My CPS is going out in my truck. The other day the truck started surging and tach died momentarily while this happend. The check engine light came on and I checked it with my scanner and received the code to check the CPS.

My question, is that I have done a search on this site and everything that I come up with says that the CPS is located in the front of the engine. I can't find it there. Looking through my Haynes manual shows it behind the starter on the block by the oil dipstick. Unfortunately, I can't see it there either (without removing the starter.)

I went to Cummins the other day to get the CPS, I was told by them that I don't have one, I have a Camshaft Sensor installed under the VP44. Now I am really lost and need to get this fixed. Has anyone here changed one in a 1999 Dodge? Part numbers perhaps? I am going to go back to cummins today and see about talking to someone else about getting the proper part. The part that they gave me does not look like the one in the Haynes Manual.

Also, do you have to remove the starter to get to it? If so, what is the easiest way to remove it. I tried last night, but it looks like you can only get a wrench on the bolt. I could not get a socket or impact wrench in there. I will probably have to get a longer 10mm wrench to get some leverage. I tried a short on last night and just could not get the bolt to budge. This is why I want to make sure that this is where the correct sensor really is.

 

The CRANKSHAFT position sensor is behind the starter motor.

 

Yes, it's behind the starter. The only way to see it or get at it will be removing the starter. Easy job.

 

I've resorted more than once to using a small hydraulic jack to turn the wrench on a tough starter bolt.

 

you may have both a cam sensor and a crank sensor. mine does.

 

I thought the CPS was on the upper side of the harmonic balancer ?

 

My buddy has a '99 and he had to pull the starter to get to his CPS as well. Double check the part that you were given because he got the wrong part the first time. In his case, the part would fit the block but the starter wouldn't go back on because of the wrong CPS.

 

Well it is done! I got the correct part this time. Removing the starter was a #$#@$!!!!!! I even managed to break a wrench taking a bolt off. Of course, I was using a 1" wrench wraped around the 10mm at the time for leverage

I hope this solves my problems. I noticed when I went to clear my codes, I had another and it said that the trouble code caused the following MIL P0216. Which is the VP44 I believe. I can see how the timing off on the engine could cause the pump timing to jump as well. It seems to drive fine as I drove it around the block. Only time will really tell if this solved the problem or not.

As for tightening the starter bolts back, I used blue locktite and as much arm strength as possible. Is this ok, or do they really need to be torqued like they were when I took them off?

 

 

jrs_dodge,

My Dad's 96 has the sensor on the balancer, my 98.5 only has the one behind the starter.

 

It's the nature of the 12 point bolts used, they stretch a little so they say on, tightening them to the correct torque will still make them hard to get off next time. Probably should have skipped the Loc-Tite.

 

Well then, it looks like the next time the starter has to be removed I take it in and let someone else try and remove it

 

The 12V has the CPS only for a tach signal on the harmonic balancer- the tach signal is used by the PCM for the tach (DUH), charging system, air condition and for some other stuff, but is not engine related.
On the 24V it's a true crankshaft position sensor that determines injection timing and also the stuff it does on the 12V
Locktite blue on the bolts is a good idea since they won't rust on the threads. Overtigtening is a bad idea- especially if you have to open a corroded bolt you'll have lots of resistance from the rust, if you tighten it like that you'll overload the bolt. Remember- a bolt can only take 100% load- if you use 30% as preload (tightening it) you'll have 70% available to actually hold hte part on. If you double the torque you have 60% preload and only 40% to hold the part... Torque specs in a shop manual are there for this reason.

HTH

AlpineRAM

 

I guess I should back them off a bit then. BTW, I would like to know how someone was able to get a torque wrench in there in the first place. Even with the motor out, the lower bolt, there is not enough room to get anything but a wrench on it.