Hey everyone. I recently changed my distributor and got the check engine light for intermittent crank or cam sensor. I put my old cam sensor in and cleared the code but it came back. I highly suspect the cam sensor, or distributor related, since I was in and out of there three or four times with the distributor in and out. I made sure to put the internal clock mechanism at the 11 o'clock position, then lowered and turned the distributor so the bolt hole lines up with the distributor bolt hole. So everything seems to be lined up the way it should be. I just keep getting the same code. I checked my wiring and it looks good as well. It just doesn't make a lot of sense for me to check the crank sensor so I really don't know what's going on. Maybe I just put the old distributor back in and see what happens.
The only reason I change the distributor is because I thought it was bad since I had an oil leak so I thought the oil was coming up through the distributor and leaking out the weep hole possibly meaning I have bad bushings in the distributor. But I found my leak and it wasn't that so I think I can put the old distributor back in and try it.
Anyone else have ideas?

 

I have heard reports that "new" distributors can be poorly made and/or defective out of the box

So re-installing your old one would make sense as a diagnostic measure

 

Unless you damaged wiring somehow- sounds like the thing to do

 

The gear on the new distributor can be put on wrong from the factory. Theres a roll pin that holds it on, just need to push it out, turn the gear 180 degrees and it should correct it. The gear looks symmetrical, but its not. Ive had this problem once and have seen it on here as well.

 

That's some really good info. I will mess around with that and have 2 good distributors (hopefully).

 

Hope it helps. The small difference in the gear causes the pickup to pass the cam sensor too early, or late. My 96 ran and drove with this condition, but had the same code. I couldn't figure out why until i put both on the bench and really looked for differences.

 

I had all the same problems described here. Beware of different style / shape / pin configuration connectors for the CPS. See my earlier post under Neglected Nellie & goodyoleboy