Cam Sync Error

[sackracing]

Just started car after distributor install last night.
Set distributor at 75 degrees
Verified timing at 25 degrees, set crank reference at 52.
Adjusted distributor clockwise until the cam sync numbers on dashboard were all reading green. Fluctuate from 30s to 70s.
Still getting cam sync error.
What is the deal?

 

[CGASTON]

Just started car after distributor install last night.
Set distributor at 75 degrees
Verified timing at 25 degrees, set crank reference at 52.
Adjusted distributor clockwise until the cam sync numbers on dashboard were all reading green. Fluctuate from 30s to 70s.
Still getting cam sync error.
What is the deal?

Get in touch with Norbs. He just had that issue and has fixed it

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[Mike E]

Cam Sync occurred at an unexpected angle
-or-
Cam Sync failed to occur when expected

That's probably because it's moving around so much. In my case it was noise causing it to move around. I had to go to a hall effect sensor to make mine work right. That's not so easy with a distributor. What harness do you have? Is it shielded at all? Can you move the wiring somewhere else to see if it gets better?

 

[sackracing]

It's a casper's harness, not shielded. The distributor wiring goes under the intake and is not close to anything carrying much current. It does jump around a lot. I'm using the factory crank sensor.

 

[HighPSI]

You don't want to move the dizzy around. It will change your rotor phasing. Is the cam sync moving a little (worn gear, timing chain slop, etc..) or moving all over the place (noise on the signal wire)?

 

[sackracing]

Moving all over the place. The gear is new.

What range should the sync numbers stay in. + / - ?

 

[HighPSI]

Did you verify the HE cam signal is grounded? On an adaptor harness this is done by swapping the red and green wires around.

 

[sackracing]

I don't have an adaptor harness, it is a custom Casper's harness with XFI hookups. I swapped the two wires.

 

[HighPSI]

Moving all over the place. The gear is new.

What range should the sync numbers stay in. + / - ?

I believe it will set a code once it changes more than 5 degrees

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[HighPSI]

I don't have an adaptor harness, it is a custom Casper's harness with XFI hookups. I swapped the two wires.

So you grounded the HE signal and have the distributor on the IPU signal? If so, you have a noise issue. We have a ton of cars using the ipu signal in the distributor without issue.

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[Lance]

Make sure the polarity of the cam sensor pickup is wired correctly. Cam sync errors occur when the ECU receives conflicting sync pulses for the currently synchronized cylinder. The ECU will not resync unless it receives successive sync pulses for the same cylinder. If receiving sync pulses for different cylinders, it generates a cam sync error.

 

[sackracing]

The distributor had the cam sensor 3 pin plug on it when I got it, it was used.

I need to check that the ruluctor on the distributor is on the pickup at 75 degrees, but there must still be a problem with noise due the fluctuation.

 

[sackracing]

Re checked pickup, at 75 degrees the pickup is dead on. At 20 degrees #1 is lined up.

Numbers fluctuate in the 80s, and occasionly drop to high 40s.

Looks like noise could be a possibility.

What's best way to correct this?

 

[sackracing]

Okay, figured it out.

Swapped the polarity on the pickup wires ( thanks Jason White ), the numbers stopped jumping around but still getting the cam sync.

Adjusted the crank reference angle down to 48 to see if it was an actual signal gap problem, and it went away.

Just need to do the timing test and set crank angle, then adjust distributor to get signal gap correct. It seems to like the numbers in the 50s.

I had a similar problem with the CCCI setup, had to adjust the cam sensor to get it to go away.

Thanks for everyone's responses. The best thing about this board is being able to get help.

 

[HighPSI]

Make sure the polarity of the cam sensor pickup is wired correctly.

Glad you guys figured it out.

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[sackracing]

I was having a hard time with that one, because it was a used distributor off a running car. I'm starting to think the harness has issues since I had the same problem with the ccci.

 

[norbs]

I assume your crank reluctor has been reclocked to 50 degrees?

 

[sackracing]

Yes, it is at 50

 

[sackracing]

Came back. Tried clocking dist all over the map. Started in 20s and worked up to 80s slowly. No dice.

 

[Mike E]

Moving the distributor around messes up the cam sync and the phasing. I assume since your distributor was already on a running motor it should have the cam sync sensor adjusted properly in relation to the rotor.

Put your balancer at 20* and rotate the distributor so that the number 1 post on the cap lines up directly with the rotor and lock the distributor down.
Then roll the balancer back until the reluctor lines up with the pickup. What is the number on the balancer when they are lined up? If it's somewhere between 65 and 110 it should be fine and you have another issue