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iTrader: (17)

true...

Duneslayer

New to the forum but having the same problem!! Has anybody actually had good results just using the 02' sensor (12575183) without changing gear sets? I just picked one up from Napa but am not sure about installing it? My 01" coded the crank sensor, replaced that then immediately coded the cam sensor. I used a pair of needle nosed vise grips to clamp the crank sensor then a small pry bar from the bottom to pop it out. Worked great!! Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

hog

Cam sprockets.


24x and 58x on crankshaft reluctor wheels.


Nothing to do but try it, and if not then you'd have to swap out to the year newer camshaft sprocket.

By comparing camshaft sprockets, it appears as though you are running the 1 x reluctor with 3 cam bolts which would be letter "C" in the above pic.
Standard PC340 is a CMP sensor for all the 8.1 for 2001
Standard PC341 is a CMP sensor far all 2002 and some 2003

peace
Hog

Chevy_freak

Dealer here told me that is a new GM thing. Everything will be cut out after 10 years, and if you can't get it from Napa or the like after that... you're fucked.

Great way to boost car sales. They had an 01 in with bad cam sensor, called GM and went up the ladder. They were finally told to make the guy trade it in. They then asked what to do to fix the trade-in and their response was "scrap it, it's old".

**** like this may push me away from GM, but damn I hate fords and their change every part every year mentality.

SCREECH.ws

PROBLEM SOLVED!!

I have a 2001 Silverado 2500HD 8.1L that I purchased back in June. It flew through emissions testing in Ontario, Canada and was running fine...until my check engine light came on one day in late July. It was the dreaded cam sensor failure.

Fast forward to today, Sunday, November 16, and I JUST pulled my truck out of the shop a couple hours ago after upgrading the cam sensor system to the 2004+ style, whose sensor is readily available, and will be for years to come. Many thanks go to one of the guys at RAYLAR (Vortec 8100 8.1L Chevy GM Performance Parts - 496MAG / 496MAG HO Marine Performance Parts - Raylar Engineering) for steering me in this direction. For you guys that run 8.1Ls and want to dial it up a notch (or three), check out Raylar's site!!

The 2004-2007 8.1L cam sensor is not exclusive to the 8.1L engines, as were the 2001 and 2002-2003 (or 2002-2004 in Canada) cam sensors. And since they're used by a wider array of applications, including some that are as current as 2012/2013, obtaining them in the future should be no problem.

So here's what I purchased to complete this conversion:
TIMING SET: Cloyes C3222, RockAuto, $35
TIMING COVER: GM 12589846, Various sources, $50-$75
SENSOR PIGTAIL: Standard HP4240, RockAuto, $7
CAMSHAFT SENSOR: Standard PC620, RockAuto, $32

You could get away with just changing the cam gear, but I got the whole timing set as the price was very close to buying just the cam gear. Then it's done while you're in there.

The engine IMMEDIATELY fired up when I just bumped the starter the first time after putting everything back together - a far cry from the cranking and cranking that was required when the cam sensor originally took its vacation.

I had done a lot of research when my cam sensor first died and I began finding that I COULDN'T find the 2001 cam sensor. I never would have guessed that this would be the case - I even asked my local GM dealer in the heat of frustration if there was some conspiracy on GM's part to get older vehicles off the road through this means. A few rays of hope started to shine through when I started reading about the possibility of swapping to a newer cam gear and sensor, though I was skeptical at first. But when the guy from Raylar told me quite plainly "Ok, here's what you do..." and proceeded to lay it out like it was a run-of-the-mill operation, I was ready to give it a try.

I've run the truck through two warm-up cycles already and haven't had a check engine light back on yet. So obviously the 2001 computer has no problem reading the 2004+ sensor (with the correct pigtail soldered onto the harness). There's no modifications to the computer needed. And just a word about the pigtail, while I'm thinking about it - the wiring layout is the same between the two connectors, the 2001 and the 2004+. Just solder wire A from the old connector to wire A on the new one, same with B and C. If you have a tool to release the pins from the connector you could even just change the plastic connector, putting the pins back in the same spot, and you'd be alright. That's assuming that the pins are the same style between the two connectors. I soldered the pigtail onto my harness after cutting the old harness off, so I cannot say for sure.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post. I just wanted to start putting the word out there that the 2004+ 8.1L cam sensor swap is a viable and real solution to the discontinued 2001 and 2002-2003 cam sensors. ENJOY!!

Raylar Engineering

You're very welcome! Glad to hear you got it running.

Hogg - I am stealing your camshaft sprocket graphic for our web site. I'm going to attach the GM part numbers to the image for the correct camshaft position sensor as well.

Later edit: We've added a page on the sensors and gears with the information from this thread. If I neglected to answer any questions on this topic, let me know.
Raylar Engineering - Camshaft Gears / Timing Cover / Camshaft Position Sensor information