Camshaft Position Sensor

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J

Joe

My 97 SL2 "Serv. Eng. Soon" light is on. Two error codes are indicating
bad O2 (bank 2, sensor 1) and camshaft position sensor. What do Saturn
dealers charge to replace these? Is it difficult to DYI?

Thanks,
 
My 97 SL2 "Serv. Eng. Soon" light is on. Two error codes are indicating
bad O2 (bank 2, sensor 1) and camshaft position sensor. What do Saturn
dealers charge to replace these? Is it difficult to DYI?
Click to expand...

Well, there is no camshaft position sensor per se. With the way the Saturn's
ignition system works, it doesn't really need to know where the cam is in order
for the engine to work. But, on later models with the OBDII system(96+) the
computer deciphers where the cam is using the spark plug wires. In order for
that to work, the wires have to be routed like they were from the
factory(crossed near the coil). If the wires aren't routed right, it will throw
a cam sensor code.
Do a search in google groups for camshaft position sensor as this has been
discussed
before.
 
Neither is a difficult diy.

O2 sensor is right in front. The camshaft position sensor is up behind the
starter - you have to put the car on jack stands to get to it.

Good luck!
 
What are the actual codes? It shouldn't be "bank 2 sensor 1" for the O2
sensor as there is no bank 2 on this engine, and there's no cam position
sensor - a P0341 indicates a problem with the compression-sense ignition
system, such as high plug wire resistance, voltage leakage, etc.
 
Is that a camshaft position sensor or a crankshaft position sensor? I
was and am under the impression that Saturns use a crankshaft position
sensor.

Stan

Neither is a difficult diy.

O2 sensor is right in front. The camshaft position sensor is up behind the
starter - you have to put the car on jack stands to get to it.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

{Delete nospam for email}
 
Is that a camshaft position sensor or a crankshaft position sensor? I
was and am under the impression that Saturns use a crankshaft position
sensor.
Click to expand...

Its a crank sensor near the starter. Like I said before, there is no 'real' cam
sensor. I think Kirk read through it real fast and was thinking crank sensor
when he read it.
 
and there's no cam position
sensor - a P0341 indicates a problem with the compression-sense ignition
system, such as high plug wire resistance, voltage leakage, etc.
Click to expand...

I believe sometimes that is thrown as a cam sensor code, as the computer uses
the compression-sense ignition as a cam sensor; it can tell which cylinder is
firing from the spark plug wires, therefore it can tell where the cam is.
 
I had the diagnostic done at Autozone and that person reported what I
originally posted. Good points about it being crank or cam shaft sensor and
also the O2 sensor code. I'll go back and have it read again. Saturn wants
$89 just to plug in the diagnostic!
 
If you're interested in having them do the work (the dealer), ask if they'll
roll the cost of the diag into the repair. It's a thought...
 
Indeed, I did and was.

Look on Magnecore's (spelling?) web site - they have a good app note
regarding Saturn's wiring for determining the camshaft position.
 
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read "Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read "Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read "Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
I believe that the engines with a distributor-less ignition all use a crank
and cam position sensors which give info to the ECU. Still trying to figure
out the way my '01 3Liter works but it has no distributor. Rather it has a
coil per plug that sits atop the plug in a recess in the cylinder head.

Oppie

Heidi said:
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is
Click to expand...
steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read
"Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn
SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a
Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
Short Answer: Make SURE that you are routing sparkplug wires for cylinders
1 and 4 correctly.

Long answer: Just in case you're confusing crankshaft position sensor with
camshaft position sensor:

Alldatadiy.com has listed, for a 97 SL2:

Crankshaft Position Sensor 21020140 $19.57

Alldatadiy.com is a pay service, but it has the best information that I've
found for Saturns. About $15 per year (after $25 for the first year).

And, no, I don't work for them.

As for the camshaft position:

The Saturn uses a capacitive sensor in the ignition module to figure out
which spark plug (of cylinder 1 and 4, which are on the same coil) is in a
compressed air - fuel mixture. This lets the computer know where the
camshaft is.

In order for this sensor to function correctly, the sparkplug wires for
cylinders 1 and 4 have to be routed especially correctly.

http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/techbulletins/techsat.htm

states:

WIRE ROUTING

Also, it is important to route spark plug wires as close as possible to the
way the original factory were fitted. In particular, wires for cylinders 1
and 4 should be routed exactly like the factory wires, as the engine
management system on 1996 and later Saturn engines relies on the proximity
of these 2 wires to function correctly.

Please call your dealer, or Magnecor, if you have any questions.

In addition, information that I got from www.alldatadiy.com (Great Service -
Worth the $25/year first year, $15/year thereafter!)

1.Set gap on spark plugs to 1.51 mm (0.040 in).
2.Install spark plugs. - Torque: 27 N.m (20 ft-lbs)
3.Inspect spark plug wires. Replace any wire that is worn or chaffed.
NOTE: If boot is torn or ripped a new wire must be installed. Do not repair
leads from which the terminals have been pulled off. Replace the lead.
4.Install spark plug wires. Press boots onto spark plugs until click is
heard or felt. NOTE: Install the spark plug wires on the correct spark plugs
as indicated on each spark plug wire. Assure routing of wire on engine is
away from moving parts and exhaust. NOTE: Orientation of the wires to the
EIS module is critical to the operation of both the module and on-board
diagnostics. The orientation is 4 1 2 3 respectively from left to right.

Heidi said:
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is
Click to expand...
steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read
"Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn
SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a
Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is
steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read "Camshaft
Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn SW2. If I
understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a Camshaft
Position Sensor?
Click to expand...

Correct. The computer uses data from the crankshaft position sensor as well as
from the spark plug wires. I'm not totally sure how it does it, but I know that
the plug wires need to be routed as they were from the factory or else you will
get the code you got.
 
These engines use a compression-sense ignition system, where the ignition
module generates a cam position signal based on which of the cylinders in
the #1/#4 pair is detected to be on the compression stroke (its firing
voltage will be higher). If you have, for example, bad plug wires causing
voltage leakage, this can cause problems with the system.




Heidi said:
I just had the diagnostic run because my "Check Engine Soon" light is
Click to expand...
steadily on. The Technician showed me the code (P0341) and it read
"Camshaft Position Sensor A - Bank 1 CKT Range/Perf." I have a 1997 Saturn
SW2. If I understand the previous posts, Saturns actually don't have a
Camshaft Position Sensor?
 
I can't remember, does the S-Series use the wasted spark (fires cyl's 2/3
simultaneously) system?
 
My '96 SL-1 gave the same error. After replacing the plugs and plug
wires (just because they were old), the error code never reappeared.
Buster
 
I can't remember, does the S-Series use the wasted spark (fires cyl's 2/3
simultaneously) system?
Click to expand...

Yes, they all use the waste spark system. Thats why they don't even really need
a cam sensor. If they didn't have waste spark, it would have to know where the
cam is(to dictate where top dead center on the firing stroke is) but since its
the waste spark system, it just fires the plug every time the piston is at top
dead center. So once its firing, next its exhaust, ignition system doesn't know
the difference, it fires all the time. They boast this as a feature, but its
really just an easier thing to do.
 
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