# camshaft position sensor for a 97 jetta



## jake_9685 (Aug 1, 2009)

I am at a loss. I own a 97 jetta jls with the stock 2.0 in it. The car is a 5 speed with 110k miles on it. My check engine light keeps coming on. Every time i run it it comes up as a "camshaft position sensor." I went to the dealer to see how much the part was and after about 20 minutes the mechanic comes out and says that my car's year/model was never built with a camshaft position sensor. I take it back to autozone to have the codes read again and the guy says that the car has a sensor and that the dealers are stupid. He then goes to make up a bs story about how the sensor is built into the distributor







. In the process he questioned if i was sure that the car was a 97 the point of checking the make tag in the door. He then procedes to say that the problem could be related to my o2 sensor or the o2 sensor's relationship to the sensor in the distributor. Im completely at a loss.







The code comes up as the camshaft position sensor but according to two dealers the car was never made with one. help me out!


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## Eric D (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: camshaft position sensor for a 97 jetta (jake_9685)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jake_9685* »_I am at a loss. I own a 97 jetta jls with the stock 2.0 in it. The car is a 5 speed with 110k miles on it. My check engine light keeps coming on. Every time i run it it comes up as a "camshaft position sensor." I went to the dealer to see how much the part was and after about 20 minutes the mechanic comes out and says that my car's year/model was never built with a camshaft position sensor. I take it back to autozone to have the codes read again and the guy says that the car has a sensor and that the dealers are stupid. *He then goes to make up a bs story about how the sensor is built into the distributor







. * In the process he questioned if i was sure that the car was a 97 the point of checking the make tag in the door. He then procedes to say that the problem could be related to my o2 sensor or the o2 sensor's relationship to the sensor in the distributor. Im completely at a loss.







The code comes up as the camshaft position sensor but according to two dealers the car was never made with one. help me out!

The cam position sensor is the hall sensor in the distributor. If you remove the cap and rotor, you will see only 1 trigger window in that trigger wheel.
That is because the distributor is used as a cam position sensor.
The Bentley manual tells you how to check it using a multi-meter. If the test is ok, and the wiring is ok, the problem is the ECU (must replace it).
http://www.bentleypublishers.c....html


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## rocketbails (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: camshaft position sensor for a 97 jetta (Eric D)*

my 99 jetta does the same thing. i think its a vw thing. just like a million other things.


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## jake_9685 (Aug 1, 2009)

*Re: camshaft position sensor for a 97 jetta (rocketbails)*

how much would the part cost? I am having a hard time finding decent websites that carries a wide variety of parts for my car.


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## Eric D (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: camshaft position sensor for a 97 jetta (jake_9685)*

You can purchase a new distributor and call it a day.
You can punch out the roll pin at the gear, slide out the shaft with trigger wheel, then you'll see the hall sender. Replace the hall sender, reassemble and install a new roll pin.
Part # 037 905 205T Distributor. Dealer $200-255.
Aftermarket from $175 and much less on ebay (be sure it has the same part #).
Hall sender below.
http://www.partsgeek.com/parts/impulse_sender.html











_Modified by Eric D at 9:39 AM 8-28-2009_


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## tdogg74 (Mar 1, 2002)

*FV-QR*

If its the sensor thats crap, then its gonna trigger the P0341 code and it wont go away. 
When's the last time your timing belt was replaced? If your timing belt is old and stretched, that will throw the distributor timing off enough to put the distributor rotor out of phase to the hall window (which is what triggers the P0341 CEL in the first place). Timing belts get services every 60k miles. Get it done.


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## FL 2.0L (Aug 1, 2002)

Search camshaft position sensor and read a little bit. You need to educate yourself before talking to the knuckleheads at the dealer or parts store. This issue comes up nearly once a day on this forum.


_Modified by FL 2.0L at 10:05 PM 8-28-2009_


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## dan0954 (Mar 4, 2009)

*Re: FV-QR (tdogg74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *tdogg74* »_If its the sensor thats crap, then its gonna trigger the P0341 code and it wont go away. 

Could that be a OBDI and OBDII difference? As my cam sensor blink code did come and go and since I've changed the distributor I've had no problems. I did use your DIY and found the timing was good and I got a distributor from a yard and no CEL for about 5 months.


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## AZPsychobilly (Dec 8, 2004)

*FV-QR*

honestly 99% of the time that code is due to timing being slightly more than a MCH (metric c*nt hair) off I have seen many instances where someone that knows the sound of an 8v motor can manually adjust the dizzy and your code is gone.


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## Jakeanderson1992du-mas (Jul 18, 2021)

Basically bro, these people are dumb as fu**..

Find your crankshaft wire, or the 2 wires on your front motor mount... They both go left, just past or before our dip stick, you'll see a 10mm. It's that as far as I know and see unless it's synchro stuff. Usually the crank is hex/T__. 



Cam a 10mm.. usually.


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