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testing crank sensor?


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comnavguy
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Jun 13, 2009, 11:36 PM

Post #1 of 14 (5991 views)
testing crank sensor? Sign In

I have removed the crank sensor from a 1989 Olds Delta 88 Royale with the 231 V-6 engine. Is there a way to test that sensor with a VOM ?

I briefly saw a note on the parts look-up at Autozone, but the counter guy didn't know how to find the test setup or if they had a test jig.


Hammer Time
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Jun 14, 2009, 6:27 AM

Post #2 of 14 (5987 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

No, there is no accurate way to test a crank sensor out of the car. You can check resistance if you can find a spec but that really doesn't tell you much at all. Most of these failures are heat related and inconsistent. The only accurate way to test one and even this has to be done during the failure, is using a portable lab scope and examining the wave pattern.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



autojoe
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Jun 14, 2009, 9:55 AM

Post #3 of 14 (5983 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

there is a way to test hall effects just need your 8th vin for wiring info.It should be a 3 or a c.do you have a voltmeter/dwell meter/tachometer?any of above?this has the c3I computer controlled coil ignition?


comnavguy
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Jun 14, 2009, 12:56 PM

Post #4 of 14 (5975 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

The eighth VIN is a "C", and I do have the mentioned test equipment.

Thanks.


autojoe
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Jun 14, 2009, 4:37 PM

Post #5 of 14 (5961 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

You will need a dc meter a test light and a injector noid light.The noid light can be purchased from local parts store and is pretty inexpensive.you have a dual crankshaft position sensor that will need to be tested.did you check for power on (P)terminal of the ignition module.Disconnect 14 way connector and key on check for B+.


autojoe
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Jun 14, 2009, 7:53 PM

Post #6 of 14 (5954 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

I have tested hall effects off vehicle by hooking up either battery voltage to battery feed and run ground to battery negative terminal and hooked dc multimeter to signal wire and took a filler gauge and blocked and unblocked the magnetic field and watched for voltage change on signal wire.on car would have to backprobe the crank sensor electrical connector at crank sensor or at the ignition module or use a probe for meter that pierces wire to get readings.......I like the bed of nails connector because it makes several small holes in the wiring insulation instead of a big hole.You can backprobe electrical connector at module with a paper clip.if you had a meter capable of reading frequency you could use that for the hall effect.DO this with ignition off disconnect module harness connector and then turn ignition on and take a test light and connect to battery positive and repeatedly touch to ignition module harness connector terminal(D).this should be the purple/white wire.take injector noid light and disconnect injector electrical connector and connect the noid light into injector electrical connector.the noid light should blink as you repeatedly touch test light on terminal (D) of module harness electrical connector.if it does then with ignition off reconnect the module harness electrical connector and disconnect crankshaft sensor electrical connector and with ignition on momentarily jumper crank sensor harness terminals A to C be careful if engine rotates during this step.......reconnect crank sensor connector and with ignition still on crank engine and see if the injector noid light was blinking during this procedure.if it does and you have over 10 volts on crank sensor harness terminal (D) With key on then bad crank sensor connector or bad crank sensor.the best way to test is with scope like hammer said but when I did not have equipment I do now I used tachometer/dwell/duty clcle/dc meter.You know you need alignment tool for installing crank sensor?


Hammer Time
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Jun 15, 2009, 1:07 AM

Post #7 of 14 (5946 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

Although these tests could indicate a "go or no go" result of the Crank Sensor, this isn't the bench test requested in the question. It also will not show glitches in the signal that the lab scope would show.
My original answer was
there is no accurate way to test a crank sensor out of the car.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



autojoe
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Jun 15, 2009, 5:27 AM

Post #8 of 14 (5940 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

I understand that hammer but everyone does not have a labscope and I have found in most cases it will work.by the way hammer I told him test procedure off car at beginning of my post.


(This post was edited by autojoe on Jun 15, 2009, 7:55 AM)


Hammer Time
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Jun 15, 2009, 5:44 AM

Post #9 of 14 (5936 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

I agree it will work but he already has it off the car and he was looking for a way to test it without being on the car.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



comnavguy
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Jun 15, 2009, 10:28 AM

Post #10 of 14 (5922 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

And guys, here's an even bigger question: the J-tool, J 37089 referred to in the install instructions costs a mere $600. The car is worth about that much. What is the next best method to install the new sensor?

I'm not going to bother with trying to test the old unit. Much too involved for the money - $27 for the new one.

Thanks for all the help and info so far.


Hammer Time
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Jun 15, 2009, 10:37 AM

Post #11 of 14 (5921 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

If you had asked that question before you removed the old one, we may have been able to help you there by marking the position. At this point you may have a problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



autojoe
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Jun 15, 2009, 10:49 AM

Post #12 of 14 (5914 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

might have to have towed to shop now unless buy one on ebay for fraction of 600 cost.


Hammer Time
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Hammer Time profile image

Jun 15, 2009, 10:53 AM

Post #13 of 14 (5913 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

Check the large auto parts chains like AutoZone or Pepboys and see if maybe they rent one out.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



comnavguy
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Jul 23, 2009, 2:34 PM

Post #14 of 14 (5826 views)
Re: testing crank sensor? Sign In

Thanks all for the response and suggestions.

No one rents this particular J-Tool and there are no real bargains out there. This tool is the crank pulley with the body cut away allowing the mechanic to adjust the sensor on its carrier.

A substitute method is to measure the distance between the crank bearing and the first gap on the old sensor and mount the new one with the same gap. Just do not remove the old carrier.

I had marked the old carrier relative to the block and the old sensor relative to the carier.

You MUST mark and measure before removing the old sensor.

It is replaced and the engine running well.






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