E41 code on 93 deville 4.9

[beefy]

Hello, you may remember me from a while back, I have a 93 4.9 Deville. I get intermittent EXTREME lack of power and the engine sounds like theres pistons slapping or something rubbing. The only code I have is E41 (current intermittent) also had e98 and e99 (history). I understand e41 is the cam sensor in the distributer. Im alittle rusty... when I take the dist cap off to replace the sensor, what do I have to keep track of. If I remember right the rotor shouldnt move so just keep track of the original orientation of the cap to the body? Can someone please refresh my memory.

[Ranger]

If all you take off is the cap, there is nothing to keep track of. It will only go back on one way and likewise for the rotor as I recall.

[Cadillac Jim]

I would never put a used cap and rotor back on unless they were recently replaced. A new cap and rotor may even solve part or all of your problem. The price is right, too, and as Ranger says, they only go on the right way.

[KHE]

I believe the distributor needs to come out to replace the cam sensor on the 4.9 engine.

[beefy]

Ok repair accomplished, yea the dist needed to come out to get an angle on the bolts. The cap and rotor are about 10k old, same on plugs and wires. I couldnt get the dist. to line up with my marks when it went back in and the timing was off a bit, seeing as I dont have a timing light I dropped it off at a shop to do in the morning. I also got an ignition coil for 15 bucks new so I replaced it since I had the cap off. the gears and shaft of the thing seemed ok. Should I do anything else while Im at this?

[KHE]

In order to set the timing in the 4.9, the car needs to be put in the "set timing" mode by connecting pins A and B on the diagnostic connector together. Then use an inductive timing light to set the timing to the specification on the underhood decal.

[beefy]

In order to set the timing in the 4.9, the car needs to be put in the "set timing" mode by connecting pins A and B on the diagnostic connector together. Then use an inductive timing light to set the timing to the specification on the underhood decal.

My car is running extremely poorly. at idle it sounds like an old muscle car but there is absolutely no power there at all, I dialed in the timing best I could and its still sputtering. I even took it to a shop and paid the guy an hour to make sure the timing was right, he said I has switched the 2 wires nearest the firewall and the timing was corrected. Still sputtering. I tried to dial in the timing in again and in between the 2 points where the engine dies I found the smoothest running spot(I dont have a timing light). With the connectors jumped the car idles smoothly I pull the jumper then it surges and sputters till it dies. With teh connector jumped, fine though. Anyone know what circuit that actually jumps? I noticed the electronics inside the distributor were extremely dry and brittle from the heat but still intact.

[beefy]

I eventually found the problem. the nutjob that fixed the wired and the timing left one of the wires sitting on the exhaust manifold, hence the sputtering. THe car runs beautifully now, needs a new muffler and cat though. The car still stalls at lights though. The isc keeps kicking out to keep the engine going, making the engine surge. But it eventually does die. The Distributor seems to me shaking a bit but I can't tell if its only doing it when the engine shakes. I have a new car as a daily driver now I just want to get this worked out as a matter of princable.

[adallak]

I would put a new distributor in.