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[Vitaliy]

Hi
I have some electrical issues with my car.
its 1998 2.0 16v .
Paperclip test and common sense tells me its camshaft positioning sensor related
paperclip code 0340
But here is the thing: tested sensor according to autodata and all values are within working limits, tested wires back to ecu - all intact. Sometimes it works as a treat with MIL off and revs to 6500 revs -ish. Than it starts very good, but sometimes it will be struggling  starting  and when does MIL will be ON and revs only up to 4500rpm. Quick disconnect of the sensor and test again shows it works ok?

What is your oppinion? Should I be looking for a replacement sensor or wiring problems?

[RobG]

Sensor knackered

[Vitaliy]

Now i am realizing there is additional symptom - Car is LPG converted with Zenith sequential injection. Its quite old model ( 2008) and it is switching to LPG straight away without waiting to warm-up. Now it refuses to run on petrol. Fuel filter was replaced recently. When car is running on lpg ok with no fault coming from cam sensor and I switch to petrol - it will stall and when restarting cam sensor error will come up? Weird if you ask me.

[Vitaliy]

Ca it all be down to the fuel pump??
Have been just brainstorming with a friend mechanic - apparently there is no petrol pressure at the rail. power reaches the pump, but I could not hear it or feel it moving when cranking. Upon removal I discovered it works but is a bit noisier than usual( still had some petrol inside and threw it a 2-3 meters away when tested directly on the battery). What  the hell is going on???

[Vitaliy]

Update: Pump works very bad - usually it just kicks in during initial prime-up cycle when starting. After that it seems to loose internal continuity - no resistance whatsoever - like an overload switch - do they have any internal safety features? Will open it up a bit later (pump itself regardless the fact its sealed for life).

So can it be that due to the fact ECU has no means to monitor fuel rail pressure, but understands there is something wrong and shows camshaft sensor error instead?

[Andy H]

Are you saying that the ECU is sending power to the pump but the pump has stopped?

Or are you saying that the ECU is running the pump to prime the fuel system but then stopping the pump because it isn't getting a speed signal from the cam sensor?

Fuel pumps can fail but 2.2 cam sensors fail more often.............

[Vitaliy]

Fuel pump is gone. When running (obviously on LPG) there is power supply to the pump. But the pump is not working most of the time. Question is not whether pump has a problem, but will lack of fuel pressure trigger a ghost error about cam sensor?

P.S. its 2.0 16v and not the newer 2.2.

[Andy H]

Fuel pump is gone. When running (obviously on LPG) there is power supply to the pump. But the pump is not working most of the time. Question is not whether pump has a problem, but will lack of fuel pressure trigger a ghost error about cam sensor?

P.S. its 2.0 16v and not the newer 2.2.

Oops. My mistake. I think the ECU is different on the later car but both are very susceptible to faulty cam sensors?

I don't think the Omega has a fuel pressure sensor so I don't think it can cause a fault code directly.

Does the Zenith system start on petrol & switch over when the engine is warm? Could poor fuel supply cause errors during warm up which then and upset running on LPG?

If you know the pump is faulty you have to fix that first then you can concentrate on the cam sensor (which may also be faulty).

[Vitaliy]

Weirdly car starts on LPG directly (I got the car in this way) . I am doing conversions myself and it stroke me as odd.
It would not run on petrol yesterday at all. If engine is cold It will be very hard to start it. Once it has started and worked for 20 seconds it will fire-up instantly. Today its virtually not possible to get another pump, but tomorrow hopefully will get one ( might get the cam sensor just in case as well)

[Vitaliy]

SOLVED: Fuel pump replaced - good as gold now. And the phantom camshaft sensor error is gone as well.