Finally going to get my 92 road worthy again.. Years ago me and a friend did the timing belt, afterwards the truck was severely underpowered, and if it stalled out it would be hard to start again having to pump the gas pedal, so i just took it to a shop to have them reset the timing.. They ended up telling me i needed a new crank sensor and harmonic balancer didnt even check the timing like i asked.. My understanding defective crank sensor will cause a no start, unless our trucks have a limp mode.. Could it just be a tooth off or bad crank sensor?

 

Welcome to the forum

You are correct, crank(CKP) sensor is the BIG KAHUNA of sensors, computer doesn't even know you are trying to start the engine if it doesn't have the pulse from crank sensor as crank turns passed it.
Computer has no connection to start motor, or even ignition key
When it see crank turning, from CKP sensor starting to pulse the RPM of crank, it starts spark and then fuel injector using that pulses timing

So no CKP pulse = no spark and no fuel injectors

No other sensor can cause a no start.


Yes if new timing belt was off then valve/piston timing would be off so instead of 160psi compression you would have 120psi, hard to start and gutless
Test compression, that will tell you right off if you need to go back in.

Now if you re-installed the crank sensor wrong or moved it when putting in the new timing belt then you would throw off spark timing and that would also make for hard starting and low power.
Shop may have needed to replace it if it was rubbing on crank/wheel.

Not uncommon for the crank pulley/harmonic balancer to get rotten rubber and need replacing, 25 years old now


And just as a heads up for future reference, with fuel injection there is no "gas pedal", its now an air pedal
With a carb there was an accelerator pump, so when you pressed down on the "gas pedal" gasoline actually squirted out and into the engine.
With fuel injection there is no accelerator pump, so when you press down on the pedal you are just opening the throttle plate and letting more air in, and thats all, pumping the air pedal just varies the air flow, and computer can't respond fast enough so no extra fuel is added when you pump the pedal