Questions and Answers
Mitsubishi Eating Sensors?
Q. I have a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS - 2.0 engine - 5 speed manual transmission - with about 115,000 miles.
In December it wouldn't start. It tried and if it did start I had to keep the RPM level up to keep it started, sounded awful and rocked. I had it towed to my repair shop. They replace the ignition coil and removed and cleaned my EGR valve (for inspection). When I went to pick it up it didn't start - same problem although it had just passed emission inspection. They tested it again and replaced the Crankshaft Position Sensor.
Three weeks later it started having problems again, but it was intermittent. It wouldn't start then it would, I'd take it in and for three days at the shop it would start every time they tested it, I'd take it home and it would not start. Finally it failed on one of their test drives, Crankshaft Position Sensor again. So they replaced it without charge. Now it's three weeks later and it's doing the same thing again. They are replacing the Crankshaft Position Sensor again but feel that something on the car is causing the failure of the part.
What could cause this? They are using rebuilt parts, what are the odds that two in a row were defective?
This car has not had a lot of repairs, it does use oil, but generally runs pretty well. Until now that is.
Any thoughts?
JenniferA. I can see one replacement being bad, but two in a row is a little hard to swallow. Not impossible, but hard to believe. I have gotten a run of bad parts from a supplier and when I got the same part from another supplier it was okay.
They are going to have to look hard at what might be causing the sensor to go bad. Since it's located on the front of the camshaft, the first thing I would look for is excess axial play in the shaft. if that camshaft is wandering back and forth in the head, that will damage the sensor pretty quick.
I would also look for any voltage spikes from the alternator. A high enough spike could damage sensors as well.
I wish I could be of more help to you, but this is about the best I can do.
