P0340 code (long list of troubleshooting details)
 

I've got an 06 Mitsubishi Lancer ralliart. Getting check engine light code P0340 and it is driving me up the wall and hoping someone can help.

Here is the background and what I have done so far. Sorry for this being long but I figured I would tell it all now instead of being asked later if I had done something. I got the car a couple weeks ago in a trade. The guy drove all the way from Tampa FL to Church Hill TN (about 12hrs). The car ran great and had no known issues at that moment. The next morning I crank the car and it starts and then immediately dies. The CEL P0340 came on. I cleared the code and it started back without issue, so I thought all was well. That day after work the car did the same thing and the same code came up. I ordered a Cam position sensor from O’Reilly’s, two days later when it came in, the car started knocking on the way to the parts store. I finally determined it was the hydraulic rod that adds tension to the timing belt tensioner pulley. I replaced the tensioner, the pulley, the timing belt, and put in the new sensor. After putting it all back together it would not start. I assumed I had messed up the timing, so I took it all back apart and verified all timing marks line up and they did. I put it all back together and still no start. I put the old cam position sensor in and it started ran for a few seconds but died and threw the same P0340 code. I assumed the new sensor was bad and the old one was on its last leg. I ordered another sensor to replace that one and when I installed it the car would not start. I put the old one in and it started but did same thing as before. I kept on starting it until the car was warmed up and then it ran pretty well. I put 15 miles on it that day after it warmed up and it missed 3 times during that trip but nothing too bad(just a typical miss, thought plugs at that point). The next day I went out and it would start and die again. I ordered a new set of Denso iridium plugs. Installed them and inspected all coils and cleaned the coils with contact cleaner while they were out. Put it back together and still the same. I checked the cam sensor circuit and it has good resistance to ground, 12v and 5v on the signal wire. I then thought maybe the battery was the issue so I swapped out the new optima battery off my Jeep and no change. I have since taken off all grounding cables and cleaned them and sanded away any oxidation and I also added a couple new ground wires just to be sure the motor and chassis are grounded well.

Now I am lost and need help. The next things I have thought about doing are checking the connector on the throttle position sensor(not sure why but a friend said that could be causing it too), and changing the crank position sensor, but I have to remove all the pulleys and the timing belt cover again and that is getting old lol. Also I thought about ordering a new cam sensor from Mitsubishi instead of O’Reilly’s.

Side note the car has an aftermarket security system on it, it’s an auto mate AM1. It piggy backs off of the factory door locks and arms and disarms with the factory keyless remote. It doesn’t appear to go to anything that would affect this but I am going to remove it anyway.

I would install a good known factory cam sensor and then also subsitute the crank sensor if the factory cam sensor has no affect

I've got a factory Mitsubishi cam sensor ordered. Crossing fingers

Ive had the wrong sensor straight from the dealer so....

The sense got here today and it's a no go. It was the correct sensor but nothing changed.

Have you inspected crank sensor reluctor wheel and verified mechanical timing?

The crank sensor looked fine when i had the timing cover off. I took it back off to verify timing and it runs good one is warmed up. I think my next step will be to order a crank sensor.

I hate to be the one to throw parts at it but.....
Also makesure you dont have any bent pins in either connector.

I figured it out. The cam positioning cylinder was loose. Actually it was missing the bolt that holds it in. One of the previous owners had to have taken it apart and put it back together without the bolt in. No clue why anyone would have done that. Either way it's fixed now, thanks for all the help.

Good stuff