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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 March 2017, 18:51:16

Title: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 March 2017, 18:51:16
Driving along today and the car suddenly cut out. wouldn't restart. Spanner light was on. After approx. 15 minutes it fired up as normal, with spanner light off, but did exactly the same less than a mile later. Left it again for 15 minutes (noticed spanner light was flashing at one point,but mostly just constantly lit) and it fired up again.
Same thing happened again less than a mile away, so gave up and called recovery truck.
I have just plugged my maxscan code reader into the car and found no stored or pending codes.
I'm pretty sure its crank sensor, but wanted opinions on whether it could be anything anything else ?
Tia.

Oh, by the way, anyone know the part number for 3.2, 2002 crank sensor. Save me searching. Cheers.  :)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Lazydocker on 08 March 2017, 19:14:52
It's the crank sensor ;)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: STEMO on 08 March 2017, 19:25:26
A man of your experience should be carrying a spare, Patrick, old boy.  ;D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 March 2017, 21:08:20
I used to, but it was in the boot of my last Omega when it went.  ::)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 March 2017, 21:09:12
It's the crank sensor ;)

Thanks for confirming.  :y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: STEMO on 08 March 2017, 21:18:29
I used to, but it was in the boot of my last Omega when it went.  ::)
Well it's no fickin good there, is it?  :P
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: terry paget on 08 March 2017, 21:30:28
Yes, it sounds like crank sensor, but you were unlucky that it died so terminally first time. I have had them fail on 2.5s, then after quarter of an hour I could drive the car 20 miles home. On my wife's 3.2, it died, after 10 minutes it restarted and she got it 10 miles home; I drove it 20 miles, declared it fine, drove it 1 miles to MOT the follawing day, and it died completely on the way and never ran again.

I suppose I should carry spares, but they are tricky to change at the roadside so Igo on hoping it will get me home next time. Also my fleet is 2 2.2s, 2 2.5,s a 2.6 and a 3.2. I have spares for the 2.5s. They are sods to change on the 2.2s, and my wife and daughter drive the 2.6 and the 3.2, and I doubt they could change a wheel, so I should hve to drive to them and fit a new sensor myself. I must check if I even have spare sensors; I recall Terbert got a sensor for the 2.6/3.2 for £10; money well spent.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 08 March 2017, 22:44:35
A brand new, genuine GM sensor will be on its way to me tomorrow, courtesy of Steve B. Very reasonably priced too.
Spirit of OOF once again. Thanks Steve.  :y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Steve B on 08 March 2017, 23:01:41
A brand new, genuine GM sensor will be on its way to me tomorrow, courtesy of Steve B. Very reasonably priced too.
Spirit of OOF once again. Thanks Steve.  :y
it will be when you tell me a name to put on it.  :y just got the wife to pack it for you
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 09 March 2017, 00:30:30
Just send it to Migv6. I will know who its for when it arrives.  :y :D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: STEMO on 09 March 2017, 07:46:47
Just send it to Migv6. I will know who its for when it arrives.  :y :D
Oh good grief. That's no good, Paddy, he's got to put an address on it.  ;D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: TD on 09 March 2017, 07:56:37
Just send it to Migv6. I will know who its for when it arrives.  :y :D
Oh good grief. That's no good, Paddy, he's got to put an address on it.  ;D

Migv6, OOF, UK, should be ok..... :y ;D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Steve B on 09 March 2017, 22:44:59
Yes, it sounds like crank sensor, but you were unlucky that it died so terminally first time. I have had them fail on 2.5s, then after quarter of an hour I could drive the car 20 miles home. On my wife's 3.2, it died, after 10 minutes it restarted and she got it 10 miles home; I drove it 20 miles, declared it fine, drove it 1 miles to MOT the follawing day, and it died completely on the way and never ran again.

I suppose I should carry spares, but they are tricky to change at the roadside so Igo on hoping it will get me home next time. Also my fleet is 2 2.2s, 2 2.5,s a 2.6 and a 3.2. I have spares for the 2.5s. They are sods to change on the 2.2s, and my wife and daughter drive the 2.6 and the 3.2, and I doubt they could change a wheel, so I should hve to drive to them and fit a new sensor myself. I must check if I even have spare sensors; I recall Terbert got a sensor for the 2.6/3.2 for £10; money well spent.
And if OOF is correct in its many years of running..That isn't money well spent...I go with what is recommended on here owing to many have ended up regretting chucking money down the drain when they are sat on the roadside.....OOF says walk in the dealers and pay the price...And i agree .....Only time will tell  :y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 10 March 2017, 14:32:46
New genuine sensor now fitted and car running fine. Thanks again to Steve B.  :y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Steve B on 10 March 2017, 19:00:40
New genuine sensor now fitted and car running fine. Thanks again to Steve B.  :y
:y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: polilara on 11 March 2017, 08:03:36
Nice to hear that it is OK now. What I am wondering is that you did not see any restored codes. When my crank sensor "went" I got code 335 by using pedal trick. I guess 3.2 and 2.6 has same Motronic 3. something ECU? Did you make this pedal trick?
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 11 March 2017, 10:07:13
Crank sensor rarely throws a code on the 2.6/3.2 ;)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: polilara on 11 March 2017, 13:54:14
Crank sensor rarely throws a code on the 2.6/3.2 ;)

OK, I anyway got the code, perhaps due to the fact that I had this problem a long time before I started to look it more...

 
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=68979.msg961413#msg961413
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Terbs on 11 March 2017, 17:31:18
Right, lets clear this up about 'money well spent'. My car was running perfectly, then one day was dead !!! No codes, nothing.!!
After reporting on here, a number of suggestions as to the cause, were received. I do not consider £10 odd spent to test the crank sensor to be 'money not well spent'. £10 is a drop in the ocean to test with, and replace with the genuine part at a later date, rather than throwing big money away on an unproven fault !!!! >:(
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Steve B on 11 March 2017, 20:44:13
Sorry Terbert my mistake i didn't realise you only bought it for testing purposes...

I was referring to the idea of going out and buying a cheap crank sensor off ebay and then fitting it and owing to it working ok then thinking.."that is it i am sorted" Then a few weeks down the line your back with the same problem and yet again broken down.

It has been said on here Hundreds of times Pattern part crank sensors are junk.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Terbs on 11 March 2017, 20:52:54
No problem, Steve. Thing is, many members have paid a fortune to have cars 'repaired' only to find the fault persists, and then it is repaired after advice on here for 'a pound or less'. Carrying a spare is common sense, but when you have three Omega's, a cheapy to get you home is better than a three figure sum spent on parts that might not be required.
Ironically, I have had Omega's for many years now, and, this is the first crank sensor to fail !!!
As they say, some have luck, some have babies !!! ;) :y
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: terry paget on 12 March 2017, 21:17:39
Are aftermarket crank sensors no good on 2.6/3.2s? I have had them fail on 2.5s, but I have genuine Siemens fail on 2.5s as well. I fitted an aftermarket sensor on my 3.2 6 years ago, and it's still going strong. Just lucky?
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: TheBoy on 13 March 2017, 11:23:10
Are aftermarket crank sensors no good on 2.6/3.2s? I have had them fail on 2.5s, but I have genuine Siemens fail on 2.5s as well. I fitted an aftermarket sensor on my 3.2 6 years ago, and it's still going strong. Just lucky?
They certainly seem far more prone to premature failure than genuine ones.  Whether or not this is because the ebay "genuine Siemens/Bosch/GM" ones are all fake (likely on ebay TBH), or some other reason.

If your pattern one has lasted well, I'd leave it in place until it fails.  But with a V6, always carry a spare if going any distance - even if you can't change it, the AA man can ;)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Nick W on 13 March 2017, 16:57:29
Are aftermarket crank sensors no good on 2.6/3.2s? ANY ENGINE WHATSOEVER? I have had them fail on 2.5s, but I have genuine Siemens fail on 2.5s as well. I fitted an aftermarket sensor on my 3.2 6 years ago, and it's still going strong. Just lucky?


The simple answer is maybe. Crank sensors are a common failure on everything that uses them, and the advice is always the same - fit a genuine one bought directly from a main dealer. This reduces the chances of buying one cheap that doesn't last/work reliably/work at all. It's also much easier to return a non-working genuine part than it is trying to get your money back from Honest Sid's motor factors and newsagents.

I have to agree with Terbert, £10 to diagnose the fault is pretty good value. And cheap sensors tend to fail very quickly or not at all, so he might never need to touch it again.


I'm 800 miles from home without a spare, as they're not the ticking bomb we make them out to be.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: omega2018 on 13 March 2017, 17:37:48
my delco brand sensor still going strong after 18 months and 10K.  genuine delco - in a hologrammed box.  came with a rubber rain boot which i think is missing on the oem part, that may explain some oem failures perhaps.....
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: johnnydog on 13 March 2017, 18:24:35
After nearly 16 years of Omega ownership, and god knows how many cars, I have only ever had two crank sensors fail - one on a 3.2 and one on a 2.2. Replaced them both with genuine items and no further problems.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: TheBoy on 13 March 2017, 19:41:08
My 3.0l is on its 3rd crank sensor - first failed (in France, Nick W ;D) at 115k, about 7yrs old, then again (NEC, when Mrs TB had used it) at about 195k/16yrs

My 3.2 is still, AFAIK, on its original.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Nick W on 13 March 2017, 21:21:47
My 3.0l is on its 3rd crank sensor - first failed (in France, Nick W ;D ) at 115k, about 7yrs old, then again (NEC, when Mrs TB had used it) at about 195k/16yrs



Yes, but you get about a tenth of the reasonable life of brake pads so the part is not the problem ;D  And I replaced mine(with a genuine part) about 4 years/20k miles ago as an attempt to fix a different problem.


I'm much more concerned about getting home with some hearing ability left due to the increasingly noisy rear wheelbearing.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: terry paget on 14 March 2017, 07:53:27
My 3.0l is on its 3rd crank sensor - first failed (in France, Nick W ;D ) at 115k, about 7yrs old, then again (NEC, when Mrs TB had used it) at about 195k/16yrs



Yes, but you get about a tenth of the reasonable life of brake pads so the part is not the problem ;D  And I replaced mine(with a genuine part) about 4 years/20k miles ago as an attempt to fix a different problem.


I'm much more concerned about getting home with some hearing ability left due to the increasingly noisy rear wheelbearing.
Rumbling rear wheel bearings are something I dread, but you are the forum member who has changed several and has made tools for the purpose. May we look forward to to a report and guide on how you changed this one?
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 14 March 2017, 15:18:32
The crank sensor I just replaced was the original and had lasted 15 years / 175k miles. It did better than most I think.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: terry paget on 14 March 2017, 17:46:16
The crank sensor I just replaced was the original and had lasted 15 years / 175k miles. It did better than most I think.
I can't see why they should ever fail. I imagine each sensor is a single coil in a casing, with cable attached, leading to a connector at the other end  What's to go wrong? It's also strange that V6 cam sensors never seem to fail, but 4 cylinder cam sensors fail for a a pastime. They have no moving parts, nothing to wear out. I suppose wires carrying currents may wear out, and soldered and crimped connections work loose.

Once again, a car is designed to last 7 years without trouble, and usually does. After 15 years, well, who knows?
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Nick W on 14 March 2017, 18:01:22
The crank sensor I just replaced was the original and had lasted 15 years / 175k miles. It did better than most I think.
I can't see why they should ever fail. I imagine each sensor is a single coil in a casing, with cable attached, leading to a connector at the other end  What's to go wrong? It's also strange that V6 cam sensors never seem to fail, but 4 cylinder cam sensors fail for a a pastime. They have no moving parts, nothing to wear out. I suppose wires carrying currents may wear out, and soldered and crimped connections work loose.


Terry, they are a coil of extremely fine wire, potted in a case and bolted to an engine that vibrates terribly all the time it's running. It's a wonder they last as long as they do! And it's also the reason why cheap ones are such a gamble: they're utterly dependent on high quality materials, manufacturing processes and quality control - which are the first three things to compromise when you want to cut costs.
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: TheBoy on 14 March 2017, 19:06:25
Yes, but you get about a tenth of the reasonable life of brake pads so the part is not the problem ;D
Is it possible to be hard on cranksensors ;D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Nick W on 14 March 2017, 19:11:54
Yes, but you get about a tenth of the reasonable life of brake pads so the part is not the problem ;D
Is it possible to be hard on cranksensors ;D


Asks a man who has had to fit three to the same car ::)
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: TheBoy on 14 March 2017, 19:18:01
Yes, but you get about a tenth of the reasonable life of brake pads so the part is not the problem ;D
Is it possible to be hard on cranksensors ;D


Asks a man who has had to fit three to the same car ::)
Mrs TB was driving it when it went at the NEC.  So there, its all her fault. Yeah.  That's that sorted then ;D
Title: Re: cranks sensor - or not ?
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 14 March 2017, 20:07:18
The crank sensor I just replaced was the original and had lasted 15 years / 175k miles. It did better than most I think.
I can't see why they should ever fail. I imagine each sensor is a single coil in a casing, with cable attached, leading to a connector at the other end  What's to go wrong? It's also strange that V6 cam sensors never seem to fail, but 4 cylinder cam sensors fail for a a pastime. They have no moving parts, nothing to wear out. I suppose wires carrying currents may wear out, and soldered and crimped connections work loose.

Once again, a car is designed to last 7 years without trouble, and usually does. After 15 years, well, who knows?

Its actually the wiring which fails, due to the fact it spends its life about a quarter of an inch from the exhaust manifold. The heat eventually makes the wire brittle and it breaks down.
That's  why its sensible to reroute the cable up behind the brake pipes on the inner wing when replacing the sensor.  :y