hi i have a 99v fiat punto 1.2 which i bought for my missus. on the rocker cover is the cam sensor but it is not connected I have searched all over for the wires but cant find them. does the car on this year have to have the cam sensor plugged in?

is it a mk1 or mk2? if its running then could be its a mk1 engine with a mk2 cover so its running off the mk1 sensor

Its a mk2. It does start and run really well but it was judderin a bit before now that judderin has turn into really bad kangaroos when you try to accelerate. also it only does about 280miles to a full tank. dont know if any of this could be related but its doin my head in. Ive changed leads and plugs checked timing. Any ideas?

it has to be plugged in, am suprised it runs with out.
i try and find an enging bay pic, see if it helps

Didnt some of the older engines/ecu's not have the cam sensor?? So could be that its either the original ECU with a newer engine, or the original engine with an older ECU. Cant remember which way round it was.

Alan

some pics in here with out the airbox so can see more
https://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27965

looks like the wire comes from some where down the back left side looking from the front

If it was a matched engine and ecu (eg and ECU that requires CAM sensor input and an Engine with a cam sensor) and it simply wasn't plugged in, I wouldn't have thought it would have run at all. I am guessing that you have the old "pre cam sensor" ECU with the newer "cam sensored" engine.

Therefore at some point in your cars life, it has either had the engine or the ECU replaced.

I would still do as dave suggests and look for the wire just in case that isnt the case, but as i say, i would have thought you would have known about it if it should have been plugged in, ie car not starting.

Alan

Early Mk2's were Phase 2 and didn't have a phase (cam) sensor and also had a red fuel injection warning lamp.

Later models (approx 2000 onwards) were Phase 3, with a cam sensor (and modified cam pulley) and an amber warning lamp.

It suggest that you car has had a second-hand engine from a later car fitted and whoever did it couldn't be bothered to swap over the cam and belt covers. In fact I've known new engines to come from Fiat with the later covers and just a blanking piece fitted in the hole.

A cam-sensored ECU should run a non-sensored engine, though the injecting lamp will be on constantly as it will be asking for the sensor and phonic wheel learn procedure.