I recently got a check engine light for the CPS, and I have carried with me over the last two years this CPS from Amazon (Genuine Ford F4TZ-12K073-C Camshaft Position Sensor) - .

The old one I took out was tan / gray in color. Is the CPS in the link the "good" one? Could this affect fuel mileage?

Thanks!

 

If, in fact, it is genuine Ford it looks good to me. I have heard mention of purple colored O ring.

 

I don't know if that's the correct part number or not, but it looks right. As long as it's OEM and the correct part number, you're good. Never expect better fuel economy from repairs, unless you get far less than what forum members get

 

Ford F4TZ-12K073-C Camshaft Position Sensor is the OBS CPS ( '94.5-'97 )
This one is dark blue, wiht a purple o-ring.
Genuine Ford 7.3L Diesel Cam Position Sensor (CPS) - Blue
Some people say it runs better then "correct" part for the '99-'03. Some people can't get it to run right at all with it. I don't remember if I tried one of these or not.


The "correct" part# for '00-'-03 7.3L is F7TZ-12K073-B
This is the grey CPS, with purple o-ring.
Genuine Ford 7.3L Diesel Cam Position Sensor (CPS)

 

I'm not trying to start no argument but...from the page on that link...Ford Gray CPS 1994.5 - 2003

 

Yeah, I saw that, but click the other link, and it explains its the 94.5-97 one, etc....

I know that the grey one is the "current" Ford part, sold by the dealer for '00-'03. Maybe Diesel O-rings is saying that it will also work in the OBS? Or maybe its a typo?

I don't know what the actual difference between THESE 2 CPS is. I know some guys have used an International CPS intended for a DT466, because it advances the timing when used in a 7.3L/T444e. I know, from prior reading, that the PHYSICAL difference is that the magnet inside is slightly off-center on the DT466 CPS, which causes the change in timing when used on the 7.3

 

Any idea what affects a change in the timing might have? It does seem odd the way they have them, one for 94.5-97 and the other 94.5-03. I have read that the purple one seems to function the best but I have no first hand experience to report.

 

Advancing the SOI (Start Of Injection) like that gives a little more power, makes the truck louder, and just might up the fuel economy - a tiny bit. Problems would arise if you were to combine the DT 466 CPS with a chip. The chip may or may not advance the SOI already, and the combined effort to advance SOI could take you into dangerous territory - that place of scattered oily block parts.

 

Well, it looks like the Amazon part number I ordered a couple years ago, is the same one Clay has listed on RiffRaff for 94.5-03, that is exactly what is called for on my 2003 Excursion. The one I took out was gray/tan in color, and the one I put in is dark blue.

I found this from reading on Diesel Orings site - "Some owners of the 1999 - 2003 have found that using this CPS on the newer models have been able to eliminate the cylinder contribution error on cylinder #3 that the gray CPS will cause on some engines."

I am going to contact GearHead and see what they recommend based on running their tunes on my Hydra.

 

Follow up to the Amazon CPS replacement: I am throwing a soft code again for CPS in under 4,000 miles. I am wondering if this might have anything to do with running LED fog lights wired into my stock fog lights? What makes me think this is when I have the radio on, and I turn on the LED fog lights, my radio signal gets all distorted. As soon as I turn the LED fogs off, the radio signal comes in clear again.

I am now in a pinch, and am leaving this afternoon to go camping with my travel trailer. What is the best local place to get a replacement CPS sensor? Should I go to the dealer, or does a parts store carry the "good" one?

Thanks!!

 

I learned real quick to only buy oem...from the dealership. Just tell them what you want not necessarily what the computer says you should have!

 

OEM only. You are kind of stuck now since you need it short term.

 

The one I had was an OEM one, sold through Ford's Amazon channel.

Which part number should I tell the dealer I need?

 

F4TZ12K073C

Part number taken from Motorcraft Cam Position Sensor CPS 94-03

 

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