Crankshaft Position/Impulse Sensor

[llll1l1ll]

Edit: nevermind

[llll1l1ll]

Okay, now I have a question:

Where does this thing hook up? I just bought a new set of spark plug wires and it has this extra cable running off the number six wire with a male connector.

Now, I thought the crank pulse sensor hooked up to this, so I went and ordered a new one. After installing the pulse sensor on its perch, I noticed that the connector running from the sensor was also a male.

D'OH!

What does this extra wire off the spark plug wire go to? Coming up from my current CPS is a wire that's busted/cut. However, my car still runs.

Best,

Pete

[structured]

Are you talking about the small male connector coming off of item "2" on this page? http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...71&hg=12&fg=05

[structured]

I think it goes here:


Then plugs in here:


Like this:



Sorry for the crappy photos, I just happened to have them in my photobucket.

Also, if my memory serves my correctly, the male connector on the right of that last photo is the male connector on the CPS which you are talking about. Replace it if it's cut, your car shouldn't run right if that isn't working.

[llll1l1ll]

The thing is, my car is running just fine. I'll take a look at it when I get another minute (I am out of town). There is just a cut wire and I noticed it matched up with a blank spot on the old spark plug wires. Like, there was a wire there but it's not there anymore.

Are you talking about the small male connector coming off of item "2" on this page? http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...71&hg=12&fg=05

Yes.

[structured]

So, are both of the plugs in the third picture accounted for? Can you trace the wires back to their source?

[nando]

it's for additional info to the computer to better time the injection pulses to the camshaft phase. It will still run without it because M20s are batch fire (3+3). You'd probably see a slight increase in idle smoothness and maybe fuel economy with it plugged in.

it's basically like a cheap cam angle sensor.

[llll1l1ll]

Alright, so I just took my lunch and examined these connectors while I was out there.

Turns out they are both connected. However, I know the connector for the spark plug wire is busted, because the wire is cut. To trace them for sure, I would have to undo a lot of stuff. Not worth it.

So, I will try this:

if the car cannot run without the impulse sensor connected, I could theoretically just disconnect one of them to see if the car runs, and then I replace the one that lets the car keep running. That would be the one going to the spark plug wires -- in theory.

Am I right?

[nando]

it will run without the impulse sensor

it will not run without the crank sensor. You could theoretically run the engine without any other sensors (very poorly), but not without the crank sensor.

[structured]

it will run without the impulse sensor

it will not run without the crank sensor. You could theoretically run the engine without any other sensors (very poorly), but not without the crank sensor.

This sounds true. When I bought my car the impulse sensor had been broken and spliced. It probably wasn't doing anything.

Also, it really shouldn't be hard to trace them. The crank sensor just passes down below the rad fan iirc.

[llll1l1ll]

Exactly. My impulse sensor wiring is toast.

I'll try to trace it this weekend. I mean, I might as well connect it if I have the piece lying there.

Edit: Forgot to say thanks.

[llll1l1ll]

Switched the wires. Car runs slightly smoother with great gas mileage.