CAMSHAFT SENSOR REPLACEMENT
2.2 Ecotec (Y22XE) engine
I replaced the camshaft sensor on my 2000 facelift Omega Estate Automatic to cure the auto box going into ‘limp home mode’ on start up. I hope the following ‘How To’ will help those intending to replace their own camshaft sensor for whatever reason. Please read it all the way through before you start the job as this should help you understand the process.
The camshaft sensor lives under the timing belt cover at the front of the engine (arrowed). The wire connecting to the camshaft sensor is also arrowed.
The new GM camshaft sensor as it arrived. The GM part number can be clearly seen on the box. Overall length approx. 4” and 1” wide. A small but none the less important piece of kit.
Move this cable trunking (arrowed) out of the way to give better access to the cam sensor when the timing belt cover is removed later. The trunking is held in place by the uppermost bolt holding the timing cover. No need to disconnect the wires but do be careful not to pull too far and damage any connections.
It will be necessary to remove the Aux. drive belt so that the timing belt cover can be removed. First locate the Aux belt tensioner (arrowed) Attach a suitable size socket and long bar. Standing in front of the car push the bar to the right toward the nearside wing. At first glance this may appear to be the wrong direction to loosen the belt, but trust me it’s correct.
Once you have enough slack remove the belt from just the alternator Pulley. I chose to do it this way as it saves having to remove the whole belt and thus having to remember the complicated routing around all the ancillary components.
Next stand up and rest your back for a bit and go to the back of the engine and disconnect the Dis.pack connector. It should come away easily but you may need some “GENTLE” help from a thin bladed screwdriver to ease it off its retaining clips. This will then allow you to remove the Ecotec spark plug cover
Now slide the Ecotec spark plug cover toward the rear of the engine bay about an inch or two. The cover will then lift off easily. Sliding it backward is necessary to avoid damage to the cover retaining lugs that you can’t see till its off. Don’t lever it up with a screwdriver, you’ll break it!
This will reveal the camshaft sensor well, which houses the top of the sensor and its connector plug. Which is a bit fiddly to disconnect.
Disconnect the camshaft sensor connector. As I said it’s a bit fiddly to disconnect because it’s not easy to see how it’s retained. The release clip (arrowed) is on the connector itself. I found it easier to use a screwdriver with the flat part of the blade held against the clip release to put forward (to the front of the car) pressure on the ‘clip’ as I couldn’t get my fingers in very easily. At the same time pull upwards on the connector (not the wire) and if you get the pressure right the connector will come away easily.
Next step is to remove the timing belt cover. The cover is designed to be removed without the need to remove the crankshaft pulley, as I understand was needed on earlier engines. You have already cleared the way for this job by removing the Aux. Drive belt and the cable trunking earlier. Three bolts (positions marked by arrows in the photo) hold the cover on. Once the bolts are removed be patient and fiddle the cover upwards, sideways, back and fore to clear the sprockets underneath.
At last the sensor. It lives underneath the two top camshaft sprockets and is held by one Torx bolt arrowed in the photo.
The sensor comes out upwards through the sensor well. Hang on to the Torx bolt when you fit the new sensor, pound to a penny if you drop it the law of ‘sod’ says you will never find it again.
Refitting is the reverse of removal. The job is very straightforward and took me about an hour and a half with a break for tea and a biscuit in the middle. Once you’ve done it once and gone through the learning curve you could probably do the job in half the time. When done it immediately cured the irritating limp home mode symptoms on my auto box that I’d had for some time. I hope you find the information in this ‘How To’ helpful and that it gives you the confidence to tackle the job yourself.
I have an iPod shuffle and Mrs, vic being an even cooler dud'ess' has an iPod nanno 8-).(joke)
