2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser CAM/CRANK WILL NOT SYNC

You are probably going to need a scanner to diagnose a problem, this is all I could find about your problem. I would recheck the following below and bring me word

6. Engine runs like it has a lowered rev limiter. Engine will not run above 2500 RPM. Camshaft Position (CMP) sensor and Crankshaft Position (CKP) sensor signals are not in sync according to the scan to.
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4L, Vin B
Test Details. Confirmed Fix Details.

Tests/Procedures: 1. Scope the CMP and CKP sensors. Compare to a known good pattern. If not good, check for a bad sensor or defective target magnet for the CMP sensor. 2. Check for a loose or jumped timing belt.

6 Confirmed fixes

Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor
Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
Target Magnet
Jumped Timing Belt

1 - Camshaft Timing
1 - Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor
1 - Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
1 - Timing Belt
1 - Crankshaft Position Sensor And Camshaft Position Sensor Synchronization
1 - Camshaft Target Magnet

Check the EGR valve and PCV hoses to make sure none are cracked, split or detached. Best way to check all intake hoses is to spray them with a carb. Cleaner like B-12 chemtrol and listen for an immediate change in idle speed and engine rev. If this happens, you have a vacuum leak to the engine which will definetly cause this symptom and you will need to replace the defective hose.

You stated the following:

"I TOOK EVERYTHING APART A SECOND TIME TO CHECK THAT I GOT THE TIMING BELT ON PROPERLY."

was the belt on property or or did you have to make an adjustment ? did the timing belt break that's why you're changing it? you have done a lot of work on this vehicle, who did the vale job for you when you had to head off? you have stated you change the computers is that right? have you pulled the spark one at a time to see if you have a dead cylinder at idle? have you checked the wiring harness go into the PCM ? I am sending you a link that I found so you can check the crank sensor, sometimes even new ones are no good

http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/chrysler/2.0L-2.4L/how-to-test-the-crank-sensor-1

I'm just doublechecking for myself so I understand now we have no "SYNC" did you check out that website I sent you? Check that out run the tests make sure the sensors are good I have bought some of those and they have been no good lets check that and we'll go from there.

If you're getting a signal from the cam sensor, and the crank sensor on your scanner it has to be the ECM, the problem I'm having right now is that we don't have access to our Mitchell manuals that the company pays for so it's hard for me to look up information on your car to determine the cause, you will have to be patient I will send corporate and e-mail and see when those manual are going to be back online

Now that you've told me everything you've done to the vehicle, now tell me what the vehicle is doing drive ability wise, don't leave anything out. Tell me what the codes on the computer, including the one stored in the history, be exact your explanation of how the engine runs out of all RPMs including but not limited to the engine surges at idle etc. Tell me any insignificant thing that you believe will not help. And tell me how many times it took you to put the timing belt on correctly.

There's a thread going on right now about how hard it is to set the timing just right in the cruiser. Even the certified mechanics say it's difficult to get it right but the problem is that's it's a pain to take it apart again to check it.

The other thing to try is the IAC (Idle Air Controller). It's located attached to the throttle body on the back side. A black plug-in. It can be cleaned or replaced and has helped others with idle problems.

I know that you check the timing but check it again:
below is a story of a person that has the same problem that you have any finally fixed it the timing belt was off tooth.

I started disassembly from the top, just enough to get the top timing belt cover off and see the cam sprockets, and guess what. They appeared to be off by a tooth.

Fully disassembled, and when I got to looking at it to line it all up I realized something, the motor appears to be sitting at a slight slant, so although the lines looked even and lined up, the where actually slightly off. Tilting my head to the side to adjust for the engine tilt, taking extra extra care to line the marks up, I got what looked to be lined up timing marks.

This time, before putting everything back together, I said what the heck.
I got a friend to crank it over while I watched everything under the hood. The engine actually started and idled fine. Woo Hoo!

Put everything back together and she purrs like a kitten now.

So the morale to the story is, YES, you need to reset the timing marks, cause they are off.

I currently have started on a 2nd cruiser that has 97k and a water pump leak. Tear down was fast and easy, considering myself somewhat of a pro at it now.
Waiting for some ordered parts to come in and I will be making my approach on reassembling a 2nd cruiser and hoping I don't make the same timing mistake twice. Plus knowing this time I will crank, start, and run the engine for a minute before I reassemble it all.

I hope this chapter in my PT Cruiser book proves itself helpful to any and everyone out there that is adventuring into the timing belt area of a PT Cruiser, and if your in the central IL area, give me a shout and we can work something out to get yours fixed.

Sorry good buddy, I am just trying to make sure that you are competent! Now that you've done 50 timing belts I know I'm talking to someone that knows what they're doing, I only have one question, when you had to head off why didn't you take it in and have it checked? Why did the head have to come off? Was it because the engine was running rough? What I have figured out when you've got complicated problems sometimes you have to argue with each other before you get to the bottom of it. So let's relax and think about this. It will take me a while to read through everything again and digest it, maybe you will want to repost and see if another mechanic on the site will pick up and have some better answers.

I think I already mentioned to you that we have no access to our Mitchells on demand manuals at this time we were off-line, so it's hard for me to investigate the problem on your car but I do know this, the cam sensor and the crank sensor along with the coolant temperature sensor and the O2 sensor work together. If any of those sensors are bad or the wiring harness is bad to the sensor the computer cannot sync.

You will have to send me the model of the OTC scanner. At any rate, I am looking at the wiring diagram of the engine compartment, looks like orange wire 44 from the PCM supplies 9 V power to the following sensors: camshaft sensor, crankshaft sensor, vehicle speed sensor and the VSS SIG located on the transmission control module. All those are connected together and come back to the PCM under wire 33 they should all have 9 V. Have you checked that?