2000 Jeep Wrangler

4.0L 6-cylinder
Manual transmission
102,000 miles

Customer complaint:
1) CEL illuminated
2) Dies while driving
when coming to
a stop
Stored DTC’s:
1) P0320 – No RPM signal to PCM

Parts replaced:
2) CKP sensor (Aftermarket, then two Mopar sensors)
3) CMP sensor (Aftermarket, then one Mopar sensor)
4) Fuel pump
5) Oil pressure sending unit
6) Oil pump
7) Powertrain control module
Verifying the concern
Check engine light is on
Engine dies while idling
Verified engine RPM drop with scan tool
Look at this spike
in engine RPM.
The engine should
not suddenly spin
this fast.

NO DATA indicates
the computer is
losing contact with
the scan tool.
Lets look at the RPM spike first. The dash tachometer jumps when
the RPM spike occurs. This indicates the PCM is interpreting a sudden
change in engine RPM and broadcasting this information to the IC and
the scan tool.

Is it possible for the engine crankshaft to change speed this quickly?

The speed change is +750 and then -750 in a fraction of a second. It
is very unlikely the speed of the crankshaft is changing this quickly.

But to make sure, we can look at the crankshaft position sensor and
camshaft position sensor signal on an oscilloscope while the concern
is occuring:
The engine RPM signal is calculated
from the CKP sensor input. The CKP
(and CMP) is a Hall effect sensor that
requires a 5V power supply, a sensor
ground, and a sensor signal. By back
probing at the PCM with the oscilloscope
at Pin A8 (Pin A18 for CMP) of connector
C1, we can observe the signal the PCM
is using to calculate RPM. Excessive
noise found on these signal lines can
cause the PCM to incorrectly calculate
RPM, causing the problems we’re
observing.
This is the signal from the
CKP while the concern is
occurring. These four peaks
from the CKP Hall effect sensor
correspond …

… to these four gaps on the crankshaft

tone wheel. This indicates the correct
signal is reaching the PCM. Now to check
the CMP signal.
This is the signal from the
CMP while the concern is
occurring. These square wave
signals from the CMP Hall
effect sensor correspond …

… to the blade inside the camshaft

synchronizer. Note the gear on the
end of the synchronizer – it engages
with a similar gear on the camshaft
and will spin at the same speed as
the camshaft. The flat blade at the
end of the synchronizer engages with
the oil pump.
Correct signals are getting
to the PCM, yet the PCM is
not calculating
engine RPM correctly.

We still have that pesky

problem of the scan tool
losing communication,
too.

Lets verify power and

ground to the PCM:

By backprobing into the

two power and two
ground wires to the PCM,
we can verify clean, noise
free power and ground
are available.
If the power or ground to the PCM had
excessive noise, then a likely
cause would be the alternator. The
alternator assembly has rapidly
rotating magnetic fields, and a series of
diodes designed to rectify this
high frequency AC into useable DC. If a
diode were failing, and did not
properly rectify part of the AC voltage,
then this noise would be visible
as a cyclic wave on the power and/or
ground at any load on the vehicle.
A quick way to rule out the alternator is to
unplug the field coil connection. If the
problem goes away, the alternator is at
fault.
There are other places where magnetic fields are generated and collapsed.
The ignition coil assembly is switched on and off rapidly, each time generating
strong magnetic fields and high voltages. A faulty ignition coil may allow noise
to backfeed into the PCM. We can backprobe the ignition coil driver pins to
see if excessive noise is entering the PCM at this location.
The ignition coil drivers are located at pins
A7 and A1 of connector C1, and pin B9 of
connector C2. Backprobing at these
locations should show us 0V when the coil
is charging, then switch to 12V when the
PCM triggers the coil. Remember building
the magnetic field takes a little time, but
collapsing the magnetic field happens very
quickly. The rapidly collapsing magnetic
field around the primary coil causes a very
high voltage to be generated in the
secondary coil. During this collapse, some
high voltage may be generated by the coil
on the primary side – this would show up
as a spike in our graph. Some noise after
coil firing is ok, but too much can cause
problems like we are seeing
This graph shows a
spike of 400V on a coil
driver circuit. Although
there isn’t a specification
for the maximum return
spike, 400V is probably
excessive. Enough to
warrant replacing the
ignition coil:

After ignition coil replacement,

the return spike is measured at
about 36V. Testing after repair
shows the tachometer no longer
twitches, the engine no longer
dies, and P0320 does not come
back. Exchanging the new coil
for the old coil brings the
symptoms back immediately –
further proving the old coil was
faulty.