Camshaft Position Sensor Replacement
The camshaft sensor is responsible for informing the engine system of the current position of the camshaft. With this information, the valve control mechanism is determined. Also, the camshaft informs the car system when the engine is ON or OFF. With its failure, the engine operation is hampered and may disable completely.
If you replaced your camshaft sensor, you will need a diagnostic scanner to wipe the error code or reprogram the engine to wipe the check engine light on the speedometer.
If you want to minimize your engine operating capacity, allow the camshaft to fail. With a camshaft sensor, you can monitor the positioning or the rotational speed of a camshaft both in a petrol diesel and diesel engine.
If your vehicle camshaft should fail, everything about your vehicle goes wrong. The information delivered to the engine will be erroneous such as fuel delivery, wrong ignition timing, and others.
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How To Check a Camshaft Sensor
The camshaft sensor is found below the engine, behind the harmonic balancer. While in other car models, it is found at the back of the engine on the bell housing.
In this article, we will look into the magnetic sensor type which comes with two wires and produces its voltage. To start with, check the plastic case housing the sensor if you will see any Crack or damage or whether it has bent. That indicates a bad sensor.
After that, use your multimeter to run the resistance test. Set it at the ohms settings. In ours, we got about 2000 to 2500 ohms of resistance in the camshaft position sensor.
you may consider choosing 20000 ohms on the scale of this multimeter and take the measurement. You could get about 2.01 thousand ohms of resistance or 2010 ohms. After that, observe the state of the connector of your sensor.
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When to Replace Camshaft Sensor?
When a car has a camshaft problem, is usually confusing to pinpoint the cause of the issue whether is the camshaft sensor or the crankshaft position sensor. Because these two shares close similarities in their operations. There are some signs that you will notice on your car that will warrant you to replace the camshaft such as:
- Reduction in engine power
- Stalled engine
- Vehicle refusing to start
- Rough idle
- Visible engine light
But it’s of importance that you know how to identify an unknown camshaft before you could replace any. Also, identifying your type of car’s model camshaft should be taken into consideration before getting a replacement.
What to Do After Replacing Camshaft Sensor?
What you do after Re-Program
If you have your old crankshaft sensor and your new camshaft sensor, with ECM you can determine the best time to fire the injection and ignition of your car. Though, the ECM will inform you of the time between the module and sensor at which the signal pulses to and from.
With the information, you can know the suitable time difference between the pulse separations as regards your present data table. While in the optimal reading, programming the sensor may not worth it. The sensor can show an error code after replacement.
At this point, observe all the connector issues to see if it’s to write, repair or cancel them. If you did any of these, you will still get codes and your camshaft sensor is all OK.
When to Re-Program
Due to installation variation, the sensor may need to relearn some things. But that depends on the manufacturer and professional service. This will cause the old data table to reset.
Then the signal’s new sensor variables will be learned by the ECM. Should this be the challenge, the sensor needs to be reprogrammed. If not reprogrammed, you will get trouble codes, and your engine performance will dwindle because of poor power conditions.
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That’s why we record car dealerships if you need to reprogram the camshaft sensor.
Can You Reset the Camshaft Position Sensor?
Yes, with your voltmeter and ohmmeter, you can reset the camshaft position sensor. As a newbie, if you follow the stipulated steps on your manual, you can reset the camshaft position sensor. To reset it, follow these steps:
- The inductive performance of the sensor should be checked with a voltmeter and ohmmeter
- Turn off the car ignition to take a few measurements
- Verify the resistance, ensuring it is between 200-900Ω
- Verify the measured resistance with the car’s standard data
- Have the terminals of the voltmeter connected with the sensors
- Startup the engine again, leaving it running without driving it
- Your RMS value should exceed 0.75V
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Camshaft Sensor?
It is very easy to remove and replace a camshaft sensor. It just takes about 5 to 10 minutes to get it done.
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Precautionary Steps Before Replacing Camshaft Sensor
Before you start work with any electrical components, you should get your car battery disconnected to prevent electric shock.
When unplugged, diagnose the sensor to check for any fault or dirt. Note, that corrosion and oil could distort the signal received by the engine control module from the sensor. Also check if the sensor has any leaks from another engine component, and also observe the o-ring of the sensor if it has fallen into its hole.
If you found any damage, repair or replace it by pushing the new sensor into its place, fixing the bolt and electrical connector, and tightening. But don’t get the bolt too tight to prevent it from damaging the sensor again.
After replacing the camshaft position sensor, check if the engine light is ON to know to conclude your work.
Advantages of a Good Camshaft Sensor
There are benefits to having a good camshaft sensor in your car. They include:
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1. Considerable Fuel Consumption
Apart from having a smooth ride with your car, spending less money on fuelling is worth it to all drivers. The camshaft sensor helps regulate the fuel consumption rate of your car.
2. Swift Use of the Gear
If you like speed, I guess you won’t like to drive a hiccup car. The fun won’t be there because you can’t easily adjust your gears. If your camshaft is bad, adjusting your gears will be difficult because it will become stiff.
3. Doesn’t Flash the Danger Engine Light
Also having a successful ride with you is always worth it and you can’t doubt that. No driver can take it lightly when they see the engine sending a dangerous light flash on their dash.
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Even if you’re an expert driver or whatever, you can’t take it lightly when the engine flashes dangerous light because you can’t fathom what comes next. You will need to pull over and see what causes the flashes.
With a good camshaft, it reports almost all the activities and errors noticed on your car’s engine.