Well it was bound to happen. I was driving home from the park on the interstate and pulled off an exit. When I got to the top the rover just stopped and wouldn't crank back. It sounded like it was turning over just fine. I let it sit for a while waiting for a tow and then it cranked and I was able to drive to a friends house about 5 minutes away but again as soon as I slowed at a stop sign it died.

So I called the tow back from my new location. After letting it sit about 15 minutes it cranked back. The temps are good, but I had to add a good bit of oil in it and it has a pending P0174 on the UltraGuage. I'm not sure if it was an oil pressure issue? I'm currently sitting in it idleing waiting for the tow to be safe.

Any ideas of what to check when I get it home?

 

So as I was sitting here contemplating how nice it was to have ac while I wait it died again.

No abnormal sounds or sputtering its like it just turned off even though lighted and electronics still work.

 

Crank angle sensor. You'll find it behind the right side exhaust manifold, bolted to the bell housing.

$65 at any AutoZone, about an hour to swap out, you'll need a 7mm socket and 1/4" ratchet to remove the cover, a 13mm wrench to remove the harness bracket from the rear of the head, and an 8mm ratchet to remove the sensor itself. Pay attention to the order it all goes back together.

Consider it a rite of passage. I just went through this last Friday.

 

Seconded. I had exactly the same issue back in the winter and I contemplated how nice it would be to have heat.

Just a note, the $65 AutoZone part is still a Bosch part, it's just in the house brand's box.

 

Do the attached pictures show the crank sensor? I remember the previous owner mentioning they replaced it (or something that sounds similar if I took the wrong pic), and they cut through the wheel well to access it.

Maybe all that oil dripping down had something to do with its failure?

 

Yup, thats the crank position sensor.

 

Yep, that's it. Jeez, what a destructive way to change it. I'd recommend after you've replaced it again you take some self drilling screws and sheet metal and cover that hole. Oil drip pans work well because they're galvanized and thin enough to cut easily. Like $11 for one at WalMart.

 

ಠ_ಠ

The oil leak will definitely cause that sensor some grief.

 

Lucky8 has a good video on this:

 

Drop the exhaust?

Unless your studs and nuts are brand new, you're probably going to snap at least one, which would make this job 11ty billion times more difficult.

It takes a little longer, but you can do it without removing the exhaust.