Crank Shaft Position Sensor

The crankshaft position sensor measures the rotation speed rpms and the precise position of the engine crankshaft.

Crank shaft position sensor.

It monitors the position and rotational speed of the crankshaft and sends the information to the engine control unit so it can make appropriate adjustments based on operating conditions. A crank sensor is an electronic device used in an internal combustion engine both petrol and diesel to monitor the position or rotational speed of the crankshaft this information is used by engine management systems to control the fuel injection or the ignition system timing and other engine parameters. The crankshaft position sensor is an engine management component found on virtually all modern vehicles with internal combustion engines. A faulty crank position sensor can prevent your vehicle from starting so when it s time to replace or upgrade this device autozone has everything you need.

It also sends a report to the engine control unit so that the latter can make the right adjustments should anything is malfunctioning. This keeps all the parts of the engine well timed and working in concert. In some cars the sensor is installed close to the main pulley harmonic balancer like in this ford in the photo. Before electronic crank sensors were available the distributor would have to be manually.

The crankshaft position sensor relays this information to the vehicle s onboard computer the engine control unit ecu. Without a crankshaft position sensor the engine wouldn t start. The ecu uses that info along with inputs from other sensors to control systems like ignition timing and fuel injection. There are a number of reasons why a crankshaft position sensor can fail and a number of symptoms associated with that failure problems with the crankshaft position sensor will often present as problems with engine timing.

Monitor your engine s overall function as well as the speed of crankshaft rotation by investing in a high quality ultra durable crankshaft position sensor. The crankshaft position sensor can fail for various reasons and its failure leads to a number of engine related problems. The check engine light illuminates for many reasons one of which is. Here are some of the common symptoms to help you determine whether or not your car s crankshaft position sensor is damaged.

The crankshaft position sensor is usually mounted on the front of the engine near the front crankshaft hub. Replacing the crankshaft position sensor is fairly easy on most vehicles.