Is a crank sensor a voltage generating sensor?

Answer 1

In some setups a crank angle sensor can be a voltage generating (inductive) type sensor although in most cases they are a hall effect type sensor, which means they have a supply voltage, an earth as well as a signal wire which goes to the pcm.. but there are hall effect crank angle sensors which only incorporate two wires, a supply voltage of 5 volts and an earth, but the supply voltage wire is also the signal wire. The way this system operates is as follows, the PCM sends out a reference voltage from the PCM of 5 volts to the crank angle sensor, when the sensor comes into contact with one of the teeth on the tone wheel the voltage is earthed, as the tone wheel continues to turn the earth disappears leaving 5 volts of power, the frequency of this occuring (as well as striking number 1 TDC on the tone wheel) is the way the PCM determines engine RPM