P0342 error, no start -Cam Sensor?

[mikewire]

Hi all, I'm normally a VW/Audi guy, so I am familiar with Euro vehicles and turning wrenches. I have an S80 in my garage that belongs to a buddy, and it's having issues. It first came to me for bad, lopey idle and a possible timing and VVT inspection, but then before I started that repair, it decided to not start - it will crank, but no start. Seems to be getting spark and I can smell fuel/flooding after start attempts. Pulled codes, and I get P0342 Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Low Input.

Ordered a new sensor and installed, and still no start and the same error. Wiring appears to be OK, so I'm on here to ask...what am I missing here? Where to go from here?

[mikewire]

Nothing from you guys?

Cam timing lines up, could this be crank/cam timing?

[Japedo]

Well, you say your getting spark...How do the plugs look? Are they really wet like its getting to much fuel?
I wish I had an answer for you... Is it even kicking at all when you crank it? Or is it not even trying to start?
How long had it had this rough idle prior to not starting?
If an engine has fuel/spark/ and compression it should start :$

[mikewire]

Well, you say your getting spark...How do the plugs look? Are they really wet like its getting to much fuel?
I wish I had an answer for you... Is it even kicking at all when you crank it? Or is it not even trying to start?
How long had it had this rough idle prior to not starting?
If an engine has fuel/spark/ and compression it should start :$

Thanks for the reply.

Plugs are a light tan, normal. Not wet at all, which may indicate no fuel. I'll check for pressure at the rail. However I am pretty sure I smell fuel after cranking the starter for a while. I'm wondering if the P0342 code will cause a no start condition?

It's not even kicking over or trying to start which makes me crazy.

I was told the starting problem was an issue, which is partially why I have it. The owner told me it would take 3 to 4 tries on the starter before it would run, and it would lope at idle. It made it to my garage...but now it won't start at all.

I appreciate the help here, not being very familiar with Volvo makes it harder to troubleshoot. I have all the VW/Audi specialty tools and software and would have no problem if it were from Germany

[Japedo]

Well, if it had a previous hard starting condition it may have been low on fuel pressure and finally failed.
Deffinently check fuel pressure. I would use a multimeter back probe the injector wires and see if they are getting an electrical pulse when you crank the engine over.
It's my understanding that usually if a pickup sensor "crank or cam"is malfunctioning it will cut fuel and spark both, so it would be odd that something like the crank sensor would be cutting fuel but not spark.

See If the key in position 2 turns the fuel pump on.
Your p0342 may be unrelated to the no start issue if you have already replaced the cam sensors.

Good luck!

[mikewire]

Thanks again, your replies are helping my motivation Quick update - I was able to check for pressure at the rail. I turned the car to On 3 times, pressed the Schrader valve and fuel was ejected. Did it again, and confirmed I am getting the pump to prime.

Next was to find the timing marks on the cam and crank. This is what I found:

Cam timing looks to be spot on...



Crank timing mark - please correct me if I am wrong here - but to me the mark on the crank pulley (circled in orange) is not lining up to the small protruding nub on the housing (up and left of the orange circle). Should these marks be lined up??

[Japedo]

It's a little hard to see the crank mark in that picture. Was the timing belt recently done? Is it possible it was installed incorrectly, is the tensioner ok?

So that good thy you confirmed fuel pressure, did you make sure the injectors are getting power when you crank the engine?

[mikewire]

It's a little hard to see the crank mark in that picture. Was the timing belt recently done? Is it possible it was installed incorrectly, is the tensioner ok?

So that good thy you confirmed fuel pressure, did you make sure the injectors are getting power when you crank the engine?

Yeah, the mark is hard to see but it's in the orange circle. It's a very small mark about the size of a pin head. Strange that the mark is right in the middle of a valley on the pulley.

I guess I should ask, can you tell me if that is the timing mark? So far, I've now seen 3 different types of timing marks out in various pictures out in timing belt DIY's on the internet, including here. That's the only marking I could find on my pulley, so I assume that's the timing mark. If that's it, it does not seem to be lining up where it appears to me that the timing is off a tooth or two.

Note: this is not my car, and I am working on this for a friend. Yes, the timing belt was recently done by the PO. I was told the car was purchased by my friend and driven up from CA. On the way the belt skipped a tooth, however it was repaired and it was fine and the local Volvo dealership set the timing (supposedly). Then it came to me with lopey idle and I did an ETM cleaning, but the problem persisted. Suspected the VVT timing, which appears to be fine, so I pulled codes and got P0342, and here we are today.

I didn't get a chance to check for voltage at the injectors but I will tonight. Are they a standard 12V ground pulse?

[chrism]

Mikewire,

You're getting a code "P0342 Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Low Input", which is saying the signal is weak/nonexistant. It's not saying the cam is out of time, which would be a different code number. A couple articles I've read on the subject suggest you should check the voltages of both the power TO the sensor and the signal coming OUT of the sensor. They say to check the power voltage both with the ignition ON and the engine not cranking, and check it while cranking to see if there is a significant voltage drop while cranking. (Apparently some problems have been traced to a weak battery or too much starter draw.) They also suggest measuring the sensor output signal with an analog VOM while cranking the engine to verify that you are getting pulses with each rotation of the cam.

Good luck.

[matiaspaz]

I had the same issue with my wife´s Volvo. I wasn´t able to fix it by myself. I turned the car to a computer diagnosis and I realized that it was te cam sensor. I just changed it and it worked ok. I hope this helps you.