Saturday, 16 May 2026

Perodua Alza Old ( Lama ) 2010 Crankshaft Position Sensor Faulty (Worn Out) Not Faulty

⚠️ Old Perodua Alza 2010 Crankshaft Position Sensor Symptoms and Hidden Problems

If you own an old Perodua Alza and suddenly experience random engine problems, difficult starting, or sudden loss of power while driving, there is a high chance the crankshaft position sensor may already be worn out.

The tricky part is that the sensor may not fail completely at first. Instead, it slowly becomes unreliable over time, causing intermittent problems that are difficult to diagnose.

Many owners end up replacing unrelated parts such as spark plugs, ignition coils, fuel pump, or even battery before discovering the actual culprit.


๐Ÿ”ง What Does the Crankshaft Position Sensor Do?

The crankshaft position sensor is responsible for detecting the rotation and position of the engine crankshaft.

This information is sent to the ECU (Engine Control Unit) so the engine can properly control:

  • Fuel injection timing

  • Ignition timing

  • Engine synchronization

  • RPM detection

Without accurate readings from this sensor, the engine can behave unpredictably.


๐Ÿšจ Symptoms of a Worn-Out Crankshaft Position Sensor

From real-world experience with an old Alza 2010, these were the common symptoms before total failure happened.

1. Occasionally Difficult to Start Engine

Sometimes the engine cranks normally but takes longer to start.

Other times it may require several attempts before ignition happens.

This usually occurs because the sensor reading becomes unstable when hot or worn.


2. Sudden Loss of Power While Driving

One of the scariest symptoms is when the car suddenly loses acceleration power while driving.

At the same time:

  • The check engine light appears

  • RPM response becomes sluggish

  • Pressing the accelerator feels delayed

  • Vehicle struggles to gain speed

The engine may still run, but power delivery becomes inconsistent.


3. Car Won’t Start in “P” but Starts in “N”

This symptom can be confusing.

Sometimes the engine refuses to start while the gear is in Park (P), but surprisingly starts when shifted to Neutral (N).

This can mislead owners into suspecting:

  • Gearbox issue

  • Neutral safety switch

  • Battery problem

However, in some cases, the unstable crankshaft sensor signal contributes to inconsistent starting behavior.


4. Random Low and High Power While Driving

The driving experience becomes uncomfortable and unpredictable.

Sometimes the car feels normal.

Other times:

  • Power suddenly drops

  • Engine response becomes rough

  • Acceleration feels uneven

  • RPM behavior becomes inconsistent

It may feel like the engine is “confused” during acceleration.

This is often a sign the crankshaft sensor is deteriorating but has not fully failed yet.


๐Ÿ› ️ Replacing the Sensor

The faulty sensor was eventually replaced with a non-original crankshaft position sensor.

Surprisingly, the replacement worked quite well and restored:

  • Smooth acceleration

  • Easier engine starting

  • Stable power delivery

  • Normal driving feel

However, long-term durability is still uncertain compared to a genuine original part.


๐Ÿ” Difference Between Genuine and Non-Genuine Sensor

The replacement sensor carried the laser engraved part number:

90919-05043

At first glance it looks authentic, but closer inspection revealed differences.

Genuine Denso Version

  • Laser engraving aligned properly with the bolt hole

  • Cleaner finishing

  • More precise alignment

Non-Genuine Version

  • Engraving slightly offset from the bolt hole alignment

  • Slightly different finishing quality

Even though the non-original version works, build quality differences can sometimes indicate shorter lifespan or lower heat resistance.


๐Ÿ’ก Important Lesson

A partially worn crankshaft position sensor can create confusing intermittent problems that appear and disappear randomly.

Because the engine may still run, many people overlook the sensor until the issue becomes severe.

If your old Alza shows:

  • Random no-start issues

  • Sudden power loss

  • Check engine light

  • Uneven acceleration

  • Intermittent driving behavior

then the crankshaft position sensor should definitely be inspected early before replacing other expensive components unnecessarily.


๐Ÿš— Final Thoughts

For aging vehicles like the 2010 Alza, electrical sensors naturally degrade over time due to:

  • Engine heat

  • Vibration

  • Oil contamination

  • Age-related wear

The crankshaft position sensor may be small, but once it becomes unreliable, it can make the entire vehicle feel unstable and frustrating to drive.

Replacing it early may save:

  • Diagnostic costs

  • Unnecessary part replacements

  • Breakdowns on the road

  • Long-term driving stress

Sometimes a tiny sensor causes the biggest headaches.

Sunday, 10 May 2026

The Hidden Danger of Reckless DIY Transmission Fluid Change on an Old Perodua Alza

Doing your own car maintenance can save a lot of money. For many owners of the Perodua Alza, changing transmission fluid at home feels like a simple and straightforward task. Drain the old fluid, replace the filter, refill the oil, and everything should work perfectly again.

But sometimes a small mistake during a DIY repair can slowly turn into a nightmare that takes months to diagnose.

The Beginning of the Strange Gear Problem

After performing a transmission fluid service on an old Alza, random transmission issues started appearing unexpectedly. The strange part was that the issue did not happen all the time, making it extremely difficult to trace.

Some days the car drove normally.

Other times, the transmission behaved as if the gear never properly locked into place.

When pressing the accelerator pedal, the engine RPM stayed unusually low and the car struggled to move beyond around 30 km/h. Even flooring the pedal produced very little power pickup. It felt as if the engine was being held back or the transmission was slipping badly.

Naturally, many possible causes came into mind.

The Endless Troubleshooting Process

Because the symptoms felt similar to engine power loss, multiple inspections and repairs were carried out over time, including:

  • Inspecting possible clogged fuel pump issues

  • Replacing the crankshaft position sensor

  • Changing spark plugs

  • General engine inspections

  • Checking ignition-related components

Despite all the effort and money spent, the issue still randomly returned.

This made the diagnosis even more frustrating because the car could behave perfectly fine for days before suddenly losing power again.

The Real Problem Was Hidden Inside the Transmission Pan

Eventually, another issue appeared — a snapped bolt on the transmission oil pan.

This forced the transmission fluid to be drained again so the pan could be removed and repaired.

That was when the real cause of the mysterious problem was finally discovered.

The transmission filter had completely fallen off inside the oil pan.

The moment the pan was opened, the filter could be seen sitting loosely at the bottom instead of being properly secured in position.

This meant:

  • The filter was never properly fitted during the earlier DIY service

  • Transmission fluid was not being filtered correctly

  • Fluid flow inside the transmission became inconsistent

  • Hydraulic pressure for gear shifting was affected

  • The transmission occasionally failed to engage gears properly

In automatic transmissions, fluid pressure is extremely important. The transmission relies on proper fluid circulation to engage clutches, valves, and gear changes smoothly.

When the filter becomes loose or detached, the transmission may struggle to pull sufficient fluid consistently. This can create delayed shifting, slipping gears, low acceleration response, or random loss of driving power.

A Small Mistake That Became a Big Problem

What made the situation dangerous was how deceptive the symptoms were.

The problem looked like:

  • Fuel delivery issue

  • Sensor malfunction

  • Ignition weakness

  • Engine power loss

But the actual root cause was hidden deep inside the transmission pan all along.

One improperly seated transmission filter caused months of confusion and unnecessary repairs.

Important Lesson for DIY Mechanics

DIY repairs are rewarding and educational, but automatic transmissions require extra care and attention.

During a transmission fluid service:

  • Always ensure the transmission filter is properly locked into place

  • Double-check rubber seals and O-rings

  • Inspect whether the filter can move loosely before closing the pan

  • Tighten bolts evenly using correct torque

  • Never rush reassembly work

A transmission may still appear to work normally even with mistakes hidden inside, but over time the symptoms can become severe and unpredictable.

Final Thoughts

Older vehicles like the Perodua Alza can still remain reliable for many years, but small overlooked mistakes during maintenance can create complicated issues that are difficult to diagnose.

Sometimes the biggest problems come from the smallest parts.

And in this case, a simple transmission filter that was never properly secured ended up causing random gear problems, power loss symptoms, and countless hours of unnecessary troubleshooting.

Friday, 17 April 2026

Fuel Pump Removal and Installation Guide for Perodua Alza 2010

There are several steps you can follow to make removing the existing fuel pump safer and easier before installing a new one.

Step 1: Relieve Fuel Pressure (Important Safety Step)

First, remove the EFI fuel fuse to stop the fuel pump from operating and to prevent pressure buildup in the fuel hose.
Then, crank the engine 1–2 times to release any remaining fuel pressure inside the hose.

This step is important because it helps prevent fuel from spraying out when you disconnect the fuel lines later.


Step 2: Access the Fuel Pump

The fuel pump is located underneath the rear left passenger seat.

  1. Remove the left rear seat.

  2. Unscrew the seatbelt bolt on the left passenger side.

  3. Slightly lift the rear seat to detach the carpet from the seat clips.

  4. Pull the carpet aside to expose the fuel pump access panel.


Tools Required

  • 14mm socket spanner (or impact wrench) – for seat bolts

  • 17mm socket spanner (or impact wrench) – for seatbelt bolt

  • 6mm socket or Phillips screwdriver – for fuel pump screws/bolts


Extra Tip

Using an impact wrench can significantly speed up the process, especially when dealing with tight or old bolts.










Sunday, 22 March 2026

Old Perodua Alza 2010 - Check Engine Light, No Power, and Difficulty to Start Engine

๐Ÿš— When Your Perodua Alza Loses Power… It Might Not Be What You Think

Have you ever experienced your Perodua Alza 2010 suddenly showing the check engine light, losing power when accelerating, and becoming difficult to start after shutting it off?

๐Ÿ˜“ It’s a frustrating situation — and your mind immediately starts racing.

You might assume that something serious has failed, and begin suspecting parts like:

๐Ÿ”ง Crankshaft Position Sensor
๐Ÿ”ง Camshaft Position Sensor
๐Ÿ”ง Fuel Injectors
๐Ÿ”ง Spark Plugs
๐Ÿ”ง Ignition Coils
๐Ÿ”ง Fuel Pump
๐Ÿ”ง Relays
๐Ÿ”ง IAC (Idle Air Control Valve)

So you start checking… and checking… and checking.

⏳ Hours go by. Maybe even days.

But everything seems fine.

At this point, you might convince yourself:
“Something must be faulty… I just haven’t found it yet.”

And that’s when costly replacements start becoming very tempting.


๐Ÿ’ก The Unexpected Discovery

I learned this the hard way.

After spending days troubleshooting and overthinking the issue, the real cause turned out to be something incredibly simple:

๐Ÿ‘‰ A clogged fuel pump filter

Yes — that’s it.

No expensive sensors.
No major component failure.
Just a blockage affecting fuel flow.


๐Ÿงช How I Found Out (Without Opening Anything)

Here’s the interesting part.

I didn’t even remove the fuel pump to inspect it.

Instead, I tried a simple and affordable solution:

๐Ÿ›ข️ Mr. DIY Aeropak Petrol Fuel System Cleaner

After pouring it into the fuel tank, something amazing happened:

✅ Check engine light disappeared
✅ Engine power returned
✅ Car started normally again

And the best part?

๐Ÿ’ฐ It only cost around RM7.00


๐Ÿคฏ The Lesson Learned

Sometimes, we tend to:

❌ Overthink the problem
❌ Assume the worst-case scenario
❌ Spend time and money replacing parts blindly

When in reality, the issue might be something small and easily fixable.

It’s honestly frustrating to realize that after all the effort, the solution was so simple… and so cheap.


✅ Final Advice

Next time you experience:

⚠️ Check engine light
⚠️ Loss of power
⚠️ Difficulty starting

Before jumping into expensive repairs…

๐Ÿ‘‰ Try a simple fuel system cleaner first.

It might just save you:

๐Ÿ’ธ Money
⏱️ Time
๐Ÿ˜ต Stress


Sometimes, the smallest fix makes the biggest difference.






Friday, 18 April 2025

MotoLube 5w50 Engine Oil Review After First Time Use

๐Ÿš— First Time Trying MotoLube 5W30 – Surprisingly Impressive!

So I recently tried MotoLube 5W30 brewed by Yokohama Malaysia, and let me tell you—this budget-friendly oil took me by surprise.

๐Ÿ”ง The Discovery

I picked up a bottle from SK Hardware 6th Mile Kuching for only RM98—yes, only RM98! At first, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve been using Perodua’s standard engine oil on my old Alza for quite some time. It gets the job done, but never really impressed me.

⚙️ The First Drive

After the oil change, I immediately felt the difference. The engine felt noticeably lighter, almost identical to how it feels with Shell Helix HX7 5W30. Throttle response improved, and it even felt like I gained a bit more torque. For a car like mine, that’s a big deal.

๐Ÿ’ก Performance vs. Price

Based on experience, MotoLube performed nearly on par with Shell Helix HX7. What shocked me was that it outperformed Perodua’s own engine oil, and yet cost less—at least at the time. And here’s the kicker:

Fuel consumption dropped from 12L/100km to 9.9L/100km.
That’s a huge win in terms of fuel economy for my Alza.

๐Ÿ˜ฎ The Price Hike

Naturally, I went back to grab another bottle a week or two later. But to my dismay, the price had shot up to nearly RM135—almost matching the Shell Helix price. Yeah, I was a bit disappointed. But honestly? I get it.

If I were MotoLube, I’d raise the price too. They clearly know they’ve made something good.


๐Ÿ”š Final Thoughts

If you can still find MotoLube 5W30 at a good price, don’t hesitate—grab it. It gives premium oil performance at a budget price (well, it did). It made my engine smoother, lighter, and more fuel-efficient, and that’s everything I want in a good engine oil.

Let’s just hope SK Hardware does another promo soon. ๐Ÿ˜…





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