<VV> Non-Corvair "No Start" Help ! question

[roboman91324 at aol.com]

Charlie,
 
I am posting this to VV as well as to you directly because it  may help 
others with similar problems whatever their make of car.  
 
On most modern cars with computers, you can access the  computer without 
the scanner.  The computer stores the problem errors in  memory for a 
predetermined number of car starts.  You will need to jumper  between two contacts 
and the error codes will flash at you from the dash board  lights.  You then 
look them up and hopefully figure out what the problem  is.  This is done 
with the ignition on but without the engine  running.  At least, that is how 
it works with most makes of car.  Buy  a service manual from your FLAPS for 
your series of car to learn what contacts  to jumper and how to interpret the 
codes.
 
Please note that the codes will scroll through in sequence and  then start 
over.  Write down the codes and let it scroll through a couple  of times to 
make sure you have it right
 
In general, once you have interpreted the codes, the trick is  to figure 
what is really wrong.  Many problems will create an Oxygen sensor  error 
message just because the engine is running poorly.  This doesn't mean  that you 
have a bad sensor.  Many dealerships and other mechanics use this  as an 
excuse to replace perfectly good sensors and other parts.  It sounds  like you 
have a good clue as to the problem already but you should always try to  
match symptoms to the error messages to avoid replacing parts  unnecessarily.
 
By the way, most scanners are capable of reading the  errors without the 
engine running.  Are you sure that yours is not capable  of this?
 
By the way, using the jumper method is a cheap way to avoid  buying a 
scanner for all you frugal types out there.  You will need to buy  or have access 
to a manual but at least you will have it as a reference for any  other 
problems that may come up in the future.
 
Good luck,
 
Doc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Message:  5
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:25:14 -0800
From: "Charles Lee"  <Chaz at ProperProPer.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Non-Corvair "No  Start" Help ! question
To: <budpon at cs.com>,    "Louis  Armer" <carmerjr at mindspring.com>
Cc:  virtualvairs at corvair.org
Message-ID:  <F05E481847724BF899F8BC627546FEB9 at CharliePC>
Content-Type:  text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original

Besides my 1967 Monza, my "runner" is a 1996 Ford  Probe (sorry about the 
name there)

More to the point is that it is not  running after overheating and boiling 
over (something my Corvair NEVER did  !)

Now it runs for 5 seconds and quits just like turning off the  key.

The "probing" question is whether the camshaft sensor (in the  distributor) 
is "offline" ?

I have it on some authority that the "5  seconds" of run time is because 
the PCM/ECU starts the car with initial cam  values, and then seeks "real" 
camshaft status, finds none and shuts down. (It  runs smooth and high RPM if I 
flex the pedal until it shuts down)

I  don't want to "shop and swap" for $300 to "test" a new distributor, 
since CMPS  is integral to it.
So, can anyone say if this is true, that the Cam sensor  is a likely 
suspect?

The car is OBD-II and I have a scanner, but can't  get it to run long 
enough to get DTC codes.

Any ideas on how to test  the "Hall-effect" CMP sensor  ?

Thanks
Charlie