What now ?

[HandySmurf]

I have a '90 Mighty Max with the 3.0 V6 as my daily driver (I have 2 of them B.T.W. - one daily, one project) and the check engine light is on. A quick reading with an OBD 1 scanner told me there is a #1 Cylinder misfire and the cam sensor reading is out of specifications. That's all well and good, but the truck DOES NOT HAVE cam or crank sensors, I even had the local Mitsu dealer run the vin to find out if either were hiding someplace I didn't think of. They're not, they're just not there, so the clyinder misfire is either in the distributor or the computer,because the cap, rotor, wires, and plugs were changed during the summer and still look good, so Now I'm just confused. The truck is running a previously rebuilt computer and new oxygen, TPS, mass air flow, and temperature sensors, and before I go throwing money at a new or rebuilt distributor, I'd like to know what others think I might be missing or what I should check. Any ideas, or help ? Please ? .........PLEASE?

Just so you don't think I'm B.S.ing anyone...

The daily beater, the one that needs help


The project victim

[4doorciv]

Yes, I believe your cam angle sensor is in your distributor. If indead you do have a cylinder misfire, what you can do is a power balance test on all cylinders. What I was taught on cars with a coil pack was to cut a fuel line in short 1 inch pieces and stick them inbetween the coil and the wire. You would ground them out by touching the fuel hose with a test light connected to ground. If not a coil pack system then you can pull a plug wire off of the spark plugs one at a time. The difference in idle quality vs one cyl grounded would tell of that cyl is working properly and no change would indicate a bad cyl.

[LSR Mike]

The cam/crank angle sensor is built into the base of the Distributor. pop the cap and rotor button, there is a pressed in cover that easily comes off with a small screwdriver.



Now get the manual and set your timing correctly. you might also have a clogged injector also causing the misfire.