Hi, I have a 1997 Volvo 855 without the turbo that has eaten 3 cam position sensors in about a week... the car won't start, has spark, change the CPU and starts up... then after running maybe only once, won't start again. Any suggestions? I am not a real gearhead so sorry if I failed to include something useful...

 

Adding to this, as his car is at my house: not CPU gtting changed - cps. So far this is how its gone - replaced 1 CPS, started fine, stranded him the next time. Replaced cam position sensor with one of mine that was known good. started fine. next day - car wont start again. wth?

 

If it has spark it's not the CPS, check the other necessities.

 

it doesnt have spark. dont know where calvin got that from. i think he meant that it had fuel and fuel pressure.

 

Must be a short in the connection or wiring somewhere. That's my guess.

 

Any idea what the system voltage is? Maybe they are getting cooked?

 

interesting point, boxpin. i havent checked that. bad ecu maybe?

 

It may be just a pulsating ground though. I have never looked into it with any detail.

 

nope - took off the cam position sensor and look what I found....



Anyone think I have a snowball's chance in hell of bending that back straight enough to get it to pass through CPS without destroying it?

 

Just get another one from the jy.

 

It's a matter of having the time to install it. Calvin lives a good 20 miles from school and work. I cant be driving him every day while it's down, and with MY schedule, we're looking at downtime of weeks if im the one that's going to have to do it.

 

Yuk. I can go get one for you if you'd like. My guess is, part plus 2 days shipping wont be bad.

 

No, is not getting the camshaft, it's putting it in for him.

 

Sorry - previous post was through phone. I appreciate the offer, rspi - but, like i said, getting a cam out of a junk yard is no big deal - thats an hour's job at best. it's taking Calvin's car apart, cleaning the head and cam cover, putting in the new cam, setting timing, etc that I just dont have time for.

I'm just trying to figure out first what everyone thinks the odds are of me being able to bend that back to straight enough that it doesnt wreck the next sensor we put in.

 

Um, doesn't that bent part (sensor interrupter for lack of better term) on end of camshaft just unbolt from end of camshaft? I.e. like 5 minutes to pull one? I would think there's a locator pin there too; as in no "timing" to adjust.

Or am I mistaken?

 

annnnnd....I suddenly feel dumb. You're absolutely right, gdog....sheesh...

 

In fairness to me, it's been 2 1/2 years since I did mine, and we were messing with his car almost completely in the dark. SMH still amazed I forgot about that. Thank you though.

 

Yea, I was thinking, why in the world does he think the cam needs to come out? LOL

That thing has 1 bolt, 10 mm I believe. Calvin can likely handle that.

 

swapped both sides of sensor - car runs fine now. Thanks everyone.