Hi,
Just today: My car seems to run OK when driving slow and under 35, when I step on the gas to accelerate it starts to stall and pulses. On parking, I tried to rev the engine in park and as the RPMs start to go up the engine pulses. It revs high and cuts down, then higher and cuts down etc. Less than a second each. The engine light did go on, but I do not have a code checker. Any ideas what this might be? The car had plenty of power until today.
The temp seemed fine, but the top coolant line to the radiator was easy to squeeze even though then engine was hot. Oil is fine too.

2001 Sebring LXI 4 dr sedan V6 automatic. (fuel injected)

Thanks in advance... Times are tough... really tough. If I cannot fix cheap, I may have to get an uber car.

 

No point in asking people here to guess what's wrong with your car when you can find out yourself, for free.

Do the "key dance" and get the codes from the computer. Turn the key on, off, on, off, on (without going to "start") and get the numbers that come up in the odometer space. It will be something like Pxxx where the x's are numbers. Look them up online as OBD2 (On Board Diagnostics) Codes. Go from there.

 

Hi, You are certainly right, I got the codes this afternoon. It would be nice to narrow them down to either the camshaft or the sensor. Perhaps I can do that with a timing light?

Code P 0340. Camshaft position sensor circuit malfunction code in some cases, the sensor could be faulty in another is it could be in the engine timing component and or the power control module?


Code P 1193 ? something to do with air intake temperature sensor or voltage.

I let the car idle after checking the intake filter and spraying the sensor inside with contact cleaner.

The car idles well and I could rev it almost up to 4K, but then it starts to pulse up and down a little if I hold it there. (not nearly as bad as yesterday.) I suppose I could clear the codes out and start over again. Either way, I am sure it costs a fortune to replace a camshaft position sensor and is not something for even a novice. Any thoughts.

 

Spent a few bucks and get a shop manual for the car like a Haynes manual. Read up on what you believe to be the problem. Then you can decide knowledgeably whether you and your tool box are up to the task.

As a matter of general policy, when in doubt about the source of a problem, make the cheaper repairs first.

 

The camshaft sensor I got from NAPA does not seem to be the same length as the original.
The number on the part was 4609089A - (the number Chrysler lists is the same with an H on the end.)
Both the sensors offered from NAPA were a few MM shorter (distance it goes into hole.) I know that electronics are built much better than they used to be, but cant this make a serious difference in performance???
I am hesitant to install the new part. (Once I do, cannot return it.)

Anyone know about this?

 

Hi,
For the record, I used the Chrysler part and returned the other from NAPA. They both looked the same.. were the same depth and all things considered (esp the price match) it seemed best to go with the revised stock part. The car works fine now... except that I had to get three tie rod ends and an axel replaced the other day. Now, I just wish I could get the heat going with out spending a thousand dollars. Or anything.