Crank position sensor

[graden]

Any of you guys ( or gals ) ever replaced your position sensor. i need to and in the hanes manul it says you need special tool j-!#@$$%$ to put it in. the tool is worth $350 and for me to use it once i am not going to spend that kinda money.

[93gagt3300]

i've replaced my crank postion sensor before. i was fortunate enough to be able to borrow the tool from my local pontiac dealer, because i happen to know a lot of the people there. yet, you can probably get away with a regular harmonic balancer puller. the only problem will be the BOLTS. THE BOLTS used on that balancer are very small , three will be need. to make matters worse they are fine thread. if you happen to have a regular "Y" shaped puller avavilable to you. you will first have to acquire bolts that are LONG enough to pass through the "Y" piece, yet small enough to thread into the holes. this WILL require some washers of various sizes shoulder the tiny bolt onto the "Y" piece of the puller, so you can use it as you would with conventional bolts. considering you swapped an auto to five speed, which i commend you on your efforts. this shouldn't be a problem for you. where there is a will, there is a way........

[93gagt3300]

OOPS!!! one other thing. 93 was a split year with the crank sensor. the old style had a bolt that went through the sensor, so you can adjust the inboard and outboard spacing in reference to the balancer "trigger" teeth. the later style went on one way. ther was a stud that stuck through the engine block where you bolted it back on. therefore making it non adjustable and virtually tamper proof. i hope you have the later style like mine did. if you have the earlier one, you'll be off to the dealer to borrow the tool, if they'll let you.......

[graden]

dude that sucks. my 3300 is from a 89 cutlass so im sure its the older style :( . It gets pritty bad when money wise its more worth it to chang the engine then the sensor

[93gagt3300]

sad, but true. you probably can pick up a hole engine with less miles on it and save yourself the added aggravation. yet, if you're type that like to floor it a lot, you might as well slap a timing chain set in there, like i did. i know me. what little power i have, i want it all good to the last drop.......

[graden]

done. heh heh heh I lucked out and managed to sweet talk G.M in to letting me use the tool for the weekend. Thank goodness I did as the tool doesint only position the sensor, it checks the disrupter rings to see if they are still ok.. mine were not. I managed to get another balancer for $6.00 from the junk yard and were good to go.

[93gagt3300]

sweet... you lucked out......

[DaveA04]

A relative of mine said he worked it off with his hands...I find that hard to believe..However he said he spent a while getting it off..is it possible??

[Jay2D2]

mine came off in my hands too, took about 5 min
has for the adjustment you can just use a thin piece of cardboard over the sensor and push that into the reluctor wheel. when you turn the harmonic the paper falls out. like a hard pack of canadian cigarettes works quite good

[pokesmot]

how do you know that your sensor needed replaced? my engine has a bit of a knock to it right now and im wondering if I have the same problem or not.

[Prospeeder]

bad crank sensor would be like, Intermittent stalling, and no start, but somtimes fireing (because it has a 1:6 chance to fire because it might hit the #1 pistion at the top of compression)