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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
That's a big job for little hands. One hasn't really lost their cherry unless they've put one on a V8. I laid on top of the engine just to get to it and had to buy $60 worth of tools just to remove and install. Mercedes engineers should be beat with a wet rope until sundown for placing these in such a precarious place.
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w163ml
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
I replaced my CPS on the ML320 by removing the front wheel-well piece and get better access to the CPS.
$60 worth of tools? What did you buy, 4-6" extensions? I only had to buy an "E8 - 1/4" external torx bit socket" for about $3 from NAPA since I have all the usual tools like wrenches and extensions.
By the way, even though I had most of the CPS failure symptoms the CPS was not the problem. I'll start a new thread on this. |
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
w163ml - 5/30/2008 12:44 PM I replaced my CPS on the ML320 by removing the front wheel-well piece and get better access to the CPS. $60 worth of tools? What did you buy, 4-6" extensions? I only had to buy an "E8 - 1/4" external torx bit socket" for about $3 from NAPA since I have all the usual tools like wrenches and extensions. By the way, even though I had most of the CPS failure symptoms the CPS was not the problem. I'll start a new thread on this. I bought a Craftsman torx set for $29.99, a set of 1/4" (12", 6" and 4") drive extensions and one universal I didn't even need. I already had a pair of stats (used them to put the new one in with). It was $55.00 and some change plus tax. The ML320 is even easier. A bit more room than the 430. I never needed to remove the wheel well, since I figured the heat shield would foil any decent attempts to get to it. |
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w163ml
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
Actually the heat shield is held on buy three nuts, pretty easy to remove once you get the wheel-well thing off (however, not sure on the 430 V8s).
Consider the $60 spent on tools as you own "reward" for doing the job yourself and saving big $$$ by not letting the stealer do it - since you get to keep the new tools.
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
w163ml - 5/31/2008 2:26 PM Actually the heat shield is held on buy three nuts, pretty easy to remove once you get the wheel-well thing off (however, not sure on the 430 V8s ). Consider the $60 spent on tools as you own "reward" for doing the job yourself and saving big $$$ by not letting the stealer do it - since you get to keep the new tools. :boink: Exactly. And I don't borrow tools. I figure if I need a tool once, chances are, I'll need it again so I buy them. Of course, there are many tools I've bought over the years I probably won't ever need, but I've got them if I do. I'll definitely need the torx set. I've been relying on the 16 point sockets to do the job. |
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
w163ml - 5/30/2008 12:44 PM I replaced my CPS on the ML320 by removing the front wheel-well piece and get better access to the CPS. $60 worth of tools? What did you buy, 4-6" extensions? I only had to buy an "E8 - 1/4" external torx bit socket" for about $3 from NAPA since I have all the usual tools like wrenches and extensions. By the way, even though I had most of the CPS failure symptoms the CPS was not the problem. I'll start a new thread on this. I just checked the wife's ML320 last night. It will be a breeze compared to the ML430. At least another 2 inches of room back there and no need to remove the wheel well. |
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w163ml
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
cmitch - 6/10/2008 9:12 AM
I just checked the wife's ML320 last night. It will be a breeze compared to the ML430. At least another 2 inches of room back there and no need to remove the wheel well.
To me, the biggest challenge on doing this job was to start screwing the CPS back on. In order not to strip the threads on the CPS (plastic housing and screw threads) I had to hand screw it in first but could never get the "feel" that the CPS was screwed on right. Had to take it out several times and put back in just to be sure.
I don't understand the (MB engineer's) logic behind letting the engine randomly shut down when this little part goes bad. It's just a magnetic part that tells the position of the moving crankshaft. Is not a CEL light sufficient to tell me the CPS is bad? Other than dangerously stalling the engine when driving?
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
I taped the torx socket to the 12" extension with black electrical tape. Then, I inserted the torx bolt into the socket and barely taped it on the socket with electrical tape. That way, once I got the screw started and screwed most of the way in, I could pull the extension and socket off the screw, remove the tape that held on the screw and reinserted it on the bolt for tightening. I used stats to place the CPS back in it's hole. The CPS does throw a code but the code does not throw the CEL. Go figure. |
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w163ml
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
cmitch - 6/10/2008 3:19 PM
I taped the torx socket to the 12" extension with black electrical tape. Then, I inserted the torx bolt into the socket and barely taped it on the socket with electrical tape. That way, once I got the screw started and screwed most of the way in, I could pull the extension and socket off the screw, remove the tape that held on the screw and reinserted it on the bolt for tightening. I used stats to place the CPS back in it's hole. The CPS does throw a code but the code does not throw the CEL. Go figure.
Since I got the wheel-well thingy off I could stick my hand into the opening and rely on the "touchy-feely" of my hand to start the thread but it must be the angle of the CPS that threw me off.
That's what I meant, no CEL for an important part like the CPS. Just don't know what the engineers were smoking when they designed this.  |
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texasdanml430
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| Re: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
thanks for all the details, guys. looks like its my turn, at 94000 miles. ugh. think i'll try the
rodney-recommended-wheel-well approach. it was a bit easier doing the
plugs on the drivers side, recently. |
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ABenzGuy
Regular
Date registered: May 2006
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Vehicle(s): '06 ML350; '97 C280
Posts: 76
| RE: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
w163ml: You don't say what year your ML is in your profile. What is it? Reason I'm asking is when I wanted to order one from "MercedesShop" I was asked if it is a single or double clip??? I gave him the VIN # and he still wanted to know just to be sure. Anyone else have this problem? Just trying to save myself a little time and crawling into the engine compartment in the winter. If your ML is an '03 ML320 I'm hoping mine will be the same. Thanks.
Edited by ABenzGuy 12/20/2008 5:27 PM
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
ABenzGuy - 12/20/2008 4:25 PM w163ml: You don't say what year your ML is in your profile. What is it? Reason I'm asking is when I wanted to order one from "MercedesShop" I was asked if it is a single or double clip??? I gave him the VIN # and he still wanted to know just to be sure. Anyone else have this problem? Just trying to save myself a little time and crawling into the engine compartment in the winter. If your ML is an '03 ML320 I'm hoping mine will be the same. Thanks. For some reason, the CPS was different on some models. Some had one groove and others had two grooves. He should've known which one you had if you gave him the VIN.
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: #%*&@! Crank Position Sensor
cmitch - 12/22/2008 9:59 AM
ABenzGuy - 12/20/2008 4:25 PM w163ml: You don't say what year your ML is in your profile. What is it? Reason I'm asking is when I wanted to order one from "MercedesShop" I was asked if it is a single or double clip??? I gave him the VIN # and he still wanted to know just to be sure. Anyone else have this problem? Just trying to save myself a little time and crawling into the engine compartment in the winter. If your ML is an '03 ML320 I'm hoping mine will be the same. Thanks. For some reason, the CPS was different on some models. Some had one groove and others had two grooves. He should've known which one you had if you gave him the VIN.
That's probably because Phil uses Bosch part numbers and parts - not MB numbered parts. |
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