M13A Missing Cam Sensor & Melted Connector

Just picked up a 2009 1.3JLX Jimny from Aged Uncle. M13A engine. Loss of coolant; engine overheated (is the story). Some repairers "skimmed the cylinder head" and fitted a new head gasket. However:

 

not only have they failed to replace the Cam Sensor, but somehow they have managed to melt its connector ...

Clearly, I need a replacement cam sensor ... but what's the easiest way of getting and obtaining a replacement connector? Loom from a scrappie?  Any suggestions?


 

The cam sensor is at the back left of the engine. that looks like its wired to the power steering or a/c pump area so noting to do with cam sensor. Also the car wouldnt run without the cam sensor working.

I was following this video:


Oh, and it starts, runs for 30 secs, stalls and wont start again for several minutes. Having said that, the previous repairers did not do a good job and there may be other faults.

I am with Riccy on this, it looks like one of the sensor plugs, but it's in the wrong place if it is. However I am no expert on the location of these items, so  here are some picture of my 2009 showing the same location for reference. Those that know can comment on what we are looking at.
Same location as your photo: 
And one from the side:
 
THis is what the blue connector has on it, looks like a VVT oil valve to me???
 

Here is the location of the front crank sensor, it's at the side of the alternator, in that dark black hole!!!! I can see a grey connector, but access is so poor I can't actually take a photo of it.
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Not actually sure what we are looking at or missing in your photo, but I hope mine help you identify missing bits. If you need any other photos just ask.

Mike, looking at your photo and fallingditch's photo it looks like the 'melted' connector might go here (highlighted). 

 

 

Its a clip to hold the loop of cable out the way of the belts (when compared to Mikes pic you can see it). Looks like there is a black metal bracket missing that the clip would go into.

The power steering pump has a single core wire plugged into the top of it to tell the ecu to idle up when pump is under load.

The blue plug near it is for the VVT solenoid.

Cam sensor is found on the inlet side of the engine and at the back (cabin) end. If the cam sensor was missing it wouldnt even spark. The ecu would put the engine light up on the dash and log a fault code. A faulty sensor could give the symptoms described. I would look at it with a code reader to see what that yeilds before going daft swapping stuff at great expense. The ODB port is near the bonnet release and any cheap code reader will work.

The yellow circled connector appears to be on the power steering pump - if that's correct it's the power steering pressure switch - when the steering is turned the oil pressure in the power steering system increases and so does the load presented to the engine, the increased pressure closes the switch, which the ECU senses and increases the engine idle speed to compensate for the increased load.

If the switch is disconnected it will not prevent the engine from running, what you may notice is the engine idle speed drop if the steering is turned with the engine idling.

The bracket for the clip is missing...ask bodgeit and scarper for it......check for plugs not connected.....airflow sensor maybe......that allows a start and raises the tickover high and then it dies after several seconds.

wrote:

The bracket for the clip is missing...ask bodgeit and scarper for it......check for plugs not connected.....airflow sensor maybe......that allows a start and raises the tickover high and then it dies after several seconds.

Thanks for previous responses.

(Please note am v.new to Jimnys

As I stated in an earlier post, "it starts, runs for 30 secs, stalls and wont start again for several minutes. Having said that, the previous repairers did not do a good job and there may be other faults."

So @keithy is suggesting that my weird symptoms are the result of maybe disconnected plugs to the "airflow sensor". 

But back in 2012 @facade wrote
"There isnt an airflow sensor.
The jimny uses a MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor, throttle angle sensor and inlet air temperature sensor along with the lambda sensor to make up the fuelling."

Now, bodgeit and scarper have indeed been working on this 2009 Jimny.  They had the cylinder head skimmed, replaced it, and then reported "a loss in compression".  (The original cause of this was overheating from running with no coolant - don't ask).  

But it seems to me that the "starts, runs for 30 secs, stalls and wont start again for several minutes" problem is unlikely to be caused by compression loss (will try to test that myself) and much more likely to be caused by "disconnected plugs".

So here's the question - how might I locate these sensors? in order to check their connectors?  (I'm hoping that the answer lies in another post or wiki somewhere, and some kind soul can point me at it  )


 

So is this the cam sensor on a 2009 M13 engine?
if so this is rear left looking from the battery side.
 
something sensor like is lurking at the back of the M13, best photo I can take.
 
This is a totally unmodified 2009 hard top, so it's as it left the factory.

Tip cold water over it next time your vehicle won't start, if it then works that's your problem.
 

Correct Mike.

Heres a pic I have scrwaled on to show where the various things are: 

 

So starting with the CAM sensor at the top of the pic and working clockwise:

CAM sensor - senses the position of the cam and the engine wont run with it disconnected or failed. ECU should log and put on EML (engine dash light). Failing sensors can be cooled to temporarily improve performance.

EGR valve - lets a bit of exhaust gases back into the inlet manifold. can stick open and cause poor fuel consumption and/or increased build up of sludge in the inlet manifold. Removal will put on EML, faulty not neccesarily.

O2 sensor no.1 - exhaust gas sensor and ecu uses to adjust the fuelling. Will put on EML if removed or faulty. There is another in the cat on the exhaust further down too.

VVT solenoid - adjusts the cam position at higher rpm. Effectively switching from an economy setting to more of a performance cam angle.

Crank sensor - similar to CAM sensor and located hidden behind the alternator and hard to access. 

IAT sensor - senses the temperature of inlet air (may also have a flow meter in it). ECU adjust fuelling to suit cold start or running.

TPS sensor - tells the ecu the position of the throttle and it adjusts fuelling to suit.

MAP sensor - Manifold air pressure sensor (barometric sensor). again used to adjust fuelling by the ecu.

IAC valve - Lets a varying amount of air past the throttle butterfly when in the closed position. ECU uses it for cold starts or the idle up function (e.g. idle up for power steering or aircon). Can get gunged up and stick open causing a high idle speed when warm or problems with cold starting.

There is also a coolant temp sensor and a oil pressure sensor. possibly a knock sensor too which are all not visible in the pic.

Feel free to enlarge on this anyone if you have more info or I am wrong about something.


The OP's problem could be vac related or from the above stuff it maybe IAC valve or one of the other inlet sensors. Defo not the cam or crank or it wouldnt run at all. It does sound like the ecu is shutting it down. A code reader would help a lot with diagnosing the problem. A compression test isnt a bad idea given the history, but its running for a short period, so unlikely. 

Try starting it and keeping it at about 3000 rpm with the throttle pedal. If that works and it keeps running hold it there for about a minuite to get a bit of heat in it, then see if it idles. If it idles ok or high then its the IAC valve, if it idles rough or not at all then maybe TPS sensor or a vac leak. IAC valve can be cleaned out easily enough if gunked up, then have a look at the EGR valve too as thats where the gunk will have come from no doubt.

Hope that helps  
 

Thanks - great help.