Just when you think everything is going along fine...boom! My car has started each time, until yesterday. I checked the fuel system and relays and all seem to be working. No fault codes from socket 2 or 6. No. 3 has no codes but wont give me a 1-1-1. Checked coil and no spark to distributor. It's a Bosch system. Coil has 11 volts going to it and resistance for primary and secondary are within range. Any ideas on what next to check? One side note, after trying on and off for over an hour to start(the engine was cold) I came back later and it started. I did put it in neutral, if that had anything to do with it? Yet later, neutral didn't help.


UPDATE: I pushed down on the wire connecting to the crank position sensor and it started right up. And continues to. What a relief. Question: Is this a wear item? The wires don't looked cracked or frayed. Or should I leave well enough alone?

 

If your car works then leave the CPS as it is, tighten it down if need be. If you can get a spare cheaply get one to have on hand just in case.

 

crank position sensors do flake out with age, and LH2.4 definitely won't run at all if they are dead.

 

Pretty typical CPS failure symptoms. Change it with a QUALITY unit (Volvo white stripe), not the cheapest there is! It is a critical part as you found out; doesn't matter how it looks--they fail internally, intermittently.

 

I think I will. Better safe than sorry.

 

Actually, it did start to act up again. When I pulled it and took a closer look it wasn't so good. The outer insulation had a split in it and the shielding cable inside looked to have gaps in it. I got a used one from PicknPull for 4 bucks and it runs great now. In fact, it cleaned up my sooty tail pipe and the engine seems to run better, stronger.

 

there ya go! its probably been marginal for awhile.