I effed up my timing - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

climbinfool · 09-11-2009, 05:20 PM

Sorry if this was already in another section, but I couldn't find anyone with quite the same problem I am having.

I just did the timing belt on my wife's 99 camry 4cyl., thanks to some awesome write up that I found on here (thanks dz63) I was able to do it no problem. After I got it started I saw that I now have a check engine light on. I went down and got it read, and it's the camshaft position sensor code. The computer said it could also be the timing being off.

Now I really don't want to take the timing belt off to try and get the timing right, but I need to get it fixed. When I was putting everything together, i noticed a sensor hanging down that I didn't recognize from dz63's picutres, but it looked just like the one down by the crank pulley, so i figure, well it's got to be the sensor for the camshaft pulley. But I didn't remember having taken it off, so I was kind of at a miss as to where to put it. I ended up finding a spot where I thought it went down below the cam pulley. The little notch even seemed to line up. I bolt everything back together, and now it runs fine, but I have a check engine light.

Do you guys think that it is more likely that my timing is off by a tooth? Or that the cam position sensor is in the wrong place? Thanks for any help you can give!

Tyler

rusty9 · 09-11-2009, 06:06 PM

if memory serves me right, the cam sensor is in the distributor, so look there for a plug you missed.

climbinfool · 09-11-2009, 06:25 PM

It probably is on older camry's, but mine has no dizzy, it's got a coil pack instead....

climbinfool · 09-12-2009, 12:21 PM

anyone?

ghettosled · 09-12-2009, 12:57 PM

i thought if the belt was even off one notch, it would run horribly. thats weird for the sensor to slip off without noticing. im guessing a wire was pulled, sensor is smeared with dirt, or its not installed/aligned correctly. without knowing the difference between my 96 and your 99, im guessing you might have to remove the upped timing cover to get at the sensor (assuming its not blocked by the belt).

climbinfool · 09-12-2009, 05:36 PM

well, the car doesn't seem to be running amazing per say, but I think that it might be because I have a check engine light. I think that the sensor was held on by a bolt that also held on the upper timing belt cover, so it sorta fell out when I took it off. But I'm not sure, that why I was hoping someone could tell me if the thing that I put on below the cam pulley was even the cam sensor or not... if it even goes there...

bill buttermore · 09-12-2009, 11:18 PM

Cam position sensor on 5SFE shown above at about 8:00 O'Clock.

climbinfool · 09-13-2009, 01:08 PM

thanks Bill!!!! That looks like where I put mine... I looked at a schematic and it looks like it is supposed to go outside of the cover. But it doesn't look like there is room. So it's supposed to be under the cover, right?

bill buttermore · 09-13-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by climbinfool

thanks Bill!!!! That looks like where I put mine... I looked at a schematic and it looks like it is supposed to go outside of the cover. But it doesn't look like there is room. So it's supposed to be under the cover, right?

Best I can remember, yeah. On my '01 Solara 5SFE (maybe they haven't changed ?) the business end of the sensor is covered by the top timing cover. There is a locating pin (in addition to the bolt) that fits into a hole on the sensor frame that should prevent installing it incorrectly.

BTW, that photo is of a '97 iirc, and the alignment is NOT set for TDC in the pic.

climbinfool · 09-15-2009, 02:58 PM

ok. Thanks for the help bill. I definitely put the aligning pin in something... i'm guessing it's hooked up right. Looks like I don't get to go camping this weekend. Another fun saturday of pulling apart the timing belt.

Thanks everyone for your input and Help!!!!

climbinfool · 09-18-2009, 10:27 PM

Well.... I just re-timed the camry. It was off by a couple teeth. I double, and triple checked to make sure the timing was on after i put the belt back on. I start it up... and the check engine light came on again.

I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions?
Thanks

slpr1mz · 09-18-2009, 11:12 PM

reset the efi setting of disconnect the battery, atfer 10 min re-install it. that might clear the ecu of codes.

climbinfool · 09-18-2009, 11:32 PM

yea. I had the battery disconnected for like half an hour. I am going to take it to toyota tomorrow.

matted2thefloor · 09-19-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by climbinfool

Sorry if this was already in another section, but I couldn't find anyone with quite the same problem I am having.

I just did the timing belt on my wife's 99 camry 4cyl., thanks to some awesome write up that I found on here (thanks dz63) I was able to do it no problem. After I got it started I saw that I now have a check engine light on. I went down and got it read, and it's the camshaft position sensor code. The computer said it could also be the timing being off.

Now I really don't want to take the timing belt off to try and get the timing right, but I need to get it fixed. When I was putting everything together, i noticed a sensor hanging down that I didn't recognize from dz63's picutres, but it looked just like the one down by the crank pulley, so i figure, well it's got to be the sensor for the camshaft pulley. But I didn't remember having taken it off, so I was kind of at a miss as to where to put it. I ended up finding a spot where I thought it went down below the cam pulley. The little notch even seemed to line up. I bolt everything back together, and now it runs fine, but I have a check engine light.

Do you guys think that it is more likely that my timing is off by a tooth? Or that the cam position sensor is in the wrong place? Thanks for any help you can give!

Tyler

Tyler,

After reading your post, it appears that your cam position sensor has been imprperly installed. It has happened many times in the shop with "new" guys doing timing belts on the 5S-FE motor for the first time. The bolt that holds the cam position sensor in place is in very close proximity to a bolt for the belt cover. Sometimes that bolt for the cam sensor will break off ( I don't know why...because the remaining portion will usually spin right out ) when attempting to remove it and then you'll have the sensor "hanging". If you don't get the sensor reinstalled in the exact location, the sensor won't pick up properly off of the cam gear and the check engine light will come on.

Hope that helps...

climbinfool · 09-19-2009, 11:50 AM

That's exactly what must have happened to me, matted2thefloor! Ok, i'll try that one last thing before admitting defeat. Thanks!