Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

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bnevets27
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Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by bnevets27 »

Just wanted to post an FYI in the hopes of saving others from paying the insane price of the crank position senor.

I had a 2 pin version with the connector on the sensor itself. Looked like the cheaper ~ $30 option on rockautp. Now I did not purchase it from rockauto, it was a new spare part I had lying around which I think was intended for a 3.0. Didn't take any pictures before install unfortunately.

I also happened to have the connector for the sensor. I used the wiring diagrams and ecu i/o from both the pre 95 and the 95 service manuals.

pre 95 3 wire is wired as:
1- positive (red)
2 - negative (white)
3 - shield (black)

Figuring out pin 3 is easy as it goes from the connector to nowhere on the sensor itself because its the shield. Colours of the cabling in my car didn't match the FSM but mine is a 94 and the FSM is for a 92.

95 2 wire is wired:
1- positive
2- negative

Figuring out pin 1 is a little trickier, looking it up in the FSM would be best but, looking at the front of the connector with the tab up I think I recall the left pin is pin 1.

Last but not least I also found the hole in the sensor to be off and not line up well enough to get the bolt it. A little filing with a round hand file fixed that.

After wiring the 3 pin pigtail cut from the old pre 95 to the 95 2 pin connector and filing the mounting hole, installed sensor and was good to go.

Really hope this saves someone from buy the insanely priced crank angle sensor.



The location of the wiring diagrams:
1992 Crank position:
1992_Subaru_Service_Manual-Engine_&_Wiring.pdf
page 303 of the pdf
1992 ECU I/O:
https://www.main.experiencetherave.com/ ... _page1.jpg

1995 Crank Angle Sensor:
MSA5TCD95L5928.pdf
pages 47 of pdf
!995 ECU I/O:
https://main.experiencetherave.com/suba ... CU_I-O.pdf
Last edited by bnevets27 on Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
mike-tracy
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by mike-tracy »

Which car are you using this on? I like cheap solutions too.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
bnevets27
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by bnevets27 »

1994 Legacy 2.2L
cj91legss
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by cj91legss »

I ended up using an old crank and cam sensor harness and grabbing a couple fuel injector plugs and making my own harnesses for the second gen sensors. Worked like a charm!

If I remember correctly I had to shave the sides down on the crank sensor tho because the raised tabs on the sides were different than the injector plug, but the locking tab worked just fine.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
Legacy777
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by Legacy777 »

Thanks for the write-up. I've got a couple comments.

Regarding the wiring colors in the FSM, they should match the chassis harness wiring, but will not match the wiring of the actual sensor (between the sensor and plug). Did the chassis wiring in your 94 still not match the wiring colors in the 92 FSM?

I would be a little hesitant in this mod because the crank sensor only outputs very small voltages, and they can be altered easily by poor wiring connections or interference due to missing or improperly wired shield wiring.

I'm not saying that you didn't do all your wiring properly, but it's just something to keep in mind for others wanting to do this mod. I will be curious to see if you have any issues as you drive the car (hopefully not). Please keep us posted.

Thanks
Josh

surrealmirage.com/subaru
1990 Legacy (AWD, 6MT, & EJ22T Swap)
2020 Outback Limted XT

If you need to get a hold of me please email me rather then pm
cj91legss
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by cj91legss »

Yes, shielded wire is a must.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
bnevets27
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by bnevets27 »

Legacy777 wrote:Thanks for the write-up. I've got a couple comments.

Regarding the wiring colors in the FSM, they should match the chassis harness wiring, but will not match the wiring of the actual sensor (between the sensor and plug). Did the chassis wiring in your 94 still not match the wiring colors in the 92 FSM?

I would be a little hesitant in this mod because the crank sensor only outputs very small voltages, and they can be altered easily by poor wiring connections or interference due to missing or improperly wired shield wiring.

I'm not saying that you didn't do all your wiring properly, but it's just something to keep in mind for others wanting to do this mod. I will be curious to see if you have any issues as you drive the car (hopefully not). Please keep us posted.

Thanks
Good point, went out and looked and the wiring of the car is correct. The colour of the sensor wires don't match which is understandable. I was doing this in a parking lot in the cold so I wasn't documenting it just wanted to get out of there and back home.

The wire is still properly shielded. The wire I used was from the cam position sensor so it was also a shielded wires. Soldered both wires and the shielding, with many layers of heat shrink. But to your point doing it properly is important.

I wouldn't be that concerned. The original wiring "pigtail" to the old wire was reused so if anyone else was to do it there is no reason to have a long run of unshielded cable.

Drove around for about a hour today. No engine codes. Runs fine.

Also looks to the the same sensor as the cam position. The cam position just have a sleeve over it to increase its diameter. But I haven't actually tried so I won't say I know it works.

Unfortunately its all in the car now so no good pictures (as I said wasn't documenting as I went due to the cold) but I did go out and get a couple.

Image
Image
bnevets27
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by bnevets27 »

Just a long term follow up. I never had any problems with this sensor or the engine in general since I posted this. I can confidently say this works great.
Legacy777
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by Legacy777 »

Thanks for following up and letting us know how it's gone.
Josh

surrealmirage.com/subaru
1990 Legacy (AWD, 6MT, & EJ22T Swap)
2020 Outback Limted XT

If you need to get a hold of me please email me rather then pm
cj91legss
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Re: Cheaper Crank Angle, Crank Position Sensor

Post by cj91legss »

If anyone needs some of these or cam sensors, I have about 15-20 of them.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
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