Camshaft position sensor/ magnet

[mnp2000]

Looking to find out how deep into this 3800 I have to go To replace the pick -up magnet.? What tools and gaskets will I need, maybe a walk-thru? Please Help

[Overtime]

I just replaced mine in my Achieva. It has an o-ring, an electrical connector, and a single bolt. Yours should be similar. It is a 5 minute job if is out in the open like mine is. Depending on it's location and what might be covering it, your expierience may be longer. The o-ring serves as the seal so no gaskets are needed.

[Dakaty]

mnp2000

I assume you are concerned with the magnet replacement as the sensor replacement is as described in the above post.

We have replaced most of the sensors and the ECM on my daughter's boyfriends 1990 OLDS 88 3.8l. We have had many codes and run issues. Now we are down to code 41. Replacing the camshaft sensor did not solve it. The next replacement is the camshaft interrupter magnet. It is the cheapest part but requires the most extensive replacement work.

You have to remove the timing cover to get to it. I'm also wondering what you have to remove before you can remove the timing cover? I read somewhere that it is a 2 hour job for a novice. That doesn't sound like it would be too difficult a task. (It must not require removal of the water pump.)

Hopefully someone with experience will post and provide us with some instruction or reference.

Thanks

Bill

[kingjames]

Hello, my name is willie and i am having the same problem with my brother-in-laws car. It's a 1988 olds ninety eight and the problem is code 41 which is one of three items but has been narrowed down to the camshaft sensor signal loss, the sensor has been replaced and the wiring is good so i assume it's the interrupter that is bad on the camshft which is a eight dollar part but i see no way to replace the interrupter without pulling the timing chain cover and that is something that i am not sure i want to tackle myself but your comments confirms my idea of whether or not the timing chain cover needs removed in order to replace the interrupter. Thank you.

[chevelleman]

i have an 89 and had to replace the magnet on the cam gear it was a fun one

first off drain most of your oil because the timing cover is part of what the oil pan bolts to i believe it is the 3 bolts closest to the water pump on the oil pan

you will have to remove you harmonic balancer and that is always fun because they are torqued to around 400 ft/lbs from the factory i believe. you will have to remove the water pump and you might as well remove the alternator because it gives you a bit more room for light and your arms and dont forget to drain your radiator otherwise you will have a heck of a mess when you pull the water pump off and the timing cover

next you will want to start pulling the bolts out of the timing cover you will have to go to the dealer for a timing cover gasket and chain tensioner but with the new gasket you will be able to tell and account for all the bolts that you take out because alot of them are different lengths

and since these cars are getting old after you get all the bolts off it takes a fair amount of prying to get the timing cover to come loose once you do get it to come loose you will have to battle with the steel lines that go into the timing cover for the heater core and once you battle with those the the timing cover will come out. when you are at the dealer dont forget to pick up a crank seal for the timing cover because you will have to replace it

when you get everything taken apart make sure to turn the motor over with a wrench to get the two dimples to line up on the camshaft and crank sprockets so when you take the camshaft gear off it wont go out of time

and then the fun part of putting everything back together be careful putting the timing cover back on because the oil pump is a part of the timing cover and it is a floating gear type so it will move around by itself and makes it very hard to line up with the crankshaft again when installing the timing cover

the job took me about 5 hours but a lot of that was spent trying to remove the old gasket material because it was pretty baked on after 15 years

[kingjames]

Originally Posted by kingjames

Hello, my name is willie and i am having the same problem with my brother-in-laws car. It's a 1988 olds ninety eight and the problem is code 41 which is one of three items but has been narrowed down to the camshaft sensor signal loss, the sensor has been replaced and the wiring is good so i assume it's the interrupter that is bad on the camshft which is a eight dollar part but i see no way to replace the interrupter without pulling the timing chain cover and that is something that i am not sure i want to tackle myself but your comments confirms my idea of whether or not the timing chain cover needs removed in order to replace the interrupter. Thank you.

[kingjames]

Hello chevelleman,
thank you for the info on how to replace the camshaft sensor interrupter. I thought it was more to it than meets the eye, now I know there is more to this than meets the eye.

[Dakaty]

I attempted to change the sensor myself. However, after I got well into the project, I could not get the harmonic balancer off. I ended up having to tow it to a shop and let the finish the job at a cost of almost $700.00.

The shop manager told me that they typically charge around $900 to change out the sensor. They probably "put it to me" as they had me over a barrel.

Oh well.. I'm glad that my daughter doesn't have that boyfriend anymore. He was way too expensive!!!

[chevelleman]

the interrupter is pretty self explanatory once you get it taken apart the interrupter actually presses in from the back of the camshaft sprocket and is held in there by a plastic clip which is part of the magnet assemby you might actually want to use some epoxy because you will find it isn't held in there very tight at all which will cause a lot of wear on the plastic piece over time and this is not a job you want to do more than once

[rmiller53a]

On my 1992 Park Avenue, the Camshaft Sensor Interrupter Magnet is inserted into the front of the camshaft gear. Thia job can be performed without removal of the Camshaft cover.

According to my local dealer mechanic, GM changed the design and it is possible to perfomr this task by removal of the camshaft sensor, rotating the engine crank until the camshaft magnet is visible through the sensorr opening, cleaning out the old plastic, magnet pieces, and inserting the new magnet into the camshaft gear through access via the removed sensor opening on the camshaft cover.


I believe on my engine that the camshaft may have lateral end play and might be rubbing and shearing off the magnet by strking the sensor.

I shall see after I start the car (letting the JB Weld cure which I placed on the bottom of the sensor before inserting it into the camshaft sproket hole.

Later.

Russ

[maxwedge]

This is almost 2 years old, please look at the threads before posting!

[HotZ28]

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