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[omega2018]

If taking it abroad, esp without breakdown cover (which is crazy), take a crank sensor.


As said, the MAF may well be BF'd, but that's more likely a symptom of the solvent.  The engine cutting out is likely to be something else. And we all know what.  So take one.

i always carry a spare crank sensor.  

i can't get breakdown cover with recovery for europe as the car is over 12 years old. anyway if i could, in the small print it would say 'repatriation of car or cash value of the car if that is less' .  cash value of the car is about £500

she broke down today on the way to pick up the cam sensor.  stalled would not re-start.  re-started after a few minutes wait.  broke down again after picking up the cam sensor.  would not re-start at all (but unlike the previous crank sensor failure 2 years ago, she fired up every time but would not reach tickover).  so unplugged MAF, no difference.  So fitted new cam sensor, no difference.  unplugged crank sensor and re-plugged, no difference.  left for 5 minutes then she started and ran fine back to home.  no pedal codes throughout.

incidentally it seems to be driving in traffic in hot weather that makes it worse.

i conclude it is most likely the crank sensor. i could easily replace it today but as i'm not 100% sure that will fix it and there isn't enough time to test it with new sensor i have re-booked the ferry - we are going in a crappy mitsubishi colt instead

[Doctor Gollum]

If you aren't prepared to fit a decent,  ie genuine, crank sensor then what do you expect?

I genuinely feel sorry for your fellow passengers who will have to wait for you to be dragged off the ferry when it cuts out again.

[omega2018]

If you aren't prepared to fit a decent,  ie genuine, crank sensor then what do you expect?

I genuinely feel sorry for your fellow passengers who will have to wait for you to be dragged off the ferry when it cuts out again.

the current sensor is a genuine Delphi sensor.  Delphi automotive is a well known brand, one of the world's largest automotive parts manufacturers.  it was set up by general motors (vauxhall) in 1994.  a lot of mig original parts are Delphi.  my brake pads are Delphi.  so Delphi are a 'decent' brand.

i think you may be having trouble reading (perhaps its all those copper molecules in the environment ).  we are going on the ferry in a mitsubishi colt not the mig.

[Doctor Gollum]

I can read perfectly well thank you. This is the first you mention of not taking the Omega...

Delphi did indeed manufacturer all sorts of shit for the Omega assembly line. Unfortunately not the crank sensors. But hey, wtf do I know

[cam.in.head]

ive heard this issue time and time sgain on here. can anyone please explain what the actual difference is with a gm sensor that no other company can manage to reproduce ? . what bit is actually different / better .? is it something in the sensor or is it the cable

[Doctor Gollum]

Nobody knows... But, shock horror..., genuine sourced from an actual GM dealer that you actually walk into works 999 times of 1000, whereas ebay specials regardless of brand have a success rate of more like 1 in 1000.

Two cheap sensors will pay for the actual genuine one...

At those odds, who needs non genuine 

[omega2018]

I can read perfectly well thank you. This is the first you mention of not taking the Omega...

i conclude it is most likely the crank sensor. i could easily replace it today but as i'm not 100% sure that will fix it and there isn't enough time to test it with new sensor i have re-booked the ferry - we are going in a crappy mitsubishi colt instead

[omega2018]

Nobody knows... But, shock horror..., genuine sourced from an actual GM dealer that you actually walk into works 999 times of 1000, whereas ebay specials regardless of brand have a success rate of more like 1 in 1000.

Two cheap sensors will pay for the actual genuine one...

At those odds, who needs non genuine 

the original crank sensor fitted to the omega, and the ones you would get from a GM dealer now, are not GM they are Bosch   Or Siemens

[Doctor Gollum]

Both provided them to the factory... 

[cam.in.head]

I agree original is usually better than pattern in lots of things but from an enginnering point of view i myself would like to know what the difference is. When a crank sensor fails.be it original or cheap one what actually stops happening ?.does something go open circiut or what ? . Anyone any ideas.

[TD]

I agree original is usually better than pattern in lots of things but from an enginnering point of view i myself would like to know what the difference is. When a crank sensor fails.be it original or cheap one what actually stops happening ?.does something go open circiut or what ? . Anyone any ideas.

Cam and crank sensors are 'hall effect' devices.....this link might be interesting to you....

http://www.wellsve.com/sft503/Counterpoint3_1.pdf

[VXL V6]

I personally don't think the sensor dies, I think the cable goes brittle and breaks down due to the heat.

[Andy H]

I agree original is usually better than pattern in lots of things but from an enginnering point of view i myself would like to know what the difference is. When a crank sensor fails.be it original or cheap one what actually stops happening ?.does something go open circiut or what ? . Anyone any ideas.

Cam and crank sensors are 'hall effect' devices.....this link might be interesting to you....

http://www.wellsve.com/sft503/Counterpoint3_1.pdf

Are you sure about the crank sensor?

My understanding is that the cam sensors are hall effect sensors because they need to sense a fairly low frequency event (once every cam revolution - at 6000 crankshaft rpm the cam will rotate 50 times per second so the maximum frequency for an Omega would be about 50 Hz) At idle, say 600rpm, the frequency would be 5Hz . A simple wound coil would struggle to generate a strong enough signal for the ECU.

The crank sensor is triggered by a series of slots in a wheel at the rear of the crank. 36 teeth or slots is a common (I haven't seen how many are used in the Omega). 36 x 6000rpm / 60 seconds = 3600 Hz (3.6 kHz). 36 x 600rpm /60 seconds = 360 Hz. Hall effect sensors are available that work up to 10kHz but a simple wound sensor will work fine over that range of frequencies.

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, the crank sensor is a variable reluctance sensor (coil of wire around a magnet).

Often, cam sensors are as well. The low speed is accommodated by driving the coil with a high frequency signal instead of biasing it with a magnet. Proximity of metal parts causes more current to be drawn by the coil as its output sets up eddy currents in the metal.

[Entwood]

Further reading ....  Hall v VR sensors ..

http://fullfunctioneng.com/info/Hall%20vs%20VR.pdf