Somehow it’s been running (but roughly) for the past 2+ years or so, with all three wires to the CKPS missing molten/dryrotted insulation and intermittently shorting out.
I really don’t know how his vehicle ran as long as it did with such a faulty part, like that’s the sensor that tells the spark plugs when to fire and the fuel injectors when to spray…
Now it’s running pretty smooth again, still a couple minor hiccups here and there, but nothing like it was.
Our model’s CKPS is apparently entirely in control of the spark plug and fuel injector timing. Though obviously not all vehicles are designed that way.
When the sensor totally failed, there was no spark or fuel to any of the 6 cylinders. New sensor got it back running 👍
As far as the timing chain, that’s on the other side of the engine on this model. The timing chain is what physically keeps the crankshaft in time with the valves, totally other part of the system, but still closely related.