[JR Indy]

I'm not an expert on the Bosch system, but I have designed a few engine control systems, so this is my read on it. Also, not sure of what the specifics of your car were.

The hall effect sensor is also known as the camshaft position sensor. So, as you can now guess, it is used to determine the camshaft position. Another sensor, the crankshaft position sensor, is a variable reluctance type that is used to determine the -- you guessed it -- crankshaft position. Without the camshaft position sensor the DME can not provide sequential fuel injection and will instead use the crankshaft position sensor to provide fuel in a pseudo port fuel injection mode. Basically, it doesn't provide the most optimal timing for fuel delivery.

For spark, it will provide what is sometimes called waste spark (assumming it is not coil at plug - I don't know the 3.6 system) which delivers spark to the two oposing cylinders at a time. Some systems do this all of the time, tradeoffs are not important here.

So, yes a system will run without the "hall effect" sensor, or camshaft position sensor but with less than optimim performance. I may be off a little depending on the specifics of the 3.6 system.