cam sensor will not turn in new front cover

[whitehot1]

I just installed the new front cover that was ported and set-up with new oil pump gears,i bought it last year for my new engine.

I primed the oil system with out a problem, so i know the gears are ok.

When i attempt to install the cam sensor it fits so tight that it won't turn by hand and it won't go down all the way to mesh with the cam gear and oil pump shaft, it almost seems like the oil pump shaft is bent and causing the sensor to bind and causing this.

Anyone ever experience this type of problem with a new cover / oil pump gears?

I really don't want to pull the gears out but it seems like what i will have to do. But at least the engine is still on the stand so that part will be easy.

Any and all suggestions appreciated :smile:

 

[Just a Six??]

I had one that sometimes pops in & other times (2 mins later) wont go in. Everything is straight but for some reason if not at the right spot it wont go in. Make sure you lube the o-ring & also Double Check the o-ring as I found on another it was simply the O-ring hanging it up. Put on another & no problems. get some lube on it & try to install (for testing) before the cover is on the engine.

PS: Take a small brass (soft) wire wheel on a drill & clean it up good in the cover where it slides in. Again with some 600 grit & clean it & lube it. Still I'm betting on the O-ring.

 

[TurboDave]

I just installed the new front cover that was ported and set-up with new oil pump gears,i bought it last year for my new engine.

I primed the oil system with out a problem, so i know the gears are ok.

When i attempt to install the cam sensor it fits so tight that it won't turn by hand and it won't go down all the way to mesh with the cam gear and oil pump shaft, it almost seems like the oil pump shaft is bent and causing the sensor to bind and causing this.

Anyone ever experience this type of problem with a new cover / oil pump gears?

I really don't want to pull the gears out but it seems like what i will have to do. But at least the engine is still on the stand so that part will be easy.

Any and all suggestions appreciated :smile:

Greasing up the O-ring might help.

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

Or just remove the O ring and see if she slids right in. that way you know for sure that its the O ring

 

[whitehot1]

Just a Six, i was hoping for you to be right. :smile:

I took the o-ring off and put some cam grease on the bottom of the sensor shaft and tried putting the sensor in again.

I can see the reluctor ring turn as the sensor gear and cam gear mesh but it doesn't go down far enough to make contact with the oil pump shaft.

It is getting caught up on the cover housing hole and the body of the sensor right below the o-ring.

Do you all suppose i could have the sensor body machined down enough to fit without causing a problem with the o-ring?

Or is the cover going to have to be removed to solve this?

I'm hoping not to remove the cover because i used one of those cam buttons that i had to shim and it's kind of awkward to work with, for me anyway. :biggrin:

 

[JDEstill]

I've seen some posts on this site about crappy aftermarket timing chain covers that have the cam sensor hole misaligned. If you've got one of those, you are SOL I think. I'm pretty sure Nick Micale or turbofabricator can shed some more light on this issue.

John

 

[whitehot1]

Wow, i hope Bill S. over on the other board didn't use one of those crappy front covers then, since it cost me around $350.00 to have it ported,clearenced,assembled and shipped.

I'm going to run up to the machine shop and have them measure the sensor body for me. The bottom ridge looks to be the same size as the upper and it goes in easy but it's hard to tell if they are the same size by looking at it.

I still have the old cover and i've replaced the oil pump gears in it on my old engine, i just wanted everything on the new engine to be new. :smile:

 

[Scott Atk]

I had to use a brake cylinder hone in the cover one time. But if it wont go in without the o-ring in place that may be too tight to correct. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[TurboDave]

That would be a good alternative. Try and run a brake hone through the hole once or twice. Got any mics or hole gauges to do measurements? If you were closer, I've got an entire set of mics, and gauges.

 

[mikestertwo]

I have had a lot of problems with aftermarket timing covers. Anything from misaligned cam sensor bores to pump gears being off center in the bores. That's why I don't use them.

 

[whitehot1]

I took the cam sensor and the old cover and had the machine shop mic it.

The top ridge just under were the o-ring goes is smaller than the bottom ridge, and the bottom section goes in the new cover hole without any problem.

The machinist pointed out the light scratches on the cam sensor gear and suggested i pull the cover off and see if the cam sensor will install in the cover that way.

He said it could be the cam gear causing the problem or like already mentioned the cover could have been made wrong.

I'm going to take the cover off tonight and check some things and take it to them tomorrow with the old cover and see what they suggest, hopefully they can salvage it.

 

[whitehot1]

I used a new cover from autozone before and the only problem with it was the casting flash in the oil passages needed filed / drilled / cleaned out.

I just ASSumed that someone who sells a new cover and takes the time to port, clearence, assemble it would have checked the cam sensor hole for alignment.

This could be a new problem for him also and didn't think to check it, not sure if i would have done so either.

 

[whitehot1]

TurboDave, thanks for the kind offer. :smile:

 

[whitehot1]

I took the cover off and the cam sensor does go in and align with the oil pump shaft and i'm able to turn the body of the sensor with it in the hole so i could set the sensor. It is still a tight fit though and the sensor doesn't go completely down onto the oil pump shaft by it's self i have to use the hold down bolt to draw it down all the way.

I didn't see any burrs on the camshaft gears or anything that would cause the sensor from going down onto the pump shaft.

I'm going to clean the gasket off and make some dry runs to see if i can find anything at all.

 

[A2000RICH]

I have had a lot of problems with aftermarket timing covers. Anything from misaligned cam sensor bores to pump gears being off center in the bores. That's why I don't use them.

a vendor that i do a lot of business with recently sent me three aftermarket covers to evaluate since they were thinking about selling them-----two were just simply terrible and the third was not quite as bad as the other two-----since i sent them back i don't remember what the brands were but i would NEVER use any of them------one had serious oil pump clearance problems and the other two had cam sensor alignment problems.............RC

 

[Lee Thompson]

?

Do you have a stock type cam in this car?

 

[whitehot1]

The cam is a compcams 214/214 ductile roller.

Scott Atk, i believe you were correct after having the cover off and on several times and i've been installing the cam sensor on the old and new cover it appears to be the cam sensor hole not being machined properly.

I was taking emory cloth to the body of the sensor and now the cam sensor will go all the way in but is still a little tight but i was able to set the sensor with the caspers tool and i've cranked the engine over by hand a few times and all seems normal. I am still going to take both covers to the machine shop this morning and have them measure the cam sensor holes in both covers and have them hone out that hole in the new cover.

 

[Just a Six??]

Just get the hole cleaned up with the hone & all should be fine. On aftermarket parts you have to check Everything these days. Glad it will all work out for you!

 

[whitehot1]

I was able to just use some emory cloth in the cam sensor hole of the cover to clean it up and all is well now, no more cam sensor problem.

It just sucked that i had to remove the front cover in order to resolve the issue.

Note to all: Anyone buying a front timing cover save yourself some grief and trial fit the cam sensor in the cover before installing it on the engine to insure it does fit. This applies to any cover no matter how reputable the person / company / vendor is you buy it from.

Thanks to all for the suggestions to help me with this problem it is greatly appreciated. :smile:

 

[TLIMITED]

I was able to just use some emory cloth in the cam sensor hole of the cover to clean it up and all is well now, no more cam sensor problem.

It just sucked that i had to remove the front cover in order to resolve the issue.

Note to all: Anyone buying a front timing cover save yourself some grief and trial fit the cam sensor in the cover before installing it on the engine to insure it does fit. This applies to any cover no matter how reputable the person / company / vendor is you buy it from.

Thanks to all for the suggestions to help me with this problem it is greatly appreciated. :smile:

I've had several BAD brand new aftermarket covers and always went back OEM with no problems.