:

These are the most common problems and solutions for a bad crankshaft position sensor. Please take caution to a temporary fix, these are not permanent solutions. Thankfully, a crankshaft sensor is an easy replacement job and usually not costly, so we encourage you to change it out as soon as possible if you feel these symptoms may be the cause of your vehicle issues and other motor parts! Please do not ignore these symptoms as if they are left ignored they can cause very serious issues to your vehicle!

Thank you for reading this article, we hoped this helped!