I'm working on a 2001 Saturn SL1. The engine turns over but will not start. The battery is good (a little over 12 volts). It's getting fuel because you can smell the fumes but it won't start. Checked the ignition coils. They were below 8,000 ohms. They were replaced. Check the power to the ignition module and that's fine. Also, checked the crank position sensor and that was reading 771 ohms. That's within the range. The 4 codes received from the Actron scan tool are P0341 (camshaft position sensor A bank 1), P0732 (gear 2 ratio incorrect), P0733 (gear 3 ratio incorrect) and P0734 (gear 4 ratio incorrect). Any ideas on what the issue is?

 

did you just do an engine, tranny, or PCM swap?

 

None of those have been done.

A little background: Around the end of January, the ignition module was replaced. A couple of weeks after that, the car started but it turned off right away when it was being back up. It started up again and it was driven for about 5 miles. It sat for a few hours and it wouldn't start after that.

 

when did the SES light come on during all of this?

Have you recently replaced the valve body in the transmission?

 

The SES light was on when I used the scan tool. No, the value body was not replaced.

 

P0341 --- cam position sensor
S cars don't have one. Usually an issue with coil packs or DIS (ignition module).
However, you stated that the coil packs were replaced, and that the CPS is within spec.

Pull all 4 plug wires at the coil packs and crank the engine -- you should see arcing across each coil pack. If you don't, I would suspect CPS (or DIS module.)

CPS on these cars often have a slow intermittent death--but without a functioning crank position sensor you get NO Spark.
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Tranny codes --you may wish to check the electrical connection at the top of the valve body, and the underhood junction box fuses. But I suggest we get the vehicle running first and see after that if they are real or spurious (they may have been triggered by another electrical fault condition that was present).

 

Also -- have you tried jump starting the vehicle to rule out marginal battery and possible alternator issues?

 

The Crank Position sensor tested in the normal range and the ignition module was replaced before the problem started. It was replaced a 2nd time because we thought it was faulty. New coil packs were put on because they were tested under 8000 ohms. 3 out of 4 spark plug wires tested at good range. The 4th (shortest one) was not giving a reading at all. I figured it was too short to give a resistance reading.

 

Yes regarding the jump start. The battery tested good at above 12 volts.

 

Sounds like bad plug wire to me. If it gave no reading (infinite resistance) then it is an open circuit and you are running on three cylinders. Make sure the ends are free of corrosion where you're testing it.

Replace the plug wires (just do the whole set since you are not likely to get a single).

And please do the coil spark test I mentioned - this will confirm spark (you have confirmed fuel) and rule out the CPS as the issue.