Cam Sensor

I personally dont see a problem as long as the electronic parts (the cam sensor cap) is available as the rest of the sensor is definitely rebuildable. The aluminum housings can be bushed (and rollerized if desired) and the wheel at the top is repairable thanks to Jason ar RJC. I think people are making it worse than it is. Worst case scenario is IF the aluminum housing and shafts become obsolete is to take regular V6 distibutors and turn the tops down to make new aluminum housings OR a billet aluminum housing.
What people should fear is the obsolesence of the unique (to the TR's and TTA's) electronic parts such as the cam sensor cap, crank sensor, coil packs, modules and other sensors.
I know the Buick crowd is good at making other parts work, but its the sensors that are also crucial to the proper performance of these cars.
Just my $.02
 
An addendum to my previous post;
my friends think I am crazy since I try to save everything. Bad cam sensor assemblies, crusty sensors (that are still functional)even stock cam shaft cores as there may come a day when reconditioning good cores might be an option.
 
I found one of the Standard cam sensors at the parts store down the street. They said they had two in stock and the warehouse had them in stock. I only bought one. If anybody wants one call Car Quest in St. Louis. Any store will be able to get it. I would have bought them all but I didn't want to be that guy. Good luck and happy hunting.
 
Originally posted by pacecarta
the 4digit code is the julian date code as found on most GM parts not a vendor code
most that were available from std were around the 155th day of 2003
they were purchased from OE source and carry the GM part # they are a gm part not a bogus ripoff .
wheter you buy it in or out of box its still the same sensor the general would gladdly charge you 413.00 for over the counter


as of 9 am this morning standard has stated a date for availabilty,
will it be the same part from gm as the PC16 was last month , wont know till it comes out
will it be 43 dollars
we will have to wait to see
Click to expand...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul: I am interested in learning a little more about the Julian date code on the parts:
Is this mandated/required by GM?
If it is, why so?
Did GM have more than 1 vendor for this part at any one time?
Any shelf life components inside?
Basically, what I am curious about is whether GM is using the Julian date code for any traceability purposes to minimize recall quantities?
If the vendor did this on his own, why?
 
when you get into matching #s even on older cars gm used some sort of date on nearly everything including welded in body panels , the familiar was the month as a letter, two digit for the day and the year for cast parts
on some parts they used julian coding , some parts show yearas two digit and then the day of year , my coil was done this way inside,
was it mandatory , cant say but they are on many parts on a car. when parts were replaced under warranty GM usually wants the defective part returned for evaluation before reembursing the dealer (especial expensive parts) and they would want to know if it came from that vehicle
since parts were built and supplied on a regular basis the date code of parts used in the vehicle would usually be close to the build date of the vehicle and never later than the build date
the coilpack and the module were dated as well
ive found ink stamp date codes on items you would never expect to see them on , like the back of the horn button , the tach , back of speedo, aircleaner bases ,even the spark plug wires are coded for date , again nearly everything in your car has a date on it .

is there any time sensitive materials used , not to my knowledge , the code isnt an expiration date like milk or budwiser , but i suppose some parts could be updated and similar looking older versions would be out of certification for emmission standards but thats where part#s come in sort that out .
 
Everything on our cars is date coded...even the vacuum lines and relays......

Pete
 
On the Cam Sensor, the four digit number under the GM part number is the date code.....the first number is the year the last three digits is the day of that year.

Example....3184...........the 184th day of 1983.

Pete
 
Pete/Paul:
Just out of my curiousity, is that canandar date or manufacturing date? A lot of companies use a manufacturing calandar with only scheduled work days being in the calandar.
 
from what ive seen from build sheets and such it is the julian date which is the number of the day of the julian calender year, 1-365

Pete stated the 3 for the year could be 83 , but it could just as well be 93 or 2003
 
Most electronics manufacturers use a four digit code, the first two being the last two digits of the year, and the last two being the week of the year, i.e.

9745 would be the 45th. week of 1997,

0403 would be the 3rd. week of 2004.

Some manufacturers add a fifth digit to signify the day of the week, so if it's 04032 it'd be on the 2nd. day of the week of the 3rd. week of 2004.

-John Spina
www.gnspyder.com
www.gnvenom.com
www.casperselectronics.com
 
Originally posted by GNVAIR
I personally dont see a problem as long as the electronic parts (the cam sensor cap) is available as the rest of the sensor is definitely rebuildable. The aluminum housings can be bushed (and rollerized if desired) and the wheel at the top is repairable thanks to Jason ar RJC. I think people are making it worse than it is. Worst case scenario is IF the aluminum housing and shafts become obsolete is to take regular V6 distibutors and turn the tops down to make new aluminum housings OR a billet aluminum housing.
What people should fear is the obsolesence of the unique (to the TR's and TTA's) electronic parts such as the cam sensor cap, crank sensor, coil packs, modules and other sensors.
I know the Buick crowd is good at making other parts work, but its the sensors that are also crucial to the proper performance of these cars.
Just my $.02
Click to expand...

That system is archaic at best, a bandage to allow that timing cover to be used with fuel injection or a distributor.
If you look at other similar 3.8L FI motors of the era like my little bro's 86 Park Ave. they use a magnetic little blip on the cam gear and a sensor built into the timing cover; it'd mean either modification or replacement of the timing cover and possibly an electronics box, but it'd ditch the archaic system and you could make the swap even more worthwhile by ditching the archaic oil pump and using a 3800 style pump. By far a radical suggestion, but if we used 3800 sensors in this construction there are a ton of them around, so even if they go outa production we can still get them.

The other way to go with this is a new pickup in a custom made cap, these hall effect sensors aren't exactly rare or hard to get in different form.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Cranks no start no inj pulse no spark
Replies
4
Views
385
Tferst
T
Thumper
Nos style cam sensor caps. New
Replies
16
Views
1K
BUICKTIME
BUICKTIME
P
Knock sensor and module for 84-85 and 86-87
Replies
0
Views
342
PaulRV6
P
626gn
Odd-Fire Cam Nose Assembly and Rollmaster Double Roller w/IWIS Chain
Replies
5
Views
412
626gn
626gn
N
Built 3.8
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
NITEMER
N
Top