P1381 Camshaft Position Sensor 1 Circuit Malfunction

Good morning.

With this code, I always replaced the distributor with a remanufactured one that contains all the sensors. I have never had any luck replacing just the sensors due to the shaft being worn in the distributor itself.

Roy

P1381
Descriptor
Probable Causes
Distributor Ignition Housing
Engine Control Module (ECM)/Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
Poor Connections or Loose Terminals Between Distributor and Engine Control Module (ECM)/Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
Wire Between Engine Control Module (ECM)/Powertrain Control Module (PCM) C4 and Distributor Shorted
Wire Between Engine Control Module (ECM)/Powertrain Control Module (PCM) C4, C14 and Distributor Open

P1381
The scan tool indicates Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1381: Intermittent interruption in the Cylinder Position (CYP) sensor circuit.

DESCRIPTION
The CYP Sensor detects the position of No. 1 cylinder for sequential fuel injection to each cylinder.

Thanks Roy, I am going to check it out today. When you say re-manufactured do you mean at the Honda dealership instead of AutoZone Carquest and other places? Hopefully this works out and I hope it is not the shaft itself under the valve cover that would be bad. :( Again thanks more replies would be more helpful. :)

The shaft is part of the distributor.

AutoZone, Advanced, Pepboys and O'Reilly's all carry the unit.

Roy

So all I need the cap because I have replaced the distributor rotor only not the cap, correct? or I do not know. :( I am just ready to buy it now and give it a shot if not I will buy a new ECM/PCM.

Not the ECM at all. Do not waste your money on that.

Correct, just the cap.

Roy

Okay Roy, I am going to go for your word and go get this cap right now and give it a shot. I am having fingers and toes crossed and wish me luck. Again thanks so much. :) I will replay to see what happens. :)

Cap?

I suggested the entire distributor not just the cap.

Roy

Oh, because I purchased the distributor rotor like a month ago and I lost the receipt. :( So should I just might as well get the entire distributor or the cap only? Sorry that is why I wanted to figure this out because my money is going and going. :(

The entire distributor as I suggested. It does not come with the cap.

Roy

Sorry, I mean I did not buy the distributor cap only the distributor rotor at AutoZone like a month ago, but I am going to Carquest or Advance Auto parts tomorrow to see if I can solve this. I do have a bit of corrosion just small little blue sprinkles on the battery do I need to replace or just wash off? Thanks Roy and if anyone can reply please do I really need the help. :/ Thank you all.

Yes, you need to clean off the battery. Use baking soda to neutralize the acid build up on the battery.

Roy

Okay, again thanks. I am going to get another entire distributor and clean off the battery and if shows engine light I will ask for a scan tool right after I buy the distributor and after I will go back and ask for a scan tool again. Thanks and wish me luck today.

Sounds like a plan.

Roy

So, I got the distributor in order so I have to wait until it comes in the store. I asked for the scan tool again and pops up p1381 cylinder position sensor. The second is the cylinder position noise and on the screen when it says cylinder position noise the top right screen says ECM above page 2 of the screen of the code P1381.

Alternator? But it looks in good shape or good condition and I can still see somewhat tag on the alternator from Carquest.

No to the alternator.

Codes never tell you parts, it just tells you the system failure.

Roy

hmm, like it turns on every three times I crank it. Turns on very nice and car is good everything good, but when I drive and when I make a stop or press brake sounds like it is slowing like ruddy small noise almost like it is losing power and could possibly turn off. It is on if it continues like that and sometimes the mph odometer messes up that the arrow is stuck on the 20 mph but the rpm is fine. But, yea when driving at night I can see the light of the dashboard that when I make a stop at a red light after a complete stop I can see the lights fading on the dashboard like it is about to lose power. Any suggestion of the part or still distributor?

That is some new information. If the lights are dimming, check the belt tension on the alternator. If it is good and tight, then yes, you may have a failure in the alternator, but it is not related to the code.

Roy

That would be weird if it is because the last two parts I am thinking in my mind is the camshaft engine part inside the engine under the valve cover or the ECM/PCM, but should I get the alternator as well or try the distributor?

The distributor is for the 1381 code.

The alternator is for the lights dimming. You have two separate issues.

Roy

Hey Roy, I have checked the belt on the alternator and it is pretty weak and bad like I see two tiny little tears on the belt. I also see small cracks on the belt and it feels loose not tight.

Replace it first and see if the issue still happens.

If you have a voltmeter check the voltage at the battery with the engine running. It should be 14 to 14.5 volts.

Roy

Okay will do and I do not, but I will ask a friend or do you know If any auto parts do it for free testing? I am going to charge it just it in case. Here is a first video. I have replaced the distributor and it turns on the first time and sometimes the second time now, but still sounds like idley.

Do you have an email I can send it to you from? Because I am using my neighbor WIFI and I do not have enough service to download the video to post.

Here:

I can post another tomorrow if I can by showing the engine and everything.

So it starts when I crank it like the second time or third time and like the rpm arrow is good at first, but then when gets down to 0 or close to 0. Sounds like car is rigidly or like a shake for like three or four seconds and then runs fine. But, when I press the gas pedal lightly to see if it sounds like its about to turn off with that shake rigidly feeling and it does but when pressing all the way its fine. Just as I show on my video but when I start it again another time the car jerks. It is so annoying on every gear I shift like it is about to shut off while I am driving after every shift. I have new battery and distributor and code still shows the same of p1381. It is nerve wracking, lol. I really need help. :(

Before we say the PCM is bad lets check the wiring from the distributor to the PCM. Here is a guide to help us get started and the engine wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works. It sounds like you have one wire that is broken.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

MIGUEL, we need to make sure the wiring is good. Please run the test above.

Actually I am 85% that I found out the cause. I need to replace my gaskets on the valve so I got the valve cover gasket kit because there was a lot of oil in the spark plugs so changing them as well. After that I am going to do a compression test. If the cylinder head is good or at least one cylinder misfire so I can use the product Restore for compression and if more than two cylinder then I am getting a new cylinder head. I have checked the wiring from distributor to the ECM looks fine, but since you said one wire I am definitely going to check it again with the test you showed me and thank you for that. Truly, because it is a drag getting this baby back on the road. But I will check the wiring test that you show me, but I think it is the PCM because the cover is rusted bad but still some metal around. It looks like it have been humid like it has been in a sauna because I see water like a water bottle spray been sprayed all over the cover even in the inside cover housing of the PCM. I am going to take out the cover to check the PCM/ECM tomorrow or this night hopefully, because I am thinking it got corroded or humid water must be worn it out or something. I hope it is only one more again thank you so much so, so much. Having my fingers crossed. :))))

Yep, any moisture will cause the issue. Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.

Cheers, Ken

So, I am confused. I looked in under the ashtray that ob2 plug for the scan tool and follow the wires to the ECM/PCM also the wires from the distributor to the ECM/PCM they look fine. I did not want to take the plastic black stuff off because the wires look too good to me. But I want to be sure I am not holding the TCM because I could not find another computer on the other side or in the middle of the radio but on the passenger side under the feet cover. It was only one computer with three connections and I want to make sure if that is the ECM/PCM not the TCM on my car. But, yea I see that there is small corrosion. I am going to post a video and pictures of the computer. It is a 1996 computer it shows the date.

Here are the pictures:

I will upload the video tomorrow. But I have seen the ECM and as you can see the joints are corroded for such an old computer. I do not know if you can see that but the joints are like yellow and at first I thought it was normal copper joints, but it was not it was brown yellowish corrosion around all joints and its small brownish spots on corners of the plate chip itself on the back side. The picture shows the front.

Yep, that does not look good. Can you smell a burnt electrical odor? If so I would get a used PCM and plug it in to see what happens. These computer sit low in the car and are subject to moisture.

Okay, will do and no but it did smell like an odor of like a weird moisture metal smell a little but definitely smell moisture right after I pull out the rug and see the cover. But yes I am going to wait until Friday (payday) to get the computer. And do my valve cover gasket kit and check my cylinders with a compression test. Hopefully they are good if not that is not good. Going to have to get a cylinder head and go to a real mechanic shop. So they can save the timing when they install it because I do not know how to do that. Haha. But hopefully again they are good. Thanks for everything Roy and Ken you guys are very very helpful, I thank you a lot. :))))

Good to hear. :) Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

Hello I am back and still have problems. :/ So I have changed the valve cover gasket with the kit and new spark plugs got a computer from the junkyard and tested two of them from the old and from the junkyard and same problems. Cranks but it does not start. I bought a new distributor with OEM parts online at RockAuto and my model is a DX engine is f22b2 just throwing it out there. Because I found out that is my model of my car, but still it sounds like the distributor or the connectors or like you said the wire with the connectors of the distributor that a wire might be broken. :/ How do I test that when I find the wire?

Thanks for the video it sounds like you have love compression in one or more cylinders. Does the engine have spark? If so will it run on starting fluid?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

*drum roll* :)) It was the coil the ignition coil connects to thee spark plug wires and a new computer which I got from the junkyard. But my gauge on my MPH sometime acts and get stuck on 20 MPH when I am going over then that when I am driving the the RPM gauge is no problem.