ZachCRF450

I have a 1991 pickup that I did a 3.4 swap on about 2 years ago. A problem started with it today. On the freeway it started to stall out and turn back on but only for a second at a time just as if you were to turn the key off and back on while driving. The tach would drop to zero then go back to normal. I made it to my destination but when I went to leave, it would not start after it died while ideling. It would crank but not fire. After a while it finally decided to start and ran great but it still wanted to stall out intermittanly.

I pulled the codes and it said Camshaft Sensor code (and evap and cat codes but that is normal for my swap). Just wondering if I should change out that sensor or look elseware? I have checked all visible grounds and connections.

Also how often do these sensors go bad and is this a common problem? What else may it be?

ZachCRF450

Anybody have a clue whare to start?

1993YotaRunner

I just did alot of research in the last 24 hours on the camshaft and crankshaft sensons. If your code says its a camshaft sensor, then from what you explained i would say that is where i would go, im confident that is your problem, I just got done tearing apart my 3.4 in my 99 about ten minutes ago, only take an hour to get to the camshaft senson on the long side of things. Order one up from toyota, slap it in and garenteed it will start. Would only take an extra hour to install a new timing belt if you didn't allready do it with the swap.

Hope that helped a little.

ZachCRF450

Thanks for the advise. Do you think a bad battery connection could be the issue?
The thing that is wierd is that the Tach drops to zero when it dies but only for a split second. But this morning the truck started for about ten seconds then died and would not start up. After i messed with the terminals it started? Im so confused. Could this be an ignition problem? I talked with the local Toyota dealers and they said they almost never hear of the cam sensor going bad. It is so frustrating because it is running fine now? (Untill it leaves me stranded in the mountains)

ZachCRF450

Well thought I had it solved but the thing died on me on the way home. Im gonna try a cam sensor from the junk yard for $10. WI would have to wait till tueasday to get one in from Toyota for $100. Has anyone had to change oune of these out that was bad?

Im assuming that no one has any suggestions for this issue by the amount of replys?

ZachCRF450

Well got an update here. The truck is now dead. I changed out the cam position sensor and that did not work. Now when I try to pull a code from the computer the scanner keeps saying ERROR and cant read the codes. Now my question is How do I find if the ECU is not getting power or something? That could be why the scanner is not getting codes because the ECU may not be getting power or is dead or something along the lines. I have the ORS wiring harness and have no idea where to start from here. What in the ignition gives it power? Could it be the ignition? The thing that I find odd is that the tach drops to zero when it dies. It would come back alive but now wont start at all. Also where is the ECU grounded?

Please give me some input.

ZachCRF450

Which wire gives the moter a go ahead to start and run and a signal to the OBDii? I found that when the scanner gives an ERROR code the moter wont run but after I wiggle around the ORS harness @ the ECU , the scanner will read then I can start the truck and it runs fine. No codes pulled from the ECU tho. Is this an intermittant ECU that is going bad or a harness short or gound problem? Right now it is running and I cant get it to stall??????? I would hate to buy an ECU then have it stall out again. Whitch wires should I trace to track down this issue?

BIG RON

have you checked all the grounds for the ors harness to make sure they are still grounded good?

ZachCRF450

Are there any hidden grounds that I can't see?

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

sounds like a bad connection somewhere. is the ecu hard mounted? find the ground lead from the ors harness also find the power lead with fuse. I've never went through an ors harness but that power lead should be for the scanner obd2 port. ecu pulls ground through multiple spots. but if you're wiggling the harness athe ece and it works.. my bet is a bad connection there.

mt_goat

You might check the engine harness where it goes through the firewall for damage. Also as mentioned, that fuse for the ORS harness, but I don't know what it does.