Camshaft Position Sensor - Any advice?

[sperold]

While pricing a camshaft sensor, I noticed Standard Motor Products has a "T" series product line that is $15.00 less expensive than the regular product line. Has anyone used one of these, and are they OK?

When changing one of these things, do I need anything else to go along with this?

 

[JRA2000TL]

Edit....misread the post. Thought you meant crank sensor at first. The cam sensor I bought was $30. It was a Wells IIRC. Never heard of one that's $15 cheaper. Check Rock Auto and see what they have. CID is easy to replace, not much to take out of the way, nothing else that would necessarily get replaced when you do that. CPS is diff... and that's what I started to post about in the beginning.

 

[Rubix]

As said, the CID replacement is a pretty straight forward change. Two 8mm bolts. The SHOPP is right on the money with this procedure as you probably know. It might help to pull the power steering reservoir up and get the lines out of the way, I zip tie it up to something to hold it.

Yours has failed I assume? (duh right?)

 

[sperold]

Thanks for the advice.
No, mine has not failed, and the car starts and runs well.
My only issue is my tachometer doesn't work half the time. After sitting for 6 months or so, the tach usually works when I start up and then drops to zero 10 minutes later.
Every now and then it resumes working.
It is an 89 if that matters.

 

[JRA2000TL]

I removed the p/s reservoir (2 bolts on the strut tower) to get easier access to mine. I think I may have removed the crossover tube (can't remember). The CID is 2 small bolts, like 4 or 5mm...something like that, and it just unplugs. Only takes a few minutes to replace. If you can get back there, you may not have to remove anything, but after fighting with it for 10 min., I just removed some other stuff in the way to make life easier.

 

[sperold]

I took a look at the cam sensor location.
That thing is staying in there until it tells me it wants out. I can live with a tachometer that likes to go to sleep while I am driving.

 

[Rubix]

Yea sounds like the right thing to do, just let it ride. It wouldn't be the needle getting stuck on the gauge would it? Or maybe the CID just has some gunk in it that needs a'cleanin'. Who knows really, at least it's nothing to worry about.

 

[zak]

The key trick is explained on SHOPP, where they show the hole in the fenderwell to get to the bottom bolt.

I wrapped masking tape around half the circumfrence of each bolt near the head to keep the bolts held into the sensor body while you position it and start the screws. Be sure to recruit someone with small hands.

 

[sperold]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I really appreciate it.
I will attempt to fix it when my code reader tells me something is wrong with it (C.I.D. I think). It is more of a job that you do while you already have the general area exposed to do something else, or the car just stops and you have no choice.
I did see that post about going in through the fender well, that is what helped me decide it was too much for me to do as a simple improvement. But I will consider it if I have to do it, as mine is the MTX and it seems to be harder to do.
Thanks again!

 

[willix]

The cam sensor(CID) has nothing to do with the tachometer operation. The CID signals for fuel & spark timing. I would steer away from that conclusion.

I'd be looking at connectors & wiring first then the tach itself. Tachs sometimes fail believe it or not.

Have you heard of the wiggle test?

Grounds are important.

The tach signal originates at the crank position sensor(CPS) then to the VIS at the pass. side end of the intake. Check the 4 wire connection behind the VIS where the CPS plugs in.

Sometimes circuits were checked previously and wires were poked causing a place for corrosion to develope.