Crankshaft
Every time you hit the road, your crankshaft works behind the scenes to keep your engine turning. Not heard of it? Not a problem!
You don’t need to be a mechanical expert to take care of your vehicle. However, understanding a few key components can help you avoid expensive repairs down the line. This essential engine component performs the crucial task of converting your pistons’ up-and-down motion into rotational force that ultimately powers your wheels.
Whilst crankshaft failures are uncommon, your engine’s overall health depends largely on consistent servicing. Fresh, high-quality oil and regular servicing prevent premature wear, ensuring everything functions perfectly for years to come.
The good news? Crankshafts are built to last, but they still require regular maintenance. So, whilst you shouldn’t need to worry about your crankshaft daily, keeping up with your service schedule is absolutely crucial. In this guide, we’ll provide Norwich and Wymondham drivers with a straightforward overview of what the crankshaft and its position sensor do, why they’re vital, and how regular servicing at CSN Autos protects both your engine and your finances.
Getting to Know the Crankshaft
The crankshaft is an indispensable part of any combustion engine. It sits in the lower section of your engine block. This precisely engineered component resides within the protective confines of your engine’s crankcase, with the oil pan mounted beneath it holding the essential lubricating oil.
The crankshaft is an extraordinary piece of engineering. It’s constructed to withstand tremendous forces, ensuring your engine runs smoothly and efficiently.
To keep everything operating properly, the crankshaft includes counterweights that significantly reduce vibration. It also features internal oil passages (oilways), allowing oil to flow through protecting it from the immense stresses experienced inside your engine.
This highlights why premium-quality oil and regular servicing are absolutely essential. Metal-to-metal contact would quickly cause excessive friction, heat buildup, surface scoring, and ultimately catastrophic engine failure without proper lubrication reaching these critical areas.
The Key Role of the Crankshaft
In basic terms, your crankshaft transforms the pistons’ linear motion into rotational energy. This rotation delivers power to your clutch, gearbox, and ultimately, your vehicle’s wheels. Simultaneously, the crankshaft drives the camshaft through a timing chain, belt, or gears, ensuring precise valve timing. It can also power essential components such as the alternator, water pump, and air conditioning compressor via pulleys.
What Might Go Wrong
Your crankshaft should last throughout your vehicle’s lifetime, provided you’ve followed the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. Crankshaft damage remains unusual when proper maintenance is performed, but when it does occur, it can cause devastating engine damage, requiring extensive rebuilding or complete replacement.
What’s more common in modern engines is crankshaft sensor failure. If your vehicle relies on the crankshaft position sensor for timing signals and it malfunctions, the engine cannot operate since the Engine Control Unit (ECU) requires this data for ignition and fuel injection timing.
Crankshaft Position Sensor
The crankshaft position sensor is an electronic component that monitors your engine’s crankshaft. Attached to the engine block, this sensor detects the crankshaft’s movement and generates signals indicating its rotational speed and precise position during operation.
Accurate crankshaft position monitoring is essential for modern engine operation. The ECU needs exact information about the crankshaft position to optimise spark timing and fuel delivery. Without this critical data, the engine won’t know when to fire the spark plugs or activate the fuel injectors.
A faulty crankshaft sensor may cause the engine to stall or, in some cases, prevent starting altogether, as the ECU cannot determine the crankshaft position. This makes the crankshaft position sensor an absolutely critical component.
Sensor or Crankshaft Gone Wrong?
If your crankshaft or position sensor begins failing, several symptoms may appear. Watch for these warning signs:
- Check Engine Light – A broken sensor will trigger the “Check Engine” light. This occurs because the ECU detects inconsistent or missing signals from the sensor and needs those signals to function.
- Unusual Noises or Vibration – Strange noises or vibrations may mean you have physical crankshaft damage, requiring immediate professional assessment by our experts at CSN Autos.
- Temperature-Related Failures – High temperatures take their toll on the crankshaft sensor, sometimes causing intermittent problems, such as the engine stalling and only restarting after cooling down.
- Engine Performance Issues – A failing sensor might cause engine misfiring, as the ECU cannot determine when to fire the spark plugs or activate fuel injectors correctly. You may notice rough idle, where your vehicle shakes or vibrates excessively when stationary. The engine might also deliver reduced power, resulting in sluggish acceleration.
- Difficulty Starting – If the position sensor fails to transmit the crankshaft’s data to the ECU, the engine may not start. When the engine is already running, you might not notice an issue regardless of whether the engine light appears, as the system estimates the crankshaft position based on previous data. Problems typically emerge only when you turn off the engine and attempt to restart it later.
Early detection is hugely important! Identifying these symptoms promptly can be hard, but recognising them early significantly increases your chances of preventing severe engine damage. Prompt professional inspection is strongly recommended.
Keep Your Crankshaft Running at Its Best
Keeping your crankshaft performing at its best doesn’t require complex knowledge—just a handful of straightforward maintenance habits. By adopting these, you’ll safeguard this hardworking engine component from unnecessary strain and potential breakdown:
Quality Oil Selection:
- At CSN Autos, we use only manufacturer-recommended oil specifications.
- Premium synthetic oils deliver superior protection for your crankshaft and bearings.
- Incorrect oil can lead to premature wear with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Regular Oil Changes:
- At CSN Autos, we strictly follow your vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines on oil change intervals as part of your regular service, preventing premature wear.
- Fresh oil provides crucial lubrication, removes harmful contaminants, prevents corrosion, and dissipates heat effectively.
Professional Servicing:
- Never miss your annual service! Our experts select and replace your oil during your service, as described above.
- Regular inspections allow early detection of potential issues before they cause significant damage.
Adhering to these maintenance practices will reduce the likelihood of unexpected and costly engine repairs in the future.
Your Trusted Partner in Car Maintenance
When it comes to crankshaft care, manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedules exist for good reason. We firmly believe prevention is always preferable to repair, and regular servicing is the key. As a Top Garage Finalist 2023 and winner of SME Southern Enterprise Awards Best Auto Repair Centre 2023 Norfolk, we’re the trusted local garage proudly serving drivers across Norwich and Wymondham. Our approach at CSN Autos has earned us a {{average-rating}} star Google rating from {{review-count}} satisfied customers.
With us, you’ll get:
- A comprehensive 12-month parts and labour guarantee
- Specialised tools for all inspections and repairs
- Guaranteed use of manufacturer-specified or premium OEM replacement components
- Outstanding value and completely transparent pricing
(OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. When it comes to vehicle parts, this means the parts are made by the same company that produced the original parts for the vehicle manufacturer)
Our dedicated team consistently delivers exceptional service. We prioritise your vehicle’s reliability, your safety on Norwich’s challenging roads, and your long-term peace of mind.
Don’t leave your engine’s health to chance. Call us on 01953 425983 with any questions about your crankshaft, crankshaft position sensor, or to schedule your next service. Our friendly experts are here to help keep you safely on the road.
