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[Paddy Flannery]

Car now reassembled. Engine runs, no lights on, Oil leak I think is cured. Not sure what was wrong last time, however this time I did use new Gm gaskets and a new tube of sealant.
Engine stalls occasionally, and starts with a splutter. Bother. Air leak? I have looked around and can see nothing wrong, not tightened up, no hoses off or missing. I suppose I could remove the plenum and replace it. Has anyone any ideas?

You Sir, are a very, very patient man. I hope you finally sort it. Your patience deserves reward.
This would be me faced with your problem..........

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9bzWAJELT4E

[terry paget]

Last night I removed and replaced the plenum. Engine still starts hesitantly, and stalls for a pastime. No engine lights on. I plugged in my diagnostic tool, only stored code is 19 - Incorrect rpm signal.

I am at a loss. During my cam cover operations I removed the cam sensor, and unplugged the crank sensor. My instinct is that a sensor is misbehaving, crank, MAF or cam. Being a 2.5 petrol, crank sensor is the most likely.

Please advise.

[cam.in.head]

i understood that code 31 should be the only code that would come up with a non running engine (and not on a running one)not 19 so do you have a known perfect crank sensor to try or even swap on another 2.5 car ?

[Kevin Wood]

The code 19 is a sure sign that things are not well with the crank sensor...

[cam.in.head]

also terry did you say that the code showed up on your reader? . i was under the impression that 2.5models are not compliant and use the paperclip method ? or do they do both ?

[terry paget]

i understood that code 31 should be the only code that would come up with a non running engine (and not on a running one)not 19 so do you have a known perfect crank sensor to try or even swap on another 2.5 car ?

YES! Furthermore, I popped it in, and the stalling ceased. In a 2 mile test run it ran perectly.
I regard it as mean and unhelpful of the wretched thing to fail just now, after I have had the plenum off several times, so I  blamed myself for the trouble, not a failing crank sensor.

[terry paget]

The code 19 is a sure sign that things are not well with the crank sensor...

Interesting. No engine  lights were on so I presumed there were no stored codes. After changing the crank sensor I tested it again, erased codes, ran the engine, and then there were no stored codes.

[terry paget]

also terry did you say that the code showed up on your reader? . i was under the impression that 2.5models are not compliant and use the paperclip method ? or do they do both ?

My 2 2.5s (V & X reg) are not OBD2 compliant, so I imagined the reader would not connect with them. Wrong! Also no engine lights were on so I presumed there were no stored codes. Wrong again!

Kevin says code 19 can mean failing crank sensor. That's worth knowing too.

[cam.in.head]

cheers terry. nice to know code reader works on an x reg.
ps i know you probably wont want to bother but is it worth putting the sensor on another car to try. also was it a genuine sensor ?

[terry paget]

cheers terry. nice to know code reader works on an x reg.
ps i know you probably wont want to bother but is it worth putting the sensor on another car to try. also was it a genuine sensor ?

I have little doubt the fault was the crank sensor. I wondered whether it was the connection, as I disconnected it during the cam cover gasket change, but it seemed well connected. I shall not test it on another car. I have better things to do, like change the wishbones on this car.
It was a genuine Vx crank sensor which I took off a very similar silver X reg 2.5 petrol manual estate 3 years ago.

[TheBoy]

I have a theory that getting hot oil on it severely reduces the life of the cranksensor.

Which is another reason NOT to do the daft thing replacing paper element oil filters with the spin on type.

[terry paget]

I have a theory that getting hot oil on it severely reduces the life of the cranksensor.

Which is another reason NOT to do the daft thing replacing paper element oil filters with the spin on type.

Why should changing the oil filter from paper element to spin-on affect how much hot oil gets on the crank sensor?

Incidentally, the crank sensor I have just replaced has done 35,000 miles and lasted 4.1/2 years. Car has paper element filter.

[Nick W]

I have a theory that getting hot oil on it severely reduces the life of the cranksensor.

Which is another reason NOT to do the daft thing replacing paper element oil filters with the spin on type.

Why should changing the oil filter from paper element to spin-on affect how much hot oil gets on the crank sensor?

It doesn't, because any ham-fisted halfwit can change one without making a mess.

[Webby the Bear]

If the car started and was running fine before you did the cam covers. And now you're left with stalling and code 19. And you unplugged the crank sensor. I'd be checking the connection you disconnected. If all is good then I'd stick a new sensor on and see what happens.

Also, regarding the cam covers. If you're using shit aftermarket ones (and they are all shit; I say with great sadness when I think about the cost of the genuine) I'd add a bit of sealant to a few key areas in the cam cover grooves. Stick the gasket in. Let that go off. Then fit the cam cover. Then you can concentrate on the seating of the half moons instead of fighting a gasket that just wants to fall out.

I'm guessing (don't know for sure) that the OE gasket would have little nubs in to help keep it in place during fitment.

Just my thoughts 

[amba]

OE gaskets have small ribs in various places and are quite a tight fit into the covers grooves.

They are also quite springy to touch so imagine the rubber is designed to be quite compliant when tightened down.

I have never used anything other than GM gaskets as prefer doing a job once...but properly