I keep seeing this about a piece of cardboard? When I changed out my cps it didn't have or come with any cardboard space and it works fine.

 

The spacer is just to position it right. Duct tape or anything about that thick works.
If it's in too deep, the flywheel will tear it up in seconds. Almost too deep it'll make noise and eventually wear through the end, killing it.
Too far away it won't "see" the notches in the flywheel enough, it can make the engine intermittant or even not start or run.

The thickness of the sleeve keeps it the proper distance while you tighten it. 3 layers of duct tape is about the same thickness as the spacer - works for me!

Be sure to use a tad of dielectric grease on the connector.

 

I've never noticed this cardboard spacer

..but then- I'm usually drinking while working on Jeeps -hints the firewall holes

....I'm guessing OEM cps uses the spacer -and the aftermarket ones are already compensated for the needed space?

 

I have never noticed a spacer either and I have done mine twice. But its also autozone. Easy wayi get mine off is with a wobble ext to to the first break and take off the ext and either use the wobble and socket, while having my arm backwards its easier as long as its not hot. But its a simple easy you just gotta find the way you like the most.

 

Probably that spacer gets removed thinking it's packing materiel.
I don't buy the sub quality sensors, so I don't know if they even have the little label that tells you not to remove the spacer.
But I have replaced several sensors that were supposedly new.

That sensor is simply a magnet with a fine wire wrapped around it - nothing trick or electronic. Some think it's a Hall Effect device, it's not.

It's placed very close to, but not touching the flyweel. The steel of the flywheel distorts the small magnetic field slightly. The flywheel has notches cut in it. As the flywheel turns the notches pass by the sensor, disturbing the magnetic field, which in turn causes a slight voltage pulse in the wire.
That signal is used by the computer so the computer knows that position the crankshaft is in, which cylinder is next, when to fire the injectors and when to fire the plug.

Symptoms - if no pulse from the CPS, no fuel AND no spark. If you have either a spark or fuel pulse, it's NOT the CPS.

Sometimes they get intermittent before failing completely. They will shut the engine down for a while, then when it cools off it'll start and run again.
The interval between shut downs is long at first, and the cool down time is short. As it keeps on, the interval becomes more frequent, run time shortens, and the recovery time lengthens, eventually to total failure.

The fine wire tends to break. The signal is very weak.

Often the connector itself from the CPS to the main harness is the problem. That connector is directly under the hood/cowl joint. If water drips down through the water channel, it gets on the connector. Corrosion starts. Often simply unplugging that connector and coating it with DIELECTRIC GREASE cures it.

Unplugging it and replugging it on the side of the road often gets it running again.

I've replaced or cured this symptom at least 20 times.

 

Yes the pulse signal is very weak.

Spacer? Spacer prevents the CPS from being seated to deeply and being torn up. It also insures the CPS is close enough to generate a consistent useable signal. It is possible to install the CPS back to far and the signal becomes unreliable.




Thanks for this tip, it actually makes sense and makes me wonder ....

How many CPS's have I replaced because of a dirty/corroded connector.

I actually recall changing out a 'failed' fuel pump that cost $250 on a non-jeep vehicle. This involved dropping the fuel tank which was FULL! Installed the new fuel pump and 60 miles later it failed again. Went back to the dealer and they sold me a $15 pig tail with the wiring harness connector to the fuel pump and told me to install that. Problem SOLVED.

 

I replaced mine tonight since I have the engine pulled

 

Im gonna end up replacing mine while the engines out.

 

Just did mine and the fastest way ever was with a flex head ratchet wrench from the engine bay standing on my spare on the garage floor. New one dropped in 5 min. Took old out with the long extensions from the bottom , and even with a buddy took 20 min.


oh yea mine still won't turn over....

 

was the damn cam sensor after all...

 

ok stupid question... I know there is a sensor on the top of the trans that picks up off the fly wheel, and there is another one inside the distributor on the models that have one... so what is the difference between a cam and crank sensor? or am I just nit picking names?

 

The crank sensor is the one on the top of the bell housing at the back of the motor.

The cam sensor is in the distributor under the rotor.

 

Just resolved major issues with my CPS. I can only repeat advice frequently given on here; stay away from cheap sensors, only a OE sensor should be used.

My problem was only resolved after getting a Jeep 56027866AC sensor. It had no spacer, but the mounting bolts afforded no room for movement anyway. Due to my gullibility, I'm now an expert in swapping out these sensors, from underneath, 18" extension, wobble socket, 5 minute job.

Rob

 

What happened to the cheap sensor when you plugged it in?

 

The cheap sensors all ran rough. Bought 2 $10 ones, as they were cheap, I thought I'd keep a spare. Got hold of a used sensor that ran perfect until it got hot, then cut out. Bought a Crown sensor, but that ran rough. Finally got a Jeep sensor and that's smooth as silk. It may be that these cheapies would work fine on another Jeep, but they didn't like mine.

All these were mail items. I'm in the Highlands of Scotland, no dealers or pick n pulls within 100 miles.

Rob