Cam sensor X20XEV Wiggling the wire issue

[ed2]

As we are aware an EML coming on or getting a fault code, does not mean the sensor has failed but the signal has failed and so the fault code could mean the wire has failed, the sensor has failed or or another fault.

I have a cavalier CDX 1995 with an X20XEV engine. On the X20XEV there is a well known problem of the plug or wire that connects the cam sensor to the wiring harness plating up, so a cam sensor code or stalling the engine and a cam senor code can be corrected by merely wiggling the wire as it comes out of he cam sensor so it lies in a slightly different position each time. I have been doing this for 9 years to good effect, but recently it has been playing up more than usual. Recent great on limp home mode with cam sensor code, but if i wiggle the wire itis fine fine for a few seconds/minutes then it stalls and i then drive on with a code/EML on.

I suppose i now need to decide whether to buy a new cam sensor £20 or the modified cam sensor £45 with a different leads wiring to fix it to the wiring harness.

Does anyone know if the present fault code 19 cam senor would be the sensors or the wire?

When it stalls the wiggle of the wire only causes the problem to go temporarily away but to soon return. And it drives very smoothly on limp home mode with EML on. Thanks

[planetc]

19 is crank sensor, or more accurately incorrect rpm signal. 92 is cam sensor. Connections can be a problem but from my dealer days 92 is more commonly caused by a loose cambelt tensioner.

[ed2]

Thanks plantec, my mistake i meant to say 92 cam sensor. It sometimes throws up a 19 code as well but i think that is the usual belt flex.

The belt tensioner would make sense. The dealer put a new one on in either April or August 2003. I bought it Sept 2003. done 40k miles since

i bought a new cam belt kit cheap on ebay as the guy had sold his car, but he did not realise it a dealer kit but was for an astra Mk4 x20xev belt kit which seems to have a different belt and both pulleys are different. I also have second hand belt kits off a vectra x20xev that were broken by others.

Do you reckon i should use the new tensioner with an aftermarket belt? I suppose a decent kit is about £50 but once I start getting fussy, the x20xev can eat lots of cash.

[carlos_canter]

When it comes to timing belts, I wouldnt scrimp or cut corners, especially with second hand parts.

I paid £180 for full timing belt kit supplied and fitted by bury engine centre and £210 3 years later with a water pump change.

Pricey I know, but its guaranteed, id rather spend £200 than £600 and the added hassle of a cambelt failure.

[ed2]

Would anyone know the latest views with the quality of Motaquip, Gates and Quinton Hazell timing belt kits ?
I would not have used these when I bought the cavalier in 2003 as these makes were regarded as inferior for such a serious job.

For example Would the rollers be of cheap quality/ Would not want a bearing on the roller to collapse etc. Thanks

[planetc]

Motaquip used to supply Peugeot oem so should be ok, never heard of gates myself. QH is always used to be low budget stuff. As long as it comes from a reputable source they should warranty it for any resulting damage anyway.

[ed2]

At the moment I have the cav parked in a place where it is not easy to work on he car. I took the air filter box, alt drive belt and cam belt outer cover off to look at the cam belt. The cam belt kit looks very good indeed withe tensioner needle at 9 out of 10 in the gap in the exact place it should be for a used belt.

I was wondering if I should swap the cam sensor (which is probably 9 years old) to see if that is the problem. I cannot remember the exact layout from when I last did the cylinder head gasket. Is it easy enough to change the cam sensor without removing the cam belt?

Thanks

[planetc]

Sensor sits between the cams, one bolt through between the pulleys and is extracted from above, just pop the plug cover off to do so. Check that the tensioner is free moving and not sticking, and I always preferred to check them with the engine running, this way you get a true view of what it does. You often see them sitting in one place and find it's totally different when you start the engine. If you can't see the pointer moving a little when it's running then it's sticking and needs changing. If it has not had a sensor in nine years then yes it is worth changing, just dot the i's and cross the t's while you are there.

[ed2]

Thanks plantec. I had a cam sensor on our x20xev vectra that is parked up, and so did a quick swap.

The only question is that from what you said the pointer on the cam belt tensioner pulsates something like once a second, rythmically to the movement of the cam belt by about 1mm or 2mm at teh sharp end of the pointer, but definitely no more than 3mm. (I only tested at idle) Not remembering what these look like running without the cam cover it seems kind of OK? if not normal?

As with the rest of the car, (87k careful miles with mostly older drivers) the cam sensor that I took off looks so very clean and new. but obviously it is the magnet which fades.

[planetc]

If it's moving and doing so pointing in the right place it should be fine.

[ed2]

thanks Plantec. Using the cam sensor swapped off the parked up vectra, the cav is running great. the stall or chug as it was going has stopped. The ECU light comes on about three seconds after starting and if I switch the key off and on too fast for it to stall, the ECU light goes out and stays for the whole trip no matter how far. I will look into that again as Jim Grayson told me that 56.1 simtec is missing software patches that are in the vectra simtec 56.6 so that a cav x20xev will throw up codes for very many reasons due to missing software patches not on the market.