Cam sensor setting
- Thread starter WARBIRD89
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first off i bet your car runs better with the flowmasters opened up they are the worse muffler you can put on a turbo car. its the way there designed i heard it has too much backpressure. on to the cam sensor there is a way you can adjust it with a ohm meterWARBIRD89 said:What is the best whay to set the cam sensor, it came loose and blew my flowmasters open like a coke canI have a timing box "timing doctor" but no tape, for the balancer...
can it be set without the tape??
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/ecmsensors/camsensor2.html sorry i didnt think you still need the tape with this just cut a piece of tape 1 .45 its 50 thous less than 1 1/2 inch
yes measure 1.45 " to the left of the tdc line when facing the the front of the car. and scribe a line of the balance. Rotate the engine slowly clock wise until you can make sure air is flowing out onf #1 cyl with your finger in the spark plug hole as you bring the engine to tdc compression. ONce you hit tdc and your sure its the compression stroke, rotate the engine backwards until the scribed line is now at the zero on the pointer down below.
Take a dc volt meter with the cam sensor plugged in connect the neg wire to ground anywher on the frame, connect the positvie wire to to blue middle wire of the cam sensor, with it still plugged in, use a paper clip to insert into the middle pin.
With the engine sitting on your scribed mark and the ignition on turn the sensor full clockwise and note the voltage reading should be about 7-9 volts. Then turn the sensor counter clockwise until the voltage JUST drops on meter to close to 0. Lock down the sensor in this positon just as the voltage drops. 1.450" -25 degree ATDC.
Good luck!
Take a dc volt meter with the cam sensor plugged in connect the neg wire to ground anywher on the frame, connect the positvie wire to to blue middle wire of the cam sensor, with it still plugged in, use a paper clip to insert into the middle pin.
With the engine sitting on your scribed mark and the ignition on turn the sensor full clockwise and note the voltage reading should be about 7-9 volts. Then turn the sensor counter clockwise until the voltage JUST drops on meter to close to 0. Lock down the sensor in this positon just as the voltage drops. 1.450" -25 degree ATDC.
Good luck!
The weird thing I noticed the first time I set my cam sensor, was that I didnt have 7-9 volts like people said it should. It was something like 4.5 volts. All the grounds are good and the connections were good, so I dont know the reason for this.
Anyway, Ive done it the voltmeter way, the caspers tool way, and the "stranded on the road" way. The last way works just fine. Assuming the cam sensor isnt 180 degrees out, and assuming the cam sensor isnt a tooth off, you can just pop the cap off, and then using a socket on the alternator pulley nut, put some tension on the belt with your left hand so it will grip better, and rotate the motor until the window on the cam sensor interrupter ring is almost pointing toward the air filter. Thats the general area...toward the front drivers side of the car. Then look at your timing marker on the balancer, and rotate until you reach top dead center. If you're not 180 out, you will be on #1 on the compression stroke. Dont go past TDC and then go backward to get it right. The slack in the timing chain will be on the wrong side, and the lash on the cam sensor gear will be making contact on the wrong side. Make sure you're going clockwise, and STOP on TDC. If you go past TDC, then back off counter clockwise enough so that when you start going back toward TDC, the slack in the timing chain will be taken up and on the correct side, and the lash on the cam gear will be taken up where it should be. Loosen the cam sensor retaining bolt just enough to allow you to rotate the sensor housing with a little friction, (allows you to start the motor, warm it up to get to closed loop and see how it runs, and then you can adjust depending on how it runs...it should be tight enough that it doesnt move while its running, but loose enough to adjust. Having to loosen/tighten/loosen/tighten is a PITA) and rotate the sensor housing until the little rectangular slot that locates the locating tab on the interrupter ring, is lined up with the slot on the aluminum housing of the cam sensor. That little slot Im talking about, is the one that locates the black cap in position. That little rectangular slot on the interrupter ring is 180 degrees around from the big window on the interrupter ring.
The first time you do this job...if you want to make sure you're not 180 out, is to pull the # 1 spark plug out and have someone click the starter and rotate the motor till alot of pressure starts blowing out of that hole. Rotate to TDC, and then with the cam sensor cap off, make sure the window on the interrupter ring is pointing somewhere in the air filter area, and that little rectangular locating slot is right around the cap locating slot on the aluminum housing. Then continue to do the procedure above.
You can make 2 marks on some masking tape, 1.45" apart, and put the tape on the balancer, with the first mark on ZERO, and the second mark on the left side of zero. Then use that to go to your position and use your caspers tool or DMM or whatever. Ive done the "stranded on the road" procedure, using the masking tape and going past TDC to do this, but I found the car ran better by just doing this procedure with #1 right on TDC.
It takes like 5 minutes to set it this way, and it runs just fine. Doing it the way as explained everywhere else, caused me to have an off idle stumble. This other way was a tip given to me by Lou Czarnota, and it works. I dont remember if he said to do it with #1 past TDC with the tape, or if right on TDC, but I tried it both ways and it ran better on TDC.
Anyway, Ive done it the voltmeter way, the caspers tool way, and the "stranded on the road" way. The last way works just fine. Assuming the cam sensor isnt 180 degrees out, and assuming the cam sensor isnt a tooth off, you can just pop the cap off, and then using a socket on the alternator pulley nut, put some tension on the belt with your left hand so it will grip better, and rotate the motor until the window on the cam sensor interrupter ring is almost pointing toward the air filter. Thats the general area...toward the front drivers side of the car. Then look at your timing marker on the balancer, and rotate until you reach top dead center. If you're not 180 out, you will be on #1 on the compression stroke. Dont go past TDC and then go backward to get it right. The slack in the timing chain will be on the wrong side, and the lash on the cam sensor gear will be making contact on the wrong side. Make sure you're going clockwise, and STOP on TDC. If you go past TDC, then back off counter clockwise enough so that when you start going back toward TDC, the slack in the timing chain will be taken up and on the correct side, and the lash on the cam gear will be taken up where it should be. Loosen the cam sensor retaining bolt just enough to allow you to rotate the sensor housing with a little friction, (allows you to start the motor, warm it up to get to closed loop and see how it runs, and then you can adjust depending on how it runs...it should be tight enough that it doesnt move while its running, but loose enough to adjust. Having to loosen/tighten/loosen/tighten is a PITA) and rotate the sensor housing until the little rectangular slot that locates the locating tab on the interrupter ring, is lined up with the slot on the aluminum housing of the cam sensor. That little slot Im talking about, is the one that locates the black cap in position. That little rectangular slot on the interrupter ring is 180 degrees around from the big window on the interrupter ring.
The first time you do this job...if you want to make sure you're not 180 out, is to pull the # 1 spark plug out and have someone click the starter and rotate the motor till alot of pressure starts blowing out of that hole. Rotate to TDC, and then with the cam sensor cap off, make sure the window on the interrupter ring is pointing somewhere in the air filter area, and that little rectangular locating slot is right around the cap locating slot on the aluminum housing. Then continue to do the procedure above.
You can make 2 marks on some masking tape, 1.45" apart, and put the tape on the balancer, with the first mark on ZERO, and the second mark on the left side of zero. Then use that to go to your position and use your caspers tool or DMM or whatever. Ive done the "stranded on the road" procedure, using the masking tape and going past TDC to do this, but I found the car ran better by just doing this procedure with #1 right on TDC.
It takes like 5 minutes to set it this way, and it runs just fine. Doing it the way as explained everywhere else, caused me to have an off idle stumble. This other way was a tip given to me by Lou Czarnota, and it works. I dont remember if he said to do it with #1 past TDC with the tape, or if right on TDC, but I tried it both ways and it ran better on TDC.
Yeah its actually 2 things that could compound. The lash of the gear, and the slack in the chain. Plus if you loosen the cam sensor too much, the sensor housingt can lift from the helix of the gear and throw all the settings to **** when you tighten it back down.norbs said:
And since we're on the subject, and it is due to the Cam Sensor I lost my mufflers what is a good replacement?, I cannot believe the sound the car makes when this thing is out of adjustment. I am looking for a deep sound, but not too particularly loud.
suicide six
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Pit bulls if you can find them.
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Ive never had a single problem doing it when i turn the motor to the right.
Honestly ive never tired to set the cam sensor on a loose chain where it makes a difference.
I got lost in the grey area, where and how did Lou tell you how to do this or did you get confused in the process?
What was his secret?
Im up for learning a new trick, just want to know how it works third hand'ed..
Not like im confused in the process, but more confused with how you splained it
BW
Honestly ive never tired to set the cam sensor on a loose chain where it makes a difference.
I got lost in the grey area, where and how did Lou tell you how to do this or did you get confused in the process?
What was his secret?
Im up for learning a new trick, just want to know how it works third hand'ed..
Not like im confused in the process, but more confused with how you splained it
BW
Well I didnt catch everything, cause the second I knew what he was talking about, i stopped listening. Damn ADD. The whole lash and timing chain slack is just a little tip of my own.Quick6'n'-K.C. said:Ive never had a single problem doing it when i turn the motor to the right.
Honestly ive never tired to set the cam sensor on a loose chain where it makes a difference.
I got lost in the grey area, where and how did Lou tell you how to do this or did you get confused in the process?
What was his secret?
Im up for learning a new trick, just want to know how it works third hand'ed..
Not like im confused in the process, but more confused with how you splained it
BW
As far as turning the motor to the right...yeah, thats the way you should do it. Im saying if you're rotating the motor to the right, and you accidentally go past TDC a little and then go backward to get to TDC, you'll end up in a slack area of the chain, and the cam wont be turning when you go backwards those few degrees or whatever. The cam drives the cam sensor. You want to make sure that if you accidentally go past TDC, to go back to before TDC at least 10 degrees or whatever to make sure that when you start rotating the motor to the right again, the slack in the chain and the lash of the cam gear/cam sensor gear will be taken up and the cam will be turning and rotating the cam sensor. If you dont, you may end up in an area where the cam is floating, or just standing still, while you're rotating the crank.
Whitettype86
Young William
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Norbs,
So do u go (1.45)in, counterclockwise from TDC to get at 25 deg or go the other way continue clockwise (1.45)in, to 25deg. I'm confused
So do u go (1.45)in, counterclockwise from TDC to get at 25 deg or go the other way continue clockwise (1.45)in, to 25deg. I'm confused
go top dead center 0 degree on the timing mark then put tape 1.45 counterclockwise "TO THE LEFT" lol then turn the balancer clockwise to the 25* mark which is at the end of the tape but dont go over then turn back to 25* because if there is slack in the chain it will put you 1 to 3* off. if you do go over then go back then go forward so the chain is tight. I think this is why some people have to advance there cam sensor because it still has a tip in stumble they probably left slack in the chain> but you never know with these complex beasts
Whitettype86
Young William
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I was just making sure. To me it would be alot easier if I could see a picture of some ones cam sensor and set it to that. My car was hard starting and running like crap. So I'm trying to reset the cam sensor and go from there.
Let me make sure I got this correct, all of this is for the purpose of, making sure the fuel injection, occurs 25 degrees before top dead center?? So in other words the injector will fire 25 degrees before top dead center.
So to set this thing all you do is put the motor, on top dead center compression stroke, and then rotate clockwise 1.45 inches? And then set the cam sensor.
So to set this thing all you do is put the motor, on top dead center compression stroke, and then rotate clockwise 1.45 inches? And then set the cam sensor.
You are correct. But actually it tells the igntion module when to fire #1 cyl also. AS the igntion module consists of 3 separate internal modules, and it has to tell which set of coils to fire at tdc compression., so the wrong coil doesn';t fire and cause a backfire.
Whitettype86
Young William
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OK, I'm I missing something here? At stop dead center the piston is at the end of the stroke and going back down and then the injector fires and then spark. That does'nt make sinse. Or I'm I getting it wrong. I guess I need to go back to bed. I thought the injector and the spark would happen before the piston reaches top dead center. Or the car could be fustrating me 
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Let me make sure I got this correct, all of this is for the purpose of, making sure the fuel injection, occurs 25 degrees before top dead center?? So in other words the injector will fire 25 degrees before top dead center.
So to set this thing all you do is put the motor, on top dead center compression stroke, and then rotate clockwise 1.45 inches? And then set the cam sensor
norbs posted
"ONce you hit tdc and your sure its the compression stroke, rotate the engine backwards until the scribed line is now at the zero on the pointer down below"
this is incorrect
setting for sensor is 25* ATDC (after top dead center) of compression stroke not 25* BTDC (before top dead center)
you have to rotate the crank past TDC clockwise by 1.45" to be at the setting point for the cam sensor
a simple measure is to use single edge razor blade like you use in box cutters and paint scrappers , mark the balancer in the counterclockwise direction 1.45" from the TDC mark on balancer
once you have it marked take a centering punch and make the mark permanent , then while checking #1 cylinder for pressure as you rotate engine clockwise once you are on the compression stroke keep rotating passed the TDC mark till that new stake mark is at zero on the timing tab , if you roll past it back up at least 10* and try again to eliminate the chain slack .
take the cap off cam sensor , with the dot on the cam sensor gear pointing to passenger fender drop it in and you should end up with the window at top pointing toward the driver fender , you may have to turn the oil shaft to alaign with the slot in the cam sensor end to get the sensor to seat , loosely install the retainer bolt and washer , now install the cap (theres a tab on the base so the cap can only go on one way) , rotate the base as needed to get the screws in and twist it so the wires are at approx 4:00
now to set the camsensor , hook up the cam tool , rotate cap clockwise till light goes out and then back counterclockwise till lamp just lights , tighten it down
wires on cap should be approx 4:00
So to set this thing all you do is put the motor, on top dead center compression stroke, and then rotate clockwise 1.45 inches? And then set the cam sensor
norbs posted
"ONce you hit tdc and your sure its the compression stroke, rotate the engine backwards until the scribed line is now at the zero on the pointer down below"
this is incorrect
setting for sensor is 25* ATDC (after top dead center) of compression stroke not 25* BTDC (before top dead center)
you have to rotate the crank past TDC clockwise by 1.45" to be at the setting point for the cam sensor
a simple measure is to use single edge razor blade like you use in box cutters and paint scrappers , mark the balancer in the counterclockwise direction 1.45" from the TDC mark on balancer
once you have it marked take a centering punch and make the mark permanent , then while checking #1 cylinder for pressure as you rotate engine clockwise once you are on the compression stroke keep rotating passed the TDC mark till that new stake mark is at zero on the timing tab , if you roll past it back up at least 10* and try again to eliminate the chain slack .
take the cap off cam sensor , with the dot on the cam sensor gear pointing to passenger fender drop it in and you should end up with the window at top pointing toward the driver fender , you may have to turn the oil shaft to alaign with the slot in the cam sensor end to get the sensor to seat , loosely install the retainer bolt and washer , now install the cap (theres a tab on the base so the cap can only go on one way) , rotate the base as needed to get the screws in and twist it so the wires are at approx 4:00
now to set the camsensor , hook up the cam tool , rotate cap clockwise till light goes out and then back counterclockwise till lamp just lights , tighten it down
wires on cap should be approx 4:00
Turned once to the left, and now once to the right, bring your right foot back ten degrees, and your left foot forward 25, spin around 1.45 inches and that's what it's all about, setting this can sensor reminds me of a church sponsored square dance I went to I was eight years old. 
I think I'm just going to pull thing out of the car can stick in the glove box :frown: , it will calls far less problems there........... how did this all get so complicated
I think I'm just going to pull thing out of the car can stick in the glove box :frown: , it will calls far less problems there........... how did this all get so complicated Similar threads
