95 Eclipse GS-T wont's start, mechanic may be hosing.

doksoori · Jan 13, 2005

I have a 95 Eclipse on which I replaced the valve cover gasket. After replacing the gasket, I drove it to the local safeway. After shopping, the care wouldnt start. It would turn over.... but the engine hestitated quite a bit for a few seconds and then would die. I could never get it past that.

I brought it to a local shop. They enticed me to replace my cat and muffler (which I did, since I needed them to be fixed anyways). Then they called me back to tell me that the camshaft sensor and the crankshaft sensor needed to be replaced.

Question: Does it make sense that these two sensors need to be replaced at 50K miles? Could I have mistakenly messed with these sensors when I took the valve cover off? (I have no idea where these sensors are). Thanks a ton!

-hjk

girlieracr4g63 · Jan 14, 2005

Is the car throwing a code that you have seen?

luv2rallye · Jan 14, 2005

It's possible one of those sensors may have failed (and you should get a code) but unlikely both have at the same time. Your removing the valve cover could not possibly have done anything to these sensors (unless your in the habit of ripping wires out you find around the engine).

oldman · Jan 14, 2005

Was the VC absolutly the only thing you touched? Anything else you can tell us could be helpfull.

TSi90Awd · Jan 15, 2005

I don't think the valve cover had anything to do with. It seems to be nothing more than coincidence that the car did what it did after your replacing of the gasket. I does seem a bit wierd that the two sensors would both go out at once though. :confused:

doksoori · Jan 17, 2005

The only thing that I touched was the VC...

The mechanics hooked up a computer and he said that the ECU is saying that the camshaft angle sensor is broken. I still don't see how I could have touched this sensor when I messed with teh valve cover.

Can someone tell me where the camshaft angle sensor is? I've been looking for this, but I cannot see anything attached to the camshaft that resembles a sensor.

Thanks for your responses!

Broken 95 Eclipse GS-T

-hjk

oldman said:
Was the VC absolutly the only thing you touched? Anything else you can tell us could be helpfull.

Defiant · Jan 17, 2005

doksoori said:
The mechanics hooked up a computer and he said that the ECU is saying that the camshaft angle sensor is broken. I still don't see how I could have touched this sensor when I messed with teh valve cover.

On a '95, it's under the intake cam sprocket. I don't think you'd get to it nor its wire at the vc.

doksoori · Jan 17, 2005

Then, I am still in a bit of a haze as to why my car will no longer start. All I touched was the valve cover. I did, however, was a bit unsure as to how tight I should tighten the bolts to the VC... so I guesstimated the 2-3 ft-lbs of torque. Could this have caused my problem?

Also, just to summaryize: All I did was change the valve cover gasket. It restarted fine, but after one trip to the supermarket, it wouldnt start. Turns over, get fire for a few seconds then dies. Engine basically hesitates like nutz.

Ideas?

Thanks a ton for your replies!

-hjk

Defiant said:
On a '95, it's under the intake cam sprocket. I don't think you'd get to it nor its wire at the vc.

blue92laser · Jan 17, 2005

early crankwalk?

DV8 · Jan 17, 2005

Its probably a coincidence that the camshaft sensor went bad when you had the vc off. I highly doubt that both sensors went bad at the same time... Replace tha cam sensor and see what happens. :cool:

doksoori · Jan 17, 2005

Apologies for the newbie/stupid question:

Can I assume that the camshaft angle sensor is on the outside of the engine? Same for the crankshaft sensor?

Thanks!

-hjk

luv2rallye · Jan 18, 2005

doksoori said:
Engine basically hesitates like nutz.

Did you reconnect the hoses onto the valve cover? On my '99 there are 2 small ones. One goes to intake manifold and other to air intake between filter and turbo.

doksoori · Jan 18, 2005

Yep, I put the two small hoses back on.

At this point, my thinking is that when I took off the vlave cover, I must have jostled the cam sensor (I had to hit the VC with a rubber mallet to get it off).

-hjk

RED&BlackGSX · Jan 18, 2005

is it a auto for 5 speed?......very possible it could be crankwalk, the crank sensor is a symptom of crankwalk. He may be telling you that to get some buisness. You can check crankshaft endplay yourself. you can even pull the crank sensor and look and see if its broken.

oddrob · Jan 18, 2005

Both of the plugs to the sensors are in the rear right corner looking at it. Is it possible you jostled the connectors while you were epairing the valve cover and they came loose during your trip? Its not terribly common that they go bad, and I've ever seen both go at the same time.

doksoori · Jan 18, 2005

Thanks a ton guys for your replies thus far.

So it is easy for me to get the crankshaft sensor? Can I simply pull the camshaft timing gear off and get to the camshaft sensor (sorry for my newbieness)? Is it OK to mess with a timing belt/gear like that?

Thanks a ton!

-hjk

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95 Eclipse GS-T wont's start, mechanic may be hosing.

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