"Tell him to check all the fuses first.

Then look at the tach sensor pickup,on the front of the engine.

I have also seen a bad PCM (computer) cause the same problem.

Chris"

This is what was emailed to me by a Cummins GENIOUS over on letstalksnow.com, he really knows his stuff. He's given me wire colors off the top of his head and he's even got a 1 1/2 Y.O daughter that can tell the difference between diesel and gas

 

I think ive figured out what it is. I got to reading in the hanes manual, and it was talking about the engine speed sensor, and pretty much listed all the problems i was having, and said that it controlled those functions. I took mine off, and tied it up, out of the way, and took home my buddy who was helping me, and still the same; nothing different, and i know they didnt put it on there to look pretty, so tomorow im gonna pick one up hopefully. Anyone have any idea what they cost, and how to set the gap between it, and thew pulley it gets the reading from? It may say in the hanes manual, but i havent looked yet. Thanks for all the help guys, and ill let you know how it goes if i get one tomorrow.

Eric

 

Hi Eric

I'm the guy Matt mentioned earlier,he asked me to help you out.While I don't consider myself a genious,I do know a fair bit about these trucks\engines.

It probably is the tach sensor (aka engine speed sensor),which is mounted on the front of the engine.You can try setting the air gap,to see if that helps.Bolt it back on,and use a business card to set the gap.If it still doesn't fix it,then you may have to replace it.Check it for broken wires,as they will tend to break over time.You may be able to repair the broken wire if it isn't too close to the sensor.

Good luck,I hope that solves it.

Chris

 

Thaks a lot Chris! I think that is the problem. Tomorrow i think ill just see about picking up a new one(as long as its not really bad expensive), because this is probably the original, and it is probably just worn out. Thanks a lot for signing up and everything just to help me out. I will let everyone know the results tomorrow, if i can pick one up. Thanks again

Eric

 

If your going to pick one up,get it from Cummins,it's way cheaper.Part number is 3924432.

It is also available from Dodge,at the dealer.DC part number is 4746691.

 

See... I told you he was a genious... I bet he picked those part numbers right out of his head

On Edit: I dare you to ask him about Canola oil

 

CSS. CSS. CSS. Crank Shaft Sensor Very seldom go bad, usually a broken wire or excessive clearance. Trust me. 4.5 months without all you describe on my 93 because of a broken wire on the CSS. Check for worn insulation where the wiring runs throught he clip at the front of the head. 3 wires into a 3 pin plug. Can be fixed for the cost of a little solder and some heat shrink tubing. May not be it, but I think its the most likely. Rick

 

Any updates?

 

Well, yesterday i went, but the dodge dealer is only open on week days so monday im gonna try to run by there and pick up a sensor. Yesterday, i played with the sensor, and stuff, and i guess it must just be bad. We also unplugged the sensors connector on my buddy's 95, and his truck does the same as mine except his is a 5spd, so no shifting problem . BUT; i changed my oil yesterday, and after i did that i drove it a little, and the spedometer was working for some reason, and i got 4th gear, and lockup back, even though it didnt really know when to shift because i still had no tach. Anyway, tomorrow im gonna get the sensor, and see about putting it on, and see what i have then. Dopes the sensor have to be an exact distance away from the crankshaft pulley? It says to use like a brass feeler gauge, but i dont have one, and i figured maybe i could slide a piece of cardboard between it and the pulley, and that would be close enough, but i dont know.Also my A/C clutch isnt engaging, and neither was my buddies when we pulled the connector apart. I guess ill buy a feeler gauge if i have to. Thanks

Eric

 

You could do that or as Wyldman said above, just use a business card. Any broken wires or anything?

 

Actually on second thought, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a feeler gauge, then you can adjust the valves. Mine were a little sloppy, God knows when they were adjusted last.

And if anyone's wondering about the Canola oil with Wyldman, he is converting his truck (97 CTD for work and plowing) to run on Canola oil. He figures it'll save him quite a bit of money during plowing season as you can get the oil for free from many restaurants. He already did a VW TDI for a test

 

Yeah, im sure my valves need adjusting bad. I also think while im out tomorow ill get a transfer case seal(seal at driveshaft is leaking), and if i get my tach and everything working right again tomorow, ill put it in, and i also have a rear pinion seal that needs to be put in, so i could pull the driveshaft, and kill 2 birds with one stone.

Eric

 

Well, today i ordered the crankshaft position sensor(engine speed sensor), and bought a rear transfer case seal at NAPA. So i came home, and pulled the driveshaft and they had given me the wrong seal, and it wouldnt fit, so i had to go back to NAPA in my cousins 94 stroker(he needed a fuel filter), and when i got the right one it popped righ in. I didnt put in my rear pinion seal, but it was getting dark, and i need it for tomorrow. The voltage is starting to drop really low(around 8), but i think its because of the ESS not bieng hooked up/working right. It was low enough thst my pyrometer wouldnt even work , and my radio went off every time the windshield wipers came on . Anyway, ive been carrying around a jump start pack with me , and that little thing will fire it up every time, so i should be fine till tomorrow, but i thought for sure i was gonna have to get my buddy to jump start me with his dads toyota(hes got an 89 chevrolet, but the crank bearing went south, and hes putting a new motor in it ), but she fired right up, and i took off. Well, thats the latest update, so tomorrow, ill see if i can put that $88 ESS on it. If it fixes it, the price wont bother me to bad, but if it doesent, ill be a little angry . Thanks

Eric

 

Well, i shelled out the $93 at the dodge dealer today, and came home and installed it , and its back to normal thank goodness. It took me all of 10 minutes to put in, and have going. My turn signals wouldnt even work this morning, the voltage was so low, but its already charged back to where it is starting good, and everything is working fine again. The TC seems to unlock quicker than it use to, like when your easing into the throttle, so i played with the TPS a little, and it didnt really get any better, but i need to mess with it some more. It just aggrovates me because ill be easing into it after im coming of a little bridge on our road, and it will unlock, and kick down to 3rd gear and be at like 2k rpm's, and i just dont like for it to do that, but i sure im glad it running good again. Thanks for all the help guys. I guess if you know of a way to keep the TC locked better when im easing into the throttle, tell me,and ill try it. I have a lockup switch, but i would perfer that it did it itself. Also, my voltage is still a little low. Would this be making it unlock so quick? Does it hold better the more voltage it has? Thanks again.

Eric

 

Eric, on my 94 I had to take the wires out of the harness from the pcm all the way to the tps and put them in thier own harness to stop my tc unlock/lock problem and I also took the tps apart (I actually split it apart) and cleaned it and used some dielectric grease and have had no problems since. Do a search on tps cleaning and adjusting and you will find a thread and photos of the tps split apart. Goodluck,,Rick