Cam sensor signal missing

Holden/Delco Tuning. ALDL, OBD 1.5. Circa 1989 to 2004.
wrx884
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 12:09 pm
cars: 98 VT Commodore exec, 98 VT S Pac L67, 02 VX SS, 92 VP Calaia 5L, 77 TC Holden Gemini

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by wrx884 »

'quipt4it wrote:I would do a 'wiggle test' on the 'Ground point under ABS module' in the pic., if you haven't already.
The crimping does not look sufficient from the photos.
Throw in a couple of star washers for good measure. I prefer crimp and solder.
I'm still leaning towards earthing/ connection.
Those vanes look mint btw
Yeah was the 1st thing i checked and the reason i ended up scratching more of the paint off and put the bigger 4 gauge ground under the nut bolt there instead, thinking it was that but unfortunately these are pretty secure and crimped well so i dont think its those at all. I then thought it must be the other end attached to the block or mayb other earths but they are all secure too. These weren't even touched when the motor was removed prior so there was no reason for these other grounds to be loose or shitty but i checked them anyways.

My other thought today was if grounds are all good then mayb i should buy the solo cam and crank sensor plug connections that u can buy off ebay, they are fairly cheap and run some wires externally and kinda "piggy back" the original connections and run them to the DFI and see if any changes happen? i could even do the same from the DFI to the ECU to rule those out too? least that way i can rule out needing another engine harness since they rnt really that cheap to buy then find out it didn't work. The only other wire i would need to consider then is just the power in feed to the DFI as if i do that i dont see any other reason for it to really not spark hey?
'quipt4it
Posts: 675
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2012 12:57 pm

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by 'quipt4it »

It does seem it is running better than it has been, from what you've posted.
Wondering if just one of the coils (pair of cyls) has gone out.
Are the spark plugs due for a change.
When you say running rough, would you describe it as a miss?
wrx884
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 12:09 pm
cars: 98 VT Commodore exec, 98 VT S Pac L67, 02 VX SS, 92 VP Calaia 5L, 77 TC Holden Gemini

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by wrx884 »

'quipt4it wrote:It does seem it is running better than it has been, from what you've posted.
Wondering if just one of the coils (pair of cyls) has gone out.
Are the spark plugs due for a change.
When you say running rough, would you describe it as a miss?

Brand new plugs, leads etc... and currently its got the spare standard ecotec coils and DFI on it but it did this with the Original L67 set before so im kinda almost ruling these out as the culprits. It not just a typical miss and its not a constant miss or anything either. It can idle in park ok atm, u can tell there is a miss present and more so if u give it some pedal but it can actually be very violent at times to the point it can make the belts screech when its about to try stall.

Since i have at least got it running, i cant put it in drive or it will start missing bad, cough, screech then stall. This i can create the same effect when i just push down and up on the drivers guard so im thinkin theres a wire just hanging on enough to give it the cam signal needed at times? (Im hoping its just that anyways). Tho u guys say the cam signal isn't really needed so mayb its on the crank sensor side? I reckon ive just disturbed it enough to make contact around the cam sensor or crank sensor area when i took the balancer off just before and i got lucky its running atm? If i could get my hands in there while its running i would but i kinda want my fingers still haha, its so hard to fault find unless u see it. If i can work out how to do videos i'll try upload one.
'quipt4it
Posts: 675
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2012 12:57 pm

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by 'quipt4it »

Double check on both CAS and CPS that the terminals are pushed in all the way into the sockets of the harness connector, and that none of the wires have separated from the connector terminal by pulling on each individual wire.
VX L67 Getrag
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Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by VX L67 Getrag »

There was a car I had to tune a few years ago that sounds identical to this & went over everything a million times & ended up being something simple... but I can't remember for the life of me what it was... I have a feeling it may have been something to do with transmission sharing voltage & wired up wrong...but I'll need to check any notes if I made any but don't hold your breath.
wrx884
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 12:09 pm
cars: 98 VT Commodore exec, 98 VT S Pac L67, 02 VX SS, 92 VP Calaia 5L, 77 TC Holden Gemini

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by wrx884 »

'quipt4it wrote:Double check on both CAS and CPS that the terminals are pushed in all the way into the sockets of the harness connector, and that none of the wires have separated from the connector terminal by pulling on each individual wire.
I have done this when i was told to check the ECU pins earlier on but saying that its the one thing i have plugged in and out multiple times and all pins check out good with the continuity test i did just b4, the wires themselves look pretty good normally im expecting them to be heat damaged somewhat in that area and have gone brittle or hard, that was my 1st thought that may have happened but the motor itself has only done 122k kms so the harness itself looks pretty good. its giving me the shits lol but if i try this piggy back idea it may rule this out?
VX L67 Getrag wrote:There was a car I had to tune a few years ago that sounds identical to this & went over everything a million times & ended up being something simple... but I can't remember for the life of me what it was... I have a feeling it may have been something to do with transmission sharing voltage & wired up wrong...but I'll need to check any notes if I made any but don't hold your breath.
Does sound far fetched but do find out for me if u can? The only reason i would be curious about this is when we had the tech 2 unit running live but motor was off, sometimes i could hear what sounded like a solenoid in the trans clicking on and off repeatedly at times but i thought it would be unrelated with spark tho?? Would the issue u had show any codes or fault logs for the trans?? For the trans to share voltage would this be on the inhibitor switch i think its called? i did check this early on thinking this may have been faulty when the car wasn't running but that was b4 i found there was no spark?
'quipt4it
Posts: 675
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2012 12:57 pm

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by 'quipt4it »

I believe this is a 'functionality check' of the solenoids.
Page 30 of this PDF will explain:
https://www.snapontools.com.au/__data/a ... Manual.pdf
It actually tests wiring faults also...
wrx884
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 12:09 pm
cars: 98 VT Commodore exec, 98 VT S Pac L67, 02 VX SS, 92 VP Calaia 5L, 77 TC Holden Gemini

Re: Cam sensor signal missing

Post by wrx884 »

'quipt4it wrote:I believe this is a 'functionality check' of the solenoids.
Page 30 of this PDF will explain:
https://www.snapontools.com.au/__data/a ... Manual.pdf
It actually tests wiring faults also...
Cheers im sure the tech 2 will be able to do this also, when i get it around again i'll put this to them so they can do some tests but i will probably do this last thing incase im storing more codes or logs like i did the other day trying to start the car with no ECU. Id imagine the solenoids are going to be fine, i never did have any issues with how the car drove previously.
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