My CPS went out about a year back, and at the time I didn't know about this forum. I took it to the local dealership with an intermittant stalling problem. It was really a problem because it would stumble and stall while doing 65 mph on the highway. When they pulled my CPS out of the truck, after 30 minutes of prying on it, the mechanic said "Hmm, look at this, never saw that before". The entire face was raised up with an indentation in it. The new one was perfectly smooth. Something else I noticed after it was replaced was that my cold weather, 1 to 2 minute diesel romp stopped. Maybe I had a different issue than everyone else, but just a thought. Haven't had another problem with it since (fingers are crossed after reading this forum though).

I'm driving a bone stock F250 PSD with 105, 000 miles, bought it new, only problem I ever had.

 

I can try that as well...
But I still like the minor upgrade to the Blue. Plus, my truck has 148k on it now...and I don't know the history of service.
I think I'd feel better about replacing it as well.
My Devils Advocate thoughts on Pop's theory is that electrical connections, through these "cheap" connectors:
- has been very similar for many different cars. -Not that I'm an expert by any means, but the 70's Bronco's had similar problems, early 80's CJ's had issues with <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com[img] /><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=[/img]CPS</SPAN></st1:stockticker>'s, and my Uncle's SC Thunderbird, same thing.- Eventually one has to believe that there is a problem with the actual sensor or the manufacturer.
- The standards that these cheap connectors are made are not exactly aviation quality. It is Mass Produced American...Read: not exactly high quality. There is enough variation in each individual piece made to cause varying results.
- The length of the pins would allow for enough conductivity of electrical impulse regardless of some dust/dirt particles...at least in import applications it hasn't been a problem. I've worked with import engines for almost 10 years now...these engines have far more electrical/computer controlled parts, and far more "cheap" plastic connectors...and there are no significant problems like this in the import engines I have worked with, with the exception of the BMW ECU problem. I think that is the reason I am most skeptical.
Side note to Pop...I mean no disrespect in this post. I'm merely playing a bit of devils advocate with some skepticism on my part. I still intend on pulling the plug, cleaning it with compressed air, a little conductive lubricant and some dielectric grease. I more than willing to be proven wrong...won't be the first time...definitley not the last.
</FONT>

 

Actually, I welcome all other opinions. You might think of something that I have completely overlooked.

We're actually all working on this together, as we all have a vested interest in having the most reliable vehicle on the streets (no matter what horsepower level you are running)!

Report back and we'll all learn something, one way or the other. ;-)))

I'm waiting on a couple of CPS's that have been "intermittent" to get here. I'm going to deliberately install them to see if the problem continues with them. I'll run them for a month or so, and if I can't duplicate the problem, I'm sending them back to the donors.

Pop

 

Good idea Pop.

 

Good deal.
It's raining too hard here to do any work on the truck right now...but as soon as it's a bit drier...you know I'll try it out...

 

Can someone send a picture or description and a location of this sensor? I thought I was imagining things until I read this forum. I sometimes feel a little stumble, as if my foot slips off the gas.

 

I have to mirror your experience with European reliablility. I work on VW and Audi for a living and have seen many vehicles go 200,000 miles without ever having to replace the hall effect sender in the distributor. Or anything else in the Bosch Motronic and K-Jet for that matter. They outlast the rest of the car.

 

Trent..
Just search it out. It'll be quicker for you.
Top of the page on the right side, search this forum for CPS pic or diagram
There's a pic of it somewhere on here...
-t-

 

Wouldn't that lead you to believe that it was the unreliable connector?

heh...and I wasn't talking just VW/Audi as to foreign. Jap crap, as much as we call it that, is quiet the opposite...

 

USPS lady brought me an "intermittant" CPS from Jason Lande up in cold-country Minnesota. It's out of a 2002, and has 82,000 miles on it.

Cleaned it up a bit and used the o-ring off my glove-box spare on it. Popped it in and Waaa-Laaa! It fires! Shut it off and went inside. Figure I'll drive it around for a month and see if it's still intermittant or not.

Tonight, went out to go to the grocery, a mile and a half away. Fired right up. I'm getting smug.

Got five blocks. Dead, and no re-starting either.

Flashlight and tool kit on side of busy city street, you get the picture.... and a not-so-smug Pop any more, either.

I've also gotta' rig up some kind of jig with a compass needle or something to give me an idea of the relative gauss for these guys, to see if there's any major variations.

I ordered a package of mil-spec viton o-rings of proper size from McMaster-Carr tonight. I'll have plenty, so a SASE would get one to the first 15 or so guys that want one. They're 1" o.d., 3/32" material.

Pop

 

Good thing it wasn't raining Pop.

 

Yea, I'm going to have to remember to NOT experiment during time when bad weather is forecast.

I'm getting quick at the changes, though. I'm using a synthetic NLGI 1-1/2 "butter" on the o-ring, and it's easy to R&R now.

Keep 'em coming, guys. Not sure this episode proved anything yet.

Pop

 

1997 Ranger 4.0L 133K

Hello from Houston, TX everybody....I'd like to join this conversation due to me having this same problem with the CPS. I heard this chriping sound real loud one morning before going to work so I took my wife's car. When I got home, I turned on my truck and the chirping was there but softer. I used my mechanics sthetoscope to find the root of the chirping and found that it lead to the CPS. One thing I noticed; I was taping it with the end piece of the scope and then I pushed it outwards, like removing it, when I did, the sound got louder. When I let go and let it rest, it went down again? I read on another forum that maybe the magnet or the metal piece fell off causing that noise. I couldn't check mine because one, it was un-reachable and two, it was already dark. Next week when I get paid, I am going to replace the lower intake gasket on my truck and when I remove it, it will expose the CPS, and thats when I will check it.

Has anybody had this experiance?

 

No chirping, but we did have humming and buzzing last week. Please keep us informed.
These Fords really are unique!

 

Well, after reading all these post, tomorrow I will do the "plug-unplug" thing as mine "hic-cupped" the other day traveling down the highway at 50mph and then this afternoon, I pull into a convenience store and just as I come to a stop at the curb, it dies. Started right back up and run ok the 10 miles home. Have 77k miles on this CPS.

By the way, checked to see if I had a code and it didn't throw any. Would it only have a code if it died and never restarted? Thanks.