P0341 Cam Sensor

[Mopar1973Man]

Well after 429k miles my cam sensor gave up. That being said let me show you my 104 mile trip to Council ID for a cam sensor...

 

 

I get home to change the sensor but stuffing you hand below the VP44 in 32°F weather you start to have problems. I got smart and rolled the truck in the shop and plugged in the block heater. About this time @JAG1 calls... wasted a good hour or so on the phone BSing with him. After that I ran down to the shop and proceeded to change the sensor. Now knowing what I did for my buddy Russ his was an Allen bolt. Mine happens to be an 8mm socket. Grabbed an 8mm 1/4 socket and an 1/4 inch extension that is a wobble tip. Reached in and loosen the bolt.

 

Yeah the photo is upside down. Yeah I'm missing a nut on my VP44. Back to the sensor, after getting the bolt loosen I grabbed a magnet to capture the bolt. Then reaching in and grabbed the wires and pulled the sensor out of the hole. Then just unplug. Now you can plug the new senor in or not. Install the sensor back in its hole. You can feel for the location of the tab. Turned back into proper placement. Now take a small bit of electrical tape put it over the socket or Allen key now this will wedge the bolt to the socket or Allen. Install the bolt. If you didn't plug in the sensor now you have to reach in with long needle nose to plug in the sensor. Best to plug in before installing the sensor.

 

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

Edited February 28, 2021 by Mopar1973Man

[dripley]

I believe at the moment I would rather take the ride to get the sensor that put it in. Mine has 525k on it and I hope last until I retire.

[Dieselfuture]

I changed mine a when I first got my truck chasing electrical gremlins on surging. I kept the original sensor so now I have a spear. Didn't think it was hard to change, took me 10-15 minutes maybe 

[IBMobile]

3 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Now take a small bit of electrical tape put it over the socket or Allen key now this will wedge the bolt to the socket or Allen. Install the bolt.

I use butyl tape (windshield sealing tape) in the socket to hold the bolt or nut when taking them off or on.

 

2 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

took me 10-15 minutes maybe

What was the temp?   

Edited February 28, 2021 by IBMobile

[NIsaacs]

Other than the code, what are the symptoms of it failing? Did you get a Napa one?

[Mopar1973Man]

9 hours ago, dripley said:

I believe at the moment I would rather take the ride to get the sensor that put it in. Mine has 525k on it and I hope last until I retire.

Not bad to install after you wrap your mind around the idea of blind install. You got to do it totally by feel.

 

9 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

I changed mine a when I first got my truck chasing electrical gremlins on surging. I kept the original sensor so now I have a spear. Didn't think it was hard to change, took me 10-15 minutes maybe 

My mistake was trying a Allen socket first and it rather hard to insert that into a hex bolt. After figuring it out its not that hard. My only problem is my hands are pretty large compare to most so fitting and articulation of my fingers to move the sensor in place is a bit tough. 

 

7 hours ago, IBMobile said:

I use butyl tape (windshield sealing tape) in the socket to hold the bolt or nut when taking them off or on.

 

What was the temp?   

Electrical tape is my go to socket binding stuff. Just thick enough that it sticks and put the sticky side towards the socket. 32*F here at the house but New Meadows was about 22*F. This morning 17*F with a wind chill of 10*F. I'm heading to Lewiston to restock the house (food and supplies).

 

15 minutes ago, NIsaacs said:

Other than the code, what are the symptoms of it failing? Did you get a Napa one?

Brief buck or shudder. Then normal again, the CEL comes on right afterwards. NAPA replacement is exactly the same everything. Same shell design, same violet colored o-ring. Just about $60 dollars for the sensor. 

[Dieselfuture]

14 hours ago, IBMobile said:

I use butyl tape (windshield sealing tape) in the socket to hold the bolt or nut when taking them off or on.

 

What was the temp?   

Good point, it was nice out

[Mopar1973Man]

Oh another note of what you'll notice is the alternator will not charge at all when the P0341 code is actually occurring. When the tach signal is dropped the ECM can keep the engine going but the alternator will shut down because of the lack of tach signal to turn on the field leads. I did notice the voltage was falling and not charging then POP the ECM seen signal again and started charging. I didn't put two and two together till I was on the road today and figured that out.