Now that the crank gear issue is out of the way... (see other post(s))

On the way back from a 100mi (RT) trip to the doc, just before it turned 100k on the odo, things were going fine, until the Sebring suddenly
1) lost power
2) tach fell to 0, and
3) I freaked out...

no more than a second or two later it picked back up and behaved fine the rest of the way home...
Since it turned 100k on the way I decided to give it a 'birthday present' and bought a new dist cap/rotor which I put on the next morning. All was well until that nite when I wanted to go to the store and it would not start. Turn over, yes... but not start.
I thought, great... new cap/rotor screwed something up... Ill check it out tomorrow...
So, when I finally went out to check it, it started right up.

Drove it to work that nite and started to the next (yesterday... TH), and on the way, not 1-2 mi from home, it died like it did on the trip...
This time tho, it didnt take off again... and I ended up pushing it into a Carrows parking lot, grabbing a cab home and taking the motorcycle (not exactly healthy either!) to work!

After much reading and contemplation, I have purchased another Crank Posit Sensor and will be installing it SA morning after work... since the sebring is sitting at home.

While I would prefer that IT be the issue, I hope that takes care of it...
In spite of the crank gear/pulley issue before, it has been completely reliable, and this sudden dying issue has completely destroyed my trust in it.

Was planning a trip to visit family next week but will be flying instead.

Expect updates as things progress!

 

but it has been cooler than 'normal' today, so I may have to wait until I do the next 100mi trip to the doc to know if it continues to behave itself.

It was alot easier than I anticipated. I did remove the intake 'pipe' to the air cleaner which made 2-handed access easier, but other than that it was quite 'painless'!...

The ticking kinda bugged me but it eventually stopped when the spacer came off (I presume it was supposed to...)...

Will update again after the roadtrip!

... I also intend to carry a couple cans of that 'freeze-air' in case it IS something else (like the distributor/cam sensor/coil) that is temp sensitive... 'justin case'...

 

on the 50+ mi trip to the hospital it threw a 300,302 and 305 code... multiple misfires... but did NOT do it again on the way back.

I have been out-of-town until this week so I will check it on the next trip to the hospital Monday and if it DOES code-out again I intend to replace the new cap/rotor with the old/originals...

While I do not believe it, it IS possible that the plugs/wires could be at fault.... and may do some 'relocation' to see if it follows the plugs.

more to follow!

 

This last trip to the hospital (last TU) by the time I got there I had misfire codes on ALL cylinders.
Again, I cleared them and did NOT see them again on the way back.

So....

Yesterday I replaced the new cap/rotor with the old/original ones...
MO I will have another trip and, possibly, will not see the problem(s)...


But I believe I will...
I think the distributor/coil is at fault here...
I suspect that the cam sensor would throw an appropriate code but only the 300-306 codes have appeared.

Again, will update once the next trip is done!

 

On the trip yesterday (WE) it was 'nice-&-cool' out. I believe that contributed to the fact that NO CODES were set on the way there.

On the way HOME, however, it started blinking the light and by the time I was home ALL cylinders had set codes but #1 ...

of course, 300 was set too.

This AM, one more trip and possibly I will be able to return before it warms up outside.

but I suspect that it will code again.

Altho I am more certain now that the problem is the distributor/coil I will likely go the route of replacing the plugs/wires again first... least-expensive-first, you know!

 

Im having same problems with my 3.0 cam, muilt misfire and egr codes.

Changed rotor and cap today but not sure

of location for Cam positioning sensor

can you help. send photo. I will clean EGR when I replace CAM SEN.

jackson9040@sbcglobal.net

 

I would look at the egr problem first...

Mine (when my friend owned it) had the egr fail (the sealing portion failed and it acted as if it was 'on' all the time) and it did the bucking/spitting/dying at idle routine until it was replaced...

Not sure about the 3-liter but on the 2.5 (mitsu engine) the cam sensor is in the distributor WITH the coil...

what code(s) are you getting on it... other than the 300s...
if you're getting a code for cam posit fail (# unknown right now) that wont be fun...

 

what year make and model do u have?

 

Sorry... this for the OP?

That info was in the previous post... but it is a 97 Sebring LXI coupe, 2.5L which now has about 100100 mi... most of the issues I have showed up right at 100k...

I now have the proper tool to adjust the timing belt eccentric pulley,

(on that... the torque specs they supply are meant to check whether the tensioner needs replacing? that is the only thing I can believe, as it specifically states that the adjustment is 'correct' when the retaining pin can be easily inserted/removed from the tensioner....)

so I am going to redo that as well sometime this week... but the issues definately seem to be heat related, and I am suspicious of the coil.

I still have a water leak (somewhere down the even bank) that has caused higher-than-normal temps on occasion and I believe that has been responsible for both the crank posit sensor and my current issue(s)...

The car was previously owned by a friend (single-owner) and I have been maintaining it for him so I am familiar with its history... which actually has been very minor.

Thanks for the post... GREAT AVATAR!!

Another thought...

The replacement crank sensor came from Autozone and had a 'spacer' that seemed to be rather thick... in my opinion, at least. The original actually had scoring on it when I took it out.
Is it possible that the new crank sensor has too much clearance, and could that be an issue in this misfire question? I believe my book mentions the expected clearance but I could re-gap it I would think, using regular paper to proper thickness...
It was my understanding that the crank sensor was mainly to indicate #1 position... or does it actually show TDC for each cylinder?

1:20pm... just rechecked the book and it says that the crankPos sensor provides timing for both ignition AND fuel for EACH cylinder... so I will attempt to close the tolerance on the adjustment and see if that helps!

 

The new cap/rotor is back on...
The crank position sensor has been regapped using a single layer of card stock.

The weather has cooled so there may be no 'proof' until it warms up again next summer...

Will see..