Camshaft Pos. Sensor ++

Alright... <ehem>

mechanically 100% stock '97 1.8l
slightly abused.

started off for work a week ago monday, got onto the first busy street(of course) -i lose HP- & it REALLY dosnt want to run... barely get it 15', but that was enough...

(tow etc etc etc)

get around to plugging the diagnostic in, & i get a "E0340" (or whatever) Camshaft Position Sensor Side A Bank 1 circuit malfunction(or something)

i order the sensor...
...
...
...
I get the part & pop it in(yesterday)
clear the error codes

NOW!

after i tried unplugging the batt. to try to reset the onboard crap entirely(though i read here i should have waited 10min)i plug the battery in & the sensor(type thing, not 100% on what it really is)--- under the intake JUST below where the intake duct ends clicks... loud... "CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK" and theres another one but it has a nice little "(click click)"--- though i dont remember hearing it before, i figure it might be ok...

the conclusion :

dosnt start, no error codes though i suddenly get several inc. test results on the basic status, it turns over & fires hm... a few times at most, and then there are some odd noises, but i dont have a helper so i have no idea where its coming from.. its getting fuel(noted by the smell of reg. unleaded down the street after a dozen foolish attempts at getting it to start), none of the dummy lights are on, power is Ok, so i think it HAS to be something i did wrong(like not unplugging the batt before i removed a sensor)... OR... the computer is jacked... OR... i dont know... it seems VERY unlikely to me that multiple sensors would go out at the same time...

let me know if the data from the obd would help at all...

Ok, i left the battery unpluged overnight & i plug it all back in today, the MAF(i believe) dosnt click anymore... but the results are all the same...

have you found the problem with your car?????

Yeah, sorry it was long & painfull...

Got the OEM service manuals & ran through all the trouble shooting stuff etc... didnt fix anything...

took it to the mechanic, after the two weeks for the diagnosis & $400 later, we find out the camshaft sensor i JUST replaced was defective, timing belt jumped a few teeth, the pistons smacked the valves & gouged the piston head/bent the valves(of course) $1,300, while they had it in pieces, they say the waterpump was leaking(which to me seemed reasonable for 100k miles, but saw no evidence of it myself so it kinda irked me)

Two weeks after that, $1,500.00

Now, it runs but has clicking/vibrating noises at low RPM(depending on RPM) up to ~2k RPM... :/