Miata List Archive

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Mail From: opeltodd (Todd Benson)

Hi gang,

I was out for a nice Sunday drive yesterday, going up over Mt. Hood and
almost to the top of the hill when the engine on my '03 hiccupped, then
again, and again. I was losing momentum very quickly on this busy highway. I
just barely made it off of the road as the car came to a stop. My wife and I
had to get out and push the car onto the shoulder to get it out of traffic.

I looked down to my ScanGauge II and hit the scan button and it showed "No
Error Codes Found". The "check engine light" was not lit either. I did
notice the the water temp was about 214* F which is fairly high for my
Miata. I decided to try starting it and it fired right up but now it showed
the "check engine light" plus I got an error code of "P0340". Without a list
of error codes in the car I was clueless as to what that meant.

I decided to turn around and carefully limp towards home. I made it the 75
miles home without incident and without error codes.

I got to my computer and checked the codes online. The web says it is a
"Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction". It also says the cause could
be bad wiring, camshaft position sensor failure, PCM failure, an open
circuit or a crankshaft position sensor failure.

So, has anyone else in the group heard of this or had this happen to them?
Is there one thing I should do first (besides checking the wiring for shorts
or grounds)? Should I wait for it to happen again or rush it into the shop
for the "mega-dollar" replace-it-and-hope-that-fixes-it operation?

This is my daily driver so I need help fast.

Thanks for being there,

Todd Benson
Red '03 CS Miata

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: bryanewyatt (Bryan Wyatt)

Spend $75 and get the Cam Position Sensor? It sits on the passenger's rear corner of your valve cover, sticking into it (where it's bathed in HOT oil all day).? Eventually they just short out and cause an otherwise uncontrollable bucking (which sounds like the hiccup symptoms you're describing).? One plug and a 10mm bolt are all that hold it in place.? Pull it, swap the new one, and you're good to go.

Now...all that said...what kind of miles does your car have on it?? Mine started flaking on a stock '02 at about 65k.

-Bryan

--- On Mon, 5/18/09, Todd Benson <opeltodd at comcast.net> wrote:

From: Todd Benson <opeltodd at comcast.net>
Subject: [Miata] Error Code P0340
To: miata at realbig.com
Date: Monday, May 18, 2009, 11:43 AM

Hi gang,

I was out for a nice Sunday drive yesterday, going up over Mt. Hood and
almost to the top of the hill when the engine on my '03 hiccupped, then
again, and again. I was losing momentum very quickly on this busy highway. I
just barely made it off of the road as the car came to a stop. My wife and I
had to get out and push the car onto the shoulder to get it out of traffic.

I looked down to my ScanGauge II and hit the scan button and it showed "No
Error Codes Found". The "check engine light" was not lit either. I did
notice the the water temp was about 214* F which is fairly high for my
Miata. I decided to try starting it and it fired right up but now it showed
the "check engine light" plus I got an error code of "P0340". Without a list
of error codes in the car I was clueless as to what that meant.

I decided to turn around and carefully limp towards home. I made it the 75
miles home without incident and without error codes.

I got to my computer and checked the codes online. The web says it is a
"Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction". It also says the cause could
be bad wiring, camshaft position sensor failure, PCM failure, an open
circuit or a crankshaft position sensor failure.

So, has anyone else in the group heard of this or had this happen to them?
Is there one thing I should do first (besides checking the wiring for shorts
or grounds)? Should I wait for it to happen again or rush it into the shop
for the "mega-dollar" replace-it-and-hope-that-fixes-it operation?

This is my daily driver so I need help fast.

Thanks for being there,

Todd Benson
Red '03 CS Miata

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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: wc701lists (Wayne)

Bryan Wyatt wrote:
> Spend $75 and get the Cam Position Sensor It sits on the passenger's
> rear corner of your valve cover, sticking into it (where it's bathed in
> HOT oil all day). Eventually they just short out and cause an otherwise

I agree with ya' on it being in a harsh environment, plus subject to excess external oil if its o-ring or the valve cover leaks. But unfortunately the recent prices I've seen are more like $350.

-Wayne

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: bryanewyatt (Bryan Wyatt)

You're looking for the wrong sensor.? The $350 one is the Cam *Angle* sensor sold for NA Miatae.? The NB Cam Position Sensor is a completely different animal:

tinyurl.com/o8t59t

-Bryan

--- On Mon, 5/18/09, Wayne <wc701lists at bellsouth.net> wrote:

From: Wayne <wc701lists at bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [Miata] Error Code P0340
To: miata at realbig.com
Date: Monday, May 18, 2009, 3:57 PM

Bryan Wyatt wrote:
> Spend $75 and get the Cam Position Sensor? It sits on the passenger's
> rear corner of your valve cover, sticking into it (where it's bathed in
> HOT oil all day).? Eventually they just short out and cause an otherwise

I agree with ya' on it being in a harsh environment, plus subject to excess external oil if its o-ring or the valve cover leaks.? But unfortunately the recent prices I've seen are more like $350.

-Wayne
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