Hello All...

Does this error indicate a problem with the SENSOR or the cam shaft or its position? It's not clear to me. Code= P1341. The car is idling very rough. Could this be the problem? All new spark plugs have been installed.

Mechanic quotes:

CamShaft Sensor 184.27
Tax 14.28
Labor 47.50
Total 246.05

Thank you!

 

Well, it could very well be the timing chain tensioner, but if it is not, then the cam position sensors (and your AJ-27 NA has two, as I recall, is the thing with a wire on it at the rear of each head tucked inboard of the valve cover.

CHECK YOUR TENSIONERS BEFORE YOU CRNK IT AGAIN. enuff said.

 

I think you'll need to elaborate a little more on this one...

 

The CPS is a electrical signal pick up device mounted on the rear of each head just to the inside of the valve cover. Your P1341 indicates the B or left side of the engine. Seldom fails but can be subject to electrical connection problems. Note the labor cost estimate for an appreciation of how easy it is to replace. I would also check for substantially less cost as my local Advance Auto Parts store will sell me a CPS for a Lincoln LS using the Jaguar engine for $95. That is not a confirmed part compatibility certification but a good guess.

 

I guess we have not yet answered your specific question: The cam position sensor reads the position of the cam, and is compared to the position of the crank shaft to tell which revolution of the crank you are on for the spark and fuel riming. Remember, the crank turns twice for each rotation of the cam. On an engine with continuously variable VVTs, like a NA AJ27, there is a cam position sensor on each cam that give feedback so the cam advance relative to the crank can be controlled. The AJ26 engine used in MY 98 was a two positon VVT, advanced or not advanced.
So, an cam position error is the VVT deciding that the position feedback is not there. The implication in JTIS is that it means there are no pulses at all/
BUT- Due to the change in VVT operation which might not be reflected in the JTIS "possible faults", it seems to me that there is a real possibility that camshaft mistimng could trigger the fault. And that car came with plastic tensioners, so I believe the prudent thing to do is check for a timing jump, since a valve to piston contact is so catastophic and checking the tensioners is relatively easy.

I have never removed or installed a Cam sensor on a NA car, but on both of my supercharged AJ-26 engines, the sensor cannot be removed or installed without interference with the fuel rail/. Adam described the same problem with his 4.2 liter engine. So, I do not know if some sensors are different from others or not, but I was able to install mine only after trimming some plastic from the sensor housing and using a hex bolt rather than the phillips screw it was built with. Your results may vary.

I agree with test point. I would not worry about a jag branded part for a variable reluctance type sensor.

 

SirJag- I just saw your other post- It is also not outside possibilities that your fault is triggered by a low battery. Although I have never experienced any nusiance fault from a low battery other than ABS faults, so many others have reported any number of anomalous events from low battery that I must believe they occur. I would get the battery sorted, reset the fault and see what you get, Again, AFTER I LOOKED AT THE CHAIN TENSIONERS.

 

Thanks so much to you (and others here) for your very detailed reply. I will do as you suggested.

Do you think it might be possible that the rough idle is the cause of a bad ignition coil... and this bad ignition coil is causing the cam shaft position sensor error? My mobile mechanic (who specializes in Jags) thinks the rough idle is due to a bad ignition coil, but we simply haven't addressed it yet.

Thanks so much!

SirJag

 

SirJag-
Well, that would be possible. A bad coil could either introduce noise into the primary circuit, which could cause noise to be read on the cam sensor or the coil could be drawing high current, causing voltage variations on the ecu power circuits. The bad coil scenario causing other problems is reported often for the XJ6, but I have never seen anyone report it for the XJ8.

A professional tech should have an oscilloscope, so he should be able to read the pulses from the cam sensor and give an accurate diagnosis.

Also. The rough idle can be caused by the low battery if the battery theory proponents are right- The low battery supposedly causes ecu malunction, which can manifest itself any number of ways.

But, becuse it can be so catastrophic, I will return to beating the dead horse and point out that a bad idle will certainly result from a cam timing problem.- (not - "a bad idle means a jumped time". but rather, " a jumped time causes a bad idle")

 

Thanks very much. I'm going to take the car back to the dealer. They only reported the cam position error code, but it was before I experienced battery problems.

I see that there is both a left and right-side cam position sensor for the 2001 VDP. The dealer reported only the P1341 code. How do you determine which side, left or right needs replacement if it is, in fact, the CPS. Did the dealer simply omit that info on the estimate?

Thank you for your generous assistance!

SirJag

 

The P1341 is reporting the 'B' bank.

The CPS unit rarely fails, if at all, as it is a simple induction pick-up device. Problems are most often other electrical or caused by other mechanical issues the worst being the cam chain jump Sparkenzap is speaking of.

I am sure the tech will work through them simple to difficult.

 

FYI the xj8 that i just fixed that blew the secondary chain had that code in it post blow, cam sensor.

Lucky my valves were not damaged, if i got the code, i would proceed with caution re: cranking that engine or driving the car.

At a minimum I would pull the valve covers and compare the cam flat spots to ensure they werent now one tooth off from each other (intake vs exhaust).

 

My 2003 s-type I just purchased was only running on 6 cylinders .On the right side of the engine by just looening the coil packs and pulling them one at a time I found cylinder 3 and 5 had no spark .I replaced all 8 coil packs and what a difference this can be done in less than a 1/2 hour.Now the car hits on 8 cylinders ,but the engine lite came back on and though the car is running smooth now I still nave a mis fire code on 3 and 5 which pretty much tells me it is the right side cam shaft sensor .Would that be a good diagnosis?

 

If you want peace of mind about the sensors, switch them and see if the fault switches sides.

 

My car is in storage more than it's driven. It's time to take it out now. Quick Q about replacing the sensors. Do the valve covers need to be removed to do this or no? And at the risk of having you guys bonk me on the head for asking... is it as easy on a 2001 VDP as this guy shows on his jeep? How to replace a camshaft position sensor in your vehicle. - YouTube

Also, when you say the code refers to B bank, right side, is that the passenger side?

Thanks, all.

SirJag