All,

The wife's 03 expy started acting up the other day. According to her, it was acting likeEthe transmission was slipping it would sometimes buck once under acceleration and then be fine.

Of course when I drove it, no problems. We switched cars for a couple days and today it acted up on me. It started by doing a couple intermittent hestitations, but on the way home it completely shut off while cruising at hwy speeds.

Pull off, turn off key and it would start right up.

It did this several more times and then set a code. It continued to get worse on the way home, doing it more frequently. I probably stopped 10X on a 20 mile trip home.

My code reader indicates a "P0320 Ignition/Dist Engine Speed Input Circuit Malfunction".

Any ideas on what this is, and or something I can fix easily? Will probably take it to the dealer in the AM.

Thanks,

John

 

It indicates a loss of signal from the crankshaft position sensor.

 

Thanks for your help! Would this mean that the crankshaft position sensor is bad? I used to have a '96 F350 7.3 Powerstroke that I had to replace the sensor on a couple times over it's 250K mile life.

Is it located in the same general area (front crank pulley) as on my old diesel? If so, I might be able to just replace it myself.

Thanks,
John

 

There's chance it's a wire or a connector, but yes, usually replacing the sensor solves the problem. It is on the front of the engine, but you do have to unbolt the A/C compressor and move it out of the way to access the crank sensor. You DO NOT have to disconnect the A/C lines, just move the compressor out of the way with the lines still attached.

 

Thanks again for all your help! I found a little more details on removing it, and it doesn't sound too complex, just have to do a little contortionism to get everything loose. I messed up my shoulder the other day, so I think I'll take it by the local repair shop and see if they will do it reasonable. It looks like the part is ~ $25 or so.

John

 

Just a follow up on this issue. I took it to the Quicklane and they replaced the crankshaft position sensor. They asked if I wanted to have them diagnose the problem ($89) and I said "no, just replace the sensor". It wasn't too bad ($110 part & labor) and the I didn't have any stalling problems on the way home.

Unfortunately, the next AM, it started stalling again, probably 10X before I got it back to the repair shop (6 miles). After a full day in the shop, they reported that there were two coils that were going bad and creating an RF signal which caused the computer the shut off. Two other coils which were questionable when they did a stress test on them, but since the cost to replace the two coils and two plugs was ~$400 and $700 for the four coils I opted for the 2 coil change. Probably a good thing as that did not fix the problem

After another full day of working on it, they found a TSB from 2009 that called for replacing a wiring harness to the alternator. The harness was $30 and $45 to install. This seems to have fixed the problem.

So $650 later, I have the Expy running again, but still need to change out the other two coils. Fortunately, I have done this myself before, so not a big deal.

John

 

Any chance you have a TSB Number or details regarding this harness or what to look for? Where does this wiring harness go?

 

I don't know what the TSB # was, but I do know it was the alternator wiring harness that they replaced. Part number was 2L1Z-14305-AB, cost was $30.48.

According to the details on the receipt, they did in depth diagnosis/pinpoint testing. Performed coil on plug stress test. Coils #3 & #8 failed, causing rf signals to PCM. Found TSB on ALT harness. Tested ALT harness failed. Replaced coils and spark plugs for #3 & #8. Replaced ALt harness. Retest ok.

They also mentioned that coils 1 & 2 were on the borderline of failing the stress test and that thy migh fail soon. The Expy has been running fine so far.

One thing I learned was not to buy the cheap ebay coils. I bought a set about 18 months ago and installed all 6 w/ new plugs. Since that time, I have replaced two or three that failed (set missfire code) with NAPA coils and the two that failed this time were both ebay coils as well as the suspect #1 & #2.

Hope this helps,

John

 

I think I see the problem, your engine has 8 not 6 cylinders.

BTW, you also had the OEM overpriced COPs fail too, correct?

 

Oops

Yes, the factory ones failed, but they lasted 100K+ miles.

 

Thanks for the update. I've been having intermittent stalls for quite a while and throwing DTC P0320. It can happen as often as several times a day and as long as six months between occurrences. All the plugs have been replaced, plus 1 coil & boot. I'm going to have crankshaft sensor checked/replaced and thinking about having all the COPs w/boots changed in one shot.

 

I've been getting intermittent stalls (from several times a day to months between occurrences), and always throwing P0320. Dealer replaced all spark plugs and at least one coil. Crankshaft sensor was just replaced. Still intermittently stalls .

I ordered the Alternator harness as described in your post and TSB. Unfortunately it's not available locally and needs to be brought in from the USA. So while waiting for this part to arrive, tonight I decided to check it out for the chaffing mentioned in the TSB.

Well I found it. On the alternator harness with this lead that connects just to the right of the battery (viewing from the front of the truck).


The cable runs over one of the metal A/C piping. Note the scoring on the pipe to the right of the cable.


Wow, it wore right through the insulation and some of the wire strands are worn through as well.


I guess all the rubbing and possible arcing has actually wore a gouge into the metal A/C tubing.


Until the replacement cable arrives, I patched up the harness with electrical tape and put some around the around the metal A/C tubing as well. Took the vehicle for a drive (about 2.5hrs). So far so good. Hopefully it was just this the whole time.

 

Wow! I'll have to take a look at mine and see if I have the same marks on the A/C tubing. It sucks if that's the real cause of the problem as it sounds like both of us have spent a fair amount of $$$ chasing this thing. Good luck!

John

 

Just for reference sake, here's a link to the TSB.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source...JKTk2khRfuo3tg

 

I'm having the same problem, and I'm wondering if replacing this wire worked for you? Thanks for the pictures!