micahdaniel Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I keep getting my Service Engine Soon notice on the dash. This happens for anywhere from 1-60 seconds and then goes away. It probably happens 15 times in a half hour road trip. It has been going on for about 3 weeks while slowly increasing in frequency. There are no performance problems. The code I get in history is: P041, No Cam Reference Signal From Ignition Control Module Should I be concerned? What should I check? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 My manual is for the 1997 model year and OBD II diagnostics. Here is what I see in my FSM. The camshaft position snesor is located on the rear cylinder bank (BANK1) in front o fhte exhaust camshaft. That's on the driver's side cam cover on the front of the engine, back by the firewall. Check and make sure that its connector is on tight, and that the wires are in good shape. If you have a clean connection to the sensor and still get the DTC and MIF light, check the sensor resistance and see if it is in the range of 800 Ohms to 2100 Ohms. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 I am pretty sure it is 4.9 not Northstar. Probably the best advice for those who have problems coming from inside of distributor to replace the whole thing that is the distributor instead of playing with internal components. Many went that way and ended up replacing the distributor. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted September 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 Yes, it is the 4.9--NOT Northstar. I just tuned it up a few weeks before and got into the distributor to replace the cap. I had sprayed some contact cleaner in there around the contacts. Maybe I shouldn't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted September 18, 2007 Report Share Posted September 18, 2007 It is definitely distributor related. A FSM would be invaluable at this point. You might try replacing the ICM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 It is definitely distributor related. A FSM would be invaluable at this point. You might try replacing the ICM. Where's the ICM at? Near the distributor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted November 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I replaced the ICM (ignition control module) with no change. I was going to leave it, but I had started to notice performance problems. In non-highway driving, I get power dips as I accelerate from a stop. After about 15mph, I don't notice it anymore. Sometimes its worse than other times, but if the ses light is off (which it is about half the time) I do not notice acceleration issues. Adallak said I should just replace the whole distributor. Considering the above, is that the best advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Well, I gave up waiting for a response on this and I finally broke down (not the car) and bought the distributor. But, as I looked the new one over, I realized that there are only 2 other electronic parts on there that I haven't already replaced (I already did the ICM). I decided to take the distributor back and go with the $40 magnetic pickup coil even though it requires removal of the distributor. Even if that wasn't it, the only other part (hall effect switch) was $60 and that would total less than the $125 for the whole distributor. That (the magnetic pickup coil) was it. I've been driving for several days with no more codes. I think I did mess the timing up slightly in the process though because I've noticed a slight lack of power. I'll have to get my timing light out this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Well, I gave up waiting for a response on this and I finally broke down (not the car) and bought the distributor. I think it is safe to say that if you don't get a response in a day, no one has an answer. Don't forget that there is a special procedure for checking base timing (which I forget). I remember that there is a green plug that needs to be unplugged if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted January 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 So I'm driving around last night and the check engine light blinks on a few times. Same code, P041. I really thought I had it. I'm sure I've never gone that long without it coming on (since this all started). I guess now I have to change the hall effect switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navion Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 One thing left to check would be slop between the distributor shaft and housing. Worn shaft bushings will cause the clearance between the reluctor (rotating magnent) and the hall effect pick up unit to change as the shaft wobbles. This could cause the problems that you are having. Take Care, Britt Britt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micahdaniel Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Well, it was the last active part in the distributor that I hadn't replaced . The hall effect switch. If this ever happens to someone else and you need to buy one, you may have to mention the pickup coil. Although the part name had "hall" and "effect" in it, the Autozone people only found it by typing in "pickup" and "coil." I've been driving it a whole bunch over the past few days and no more codes. I hope my experience helps somebody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Yes, the 'cam' sensor for a 4.9 is inside the distributor. The coils can go 'green' as well as the connectors. AutoZone...they try..once went in to buy the 'distributor' cap for a Quad 4. No such thing they said, I say true, but there is a module that directs the spark to different cylinders. It's looks like a COP setup but it moves it 2 cylinders over. Its bizarre, it is a plastic module that directs the spark to each cylinder. Anyway, they found it, it was literally in a white box on the shelf 4 feet away. In sight of where I was standing. #6 in the pic is the 'distributor....' Logan Diagnostic LLC www.airbagcrash.com www.ledfix.com www.ledfix.com/yukontaillightrepair.html www.ledfix.com/ledreplacements.html www.ledfix.com/j42385toolrental.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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