Anyone had issues with Mopar camshaft position sensor (CPS)?

Jay MacLeay

Jay MacLeay

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
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208
Location
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Has anyone had issues with a factory mopar replacement cam position sensor? I recently replaced my sensor with a mopar sensor, but it seems to trigger a CEL when it starts up and it's cold out. The light goes away after driving and starting and stopping a few times (i.e. started up this morning to run some errands. CEL came on. Turned it off and restarted to stop it from going into limp mode. Ran to the bank and went to a few stores, after the last stop I started it up to drive home and the CEL was off.

I have been fighting this issue for a year and a half. I replaced the opda, and things were fine until the CEL started coming on for p0344. Replaced the CPS that came with the crown sensor with the original CPS. Everything was fine for a few months until the Jeep started intermittently dying while idling. Found out the timing chain was loose. Replaced the timing chain and timing gears a month ago. My mechanic replaced the CPS with a mopar sensor when he did the timing, and now a month later the CEL is coming on (seemingly when it is cold out) and then goes off when the engine warms up and starts and stops running a few times. I am wondering if it's the sensor or something more going on with the cam shaft. Before the timing was changed the CEL came on for p0344 (that's partially why my mechanic changed the sensor). Has anyone changed the opda and then found out that the cam shaft needed to be replaced too. If so, what were the symptoms, and are they similar to what I am describing.

On a side note, this may be unrelated issues or not even issues at all, but when driving on the highway and going up hills the Jeep seems to struggle to stay at around 70mph. I have 4.88 years and 35 inch tires. Also, when I put the transmission (nsg370) in neutral and take my foot off the clutch I hear a slight knocking sound and what sounds like metal spinning and touching something else, the sound goes away when I depress the clutch pedal.
 
I highly doubt it's the sensor, though you could always rule that out with another sensor just to see. It sounds to me like it's probably more along the lines of something to do with the camshaft or timing itself.

In fact, since it's a 2005, I wonder what condition the OPDA and cam gear is in? Have you inspected it?

Check your OPDA and your timing... something seems like it's up here, and your other issue sounds like it might be related.
 
OPDA was replaced a year and half ago. Timing chain and gears were replaced 1 month ago. Not sure what condition the cam gear is in, though. I never had the "barrel of monkeys" noise when the opda went bad.

If the cam gear is worn could that be what caused the timing chain to go out of timing and eventually become loose?
 
Following this thread. I had...or have been having similar issues with my cps and camshaft. I kept getting cel codes P0016, P0340, and P0344. Changed the cps, changed the Opda even though all the shops told me mine was fine and no issues, and fixed some wiring issues. Still got the codes. A friend looked at it and said my cam gears were messed up and needed a new camshaft. I took it to a shop and told them, but they said they didnt think that was the problem (they didnt inspect camshaft as far as I know). The shop its at says its fixed (I wont be confident until I drive it at least 300 miles), but it was previously at 3 other shops that also thought it was fixed. They are great guys at the shop, but im a bit worried that they didnt even look at the camshaft even aftee I said the gears were worn, and sent them info on camshaft recalls because of the opda issue. They replaced coil pack, crankshaft sensor, spark plugs and indexed crankshaft. I HOPE AND PRAY that it is fixed and they are right. Its been in shops since september.
Issues were: stalling, jerking, shutting off, hard shifting, and not intermittently not starting.
 
Having the same issue on my 06. Dealer re-flashed the PCM, another shop replaced cam and crank position sensors and found the timing off. The CEL still comes on every morning. Bringing it back in shop this week, he seems to think that the timing may be slipping either due to a timing chain or a cam gear, possibly needing a new camshaft.

I'll ask him to check the camshaft. We'll see....
 
I doubt your CEL has anything to do with the Mopar CPS, it's more than likely related to the OPDA issue which is not always cured permanently after installing an OPDA kit like from Crown.
 
I had a similar issue. I ended up having to replace both the camshaft and crankshaft sensors. I replaced only the camshaft first, and I got half way down the road and the light came on. Asked a few other people I know, and they recommended also replacing the crankshaft sensor. After replacing the crankshaft, the problem was resolved.

And when I say "I replaced..." I really mean my mechanic. I don't get under my hood as much as I should... :(
 
Resurrecting an old thread here. Have read multiple posts on here and it seems that in replacing the ODPA with the Crown unit, it seems that no matter what sensor is used in it, it will most likely throwing a code in a fairly short time span.

I know that mine threw a code shortly after install (mechanic did install). I researched the issue and decided to replace the crank position sensor, as some seem to indicate they both needed to be replaced at the same time. Jeep ran fine for a while with no issues and then started randomly throwing codes again (P0344 mainly, as well as P0340). I have a bluetooth scan tool and am able to clear the code each time. Although they will continue to come on after a bit of driving.

The codes just put the Jeep in limp mode (< 2500 rpm). Drives perfectly fine, no hiccups etc other than exceed 2500 rpm. If I don't clear the code before restarting, it will sometimes hard start (although not all the time). I have tried Mopar, Standard, NGK, etc. sensors and those seem to all throw codes immediately, and don't allow a start at all. The crown one that came with the ODPA seems to be the only one that will work-ish and allow me to at least drive the Jeep.

I just ordered a new crown sensor. I will replace this one and see if it is just a bad sensor, or short sensor life. But from what I have read here it seems that the only real way to get a new ODPA to work is to use the correct Chrysler diagnostic tool to sync the sensors as well as allow them to re-learn?

If this is the case, what luck have you guys had in getting this done at modern Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge dealerships? I use an independent mechanic that I trust (only one I will really trust with my Jeeps) and I am highly confident they don't have this diagnostic tool (DRB III). What avenues might I have to get this corrected?

In full disclosure I have not checked the cam gears, but I assume they are fine as the Jeep drives perfectly fine with the CEL on. Oil pressure fine etc. Just returned from a five hour trip and the CEL was on most of the time (kept me to about 75 mph and under in sixth gear).

Any thoughts?
 
After both the Dorman and Crown sensors set P0344 with the Crown unit, and also a crank no start issue with the Crown sensor, I went back to the OE sensor. It’s been about 3 years/70,000 miles and I haven’t had an issue since. I’ve also removed the OPDA for inspection a few times without experiencing any problems.

The OE sensor is no longer available so the Mopar sensor no better than any other new sensor.

When I replaced my OPDA the first time I set the engine to TDC following the procedure in the service manual. You could try this or find a shop with the appropriate scanner. I called a dealer last weeK with a service question and they still have a DRB-III.
 
Thanks. Sadly we attempted to salvage the OE sensor. Basically was seized in the old unit and broke off finally. We soaked it with penetrant etc. for quite some time as well. I may call my local dealership and see if they have one. Biggest problem may be in finding a tech that knows what I am talking about, lol.
 
I've had some more research into this over the last week. Took the Jeep to mechanic (master chrysler/dodge/jeep tech that opened his own shop). He has the DRB3 to re-sync everything.

He cleaned all the pins for the sensor, re-synced and performed a cam re-learn.

He then drove for a while with no CEL coming back on, and starting fine each time. He said he might be somewhat leaning towards the PCM going bad based on what I described the Jeep doing. But also that he did not have good luck with aftermarket (non-Mopar) sensors (running the Crown one that came with my ODPA). I drove the Jeep home that evening. All went fine until a couple miles from home and the CEL came back on (P0340). Same one it has been throwing. Turned the Jeep off at home and tried re-cranking. No issue with starting, started right up, CEL still on.

This was Friday evening. Decided to leave it alone all weekend (hoping it would learn its lesson) and drove the CJ all weekend. This morning I got in and fired it up, no CEL, cranked fine. Drove back to mechanic, no issue on the way of course. He went ahead and scanned for codes. Was not showing any historical codes, or any cranks (said it should keep a record of 255 cranks, but was not showing any). So he said he was still leaning the PCM way and would get me some prices on them. He said to keep driving it and if it coded again to scan and see what code it was.

Drove to work, no more issues. Drove to lunch, CEL comes back on. Scan and get P0340 again. Cranks back up fine after lunch without having to clear the code. CEL still on.

My hunch is that the cam re-learn took and it is synced, but something is happening with the communication with the PCM. Mechanic said he has seen this a lot. Mentioned that for some reason, it seems to be somewhat random years and random batches of cars that seem to have PCM issues.

So from here, not sure what steps to take next. I could try a new ODPA and sensor (cheaper route), or could get a new PCM (wranglerfix.com etc). But I would be somewhat upset if I spent all the money on a new PCM just for it to throw codes again for the crappy crank position sensors.

Anyone have any thoughts/experience?
 
Any updates, my oem sensor was seized in old opda, so using the crown supplied cam sensor. Any thing as good or close to oem sensor?
 
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