synchronizing camshaft sensor on 01 XJ?

ok so i have a feeling that the shop is trying to screw me over. he is saying that my cam shaft sensor is broken, which it is, the magnet on the sensor is snapped off. but heres the catch, first off he is telling me that for the new sensor, housing, diagnostics and the scanning tool it will be $380.

is this just a load of crap? when i put in my stroker i put in the cam shaft sensor, when it didnt start up i rotated the sensor 180* and it fired right up.

does my cam shaft sensor need to be synchronized using some scanner tool?

this is the same guy who insisted a new sensor and housing was 145 bucks. i just rode to carquest and got the same thing for 60 bucks.

what do you guys think?

here is the part that i am talking about

You don't need the DRB tool. It can also be timed with a toothpick. Details in the FSM. The FSM of course "recommends" using DRB for "fine tuning". Other articles say the best way is just the toothpick.

Check it out: http://www.askamechanic.info/askamech2/content/view/36/46/

hmm, i looked in my FSM and i couldnt find anything about using the DRB, i found the part in the ignition section that describes the cam sensor, but i cant find anything about tuning it in. im gonna try google as well

Ignition section, removal and installation, CMP pulse ring alignment (4.0).

ok cool, so i really shouldnt even need the DRB to test it, the toothpick method should be sufficient. but with my stroker should i just spend the extra money and have it DRB tested so i know its spot on? or just go with the toothpick method?

Read the link I posted earlier. He got better results with the toothpick than the DRB. It's not really so critical like setting your timing. The CKP (crank position sensor) does the fine timing.

ok i gotcha, that makes sense. i think ill save myself the 170 and just fix it myself if the shops parking lot lol

UPDATE:

I just got the jeep back from the shop. I dropped off the cam sensor and housing. The guy apparently replaced it and said he timed it correctly. When the jeep went into the shop it had code P300, 302, 304, (basically every cylinder had a misfire code). He put in the sensor it started up and idled fine. He backs out the jeep out of the shop. I pay $250 to have one sensor replaced. A load of crap if you ask me. So I pay it and get in the jeep. I put it in drive, and the jeep sputters and clunks worse than its ever done before. I walk straight back into the shop and say the jeep isnt fixed. He gets in the jeep starts it up and revs it up, it clanks and sputters really bad. He gets out and says "man this little jeep has a lot of problems". He pulls the codes and he says man there are alot of codes here. There are 8 total. All of the codes that were on it originally and a couple ignition circuit codes. I pull out my $250 invoice and say what exactly did you do for this money.

He said you brought it in with a "no-start" its starts now (yes those are his exact words). I said you have to be XXXXing kidding me. With the owner of the shop standing right there. I said what did i pay for? you to put one sensor in? Really!? He goes, well for 69 bucks an hour ill pull it in the shop and take a look. I said i just paid you to fix it. You didnt even test drive it before you gave it back to me.

I said no thanks im going to another shop this is ridiculous. Shut the door of the jeep and sputtered off to the shop down the road. The jeep died on me 4 times within a 1.5 mile trip. Jeep wouldnt accelerate over 35mph. and the rpms wouldnt go about 2500.

Im at a loss on this whole situation. I called the shop it was and a swore to them that i was going to refute payment on the credit card if they didnt take care of this. The owner said he was pissed at his mechanic for what he did and for not test driving it. We settled on splittling the cost.

But thats been my afternoon so far. Extremely frustrating

Did the sensor get set with a toothpick?

i didnt have time to fuss with it, i going to assume he just used the scanner on it

When the cam sensor isn't synchronized like that, it'll trip every ignition coil code and the Jeep will run exactly how you stated. It's not synch'ed, that's all.

It doesn't sound like it's in backwards because I've done that before and the Jeep won't start up at all. If it's in the right way, but slightly out of sync, it'll start up fine sometimes and then not want to start at all.

What NEEDS to be done is to get the no. 1 cylinder at top dead center, pop the plastic cap off of the cam sensor, get a tooth pick and stick it through the hole on the sensor housing, loosen up the bolt on the crowfoot and turn the sensor housing until the toothpick passes through the hole on the "shutter" that spins around when the engine is running.

How do i get the no.1 to top dead center?

i believe you take out the #1 spark plug, rotate the motor using the harmonic balancer bolt on the front of the motor. put your finger over the #1 spark plug hole and rotate the motor till you feel pressure on your finger.

In addition to the above, there should be a notch on your harmonic balancer and when the number 1 cylinder is at TDC, it'll line up with the 0 degree mark on the timing chain cover. Then you pop the plastic cap off of the cam sensor and do the toothpick method.

Read this: http://motorage.search-autoparts.co...estandard//motorage/292005/169830/article.pdf

OK so I have the #1 cylinder at TDC and pulled the cam sensor. I inserted to toothpick and lined it up, but the problem is the sensor is no angled toward the block and not at facing back the way it should toward the back. I can rotate it but then the two holes are aligned anymore. Does that make sense? What should I do at this point?

You're gonna have to pull the cam sensor out. With #1 piston at TDC, put the toothpick in the holes, and insert it so that it rotates into the final position that lets you bolt it down. You're gonna have to align the slot in the oil pump w/ a screwdriver so that it goes in when you drop it.

Finished it yesterday and works great now! It has never run so well, thanks all for your help.