What are these things?

[im_topher]

Hey all, i need some help identifying a part, i dont know what these are, im not familiar with boxer engines and these dont look obvious to me.
Ive circled them in one pic and the second pic is a closeup.

The car im working on rebuilding has both of the little plastic clips broken off of these.

Any info anyone could provide on how to buy some of these would be awesome too.

[Freeman]

I believe they are cam sensors


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[spitfire481]

vvt oil solenoids

[Apoc]

That is clearly the flux capacitors

[kimcheefists]

They're the cam angle sensors (CAS). They tell the ECU when a given cylinder has the intake or exhaust valves open


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[stugray]

Originally Posted by kimcheefists

They're the cam angle sensors (CAS). They tell the ECU when a given cylinder has the intake or exhaust valves open


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They are actually the actuators that advance/retard the cams.

The cam position sensors are the smaller cans (about the size of your thumb) that stick out from behind those circular parts.

In the picture, the cam pos. sensors are at 4 oclock on the lower left, and 11 oclock on the upper one (behind that radiator hose).

[FirestormFRS]

Actuators are electric?...

[im_topher]

Is this something im going to really hate my self for unbolting and looking at it? Are they like fine tuned and calibrated or can i pop em off and try to fix that plastic piece thats broken? With everyone being a little unsure on what they are and me googling around and not being able to find replacements easily im thinking i might just try and fix the wire.

[spitfire481]

Originally Posted by im_topher

Is this something im going to really hate my self for unbolting and looking at it? Are they like fine tuned and calibrated or can i pop em off and try to fix that plastic piece thats broken? With everyone being a little unsure on what they are and me googling around and not being able to find replacements easily im thinking i might just try and fix the wire.

Pop them off all you want. They only go back one way. Nothing special. I've had quite a few of these off

[stugray]

Originally Posted by FirestormFRS

Actuators are electric?...

The electric signal allows oil to flow one way or another through a port to the cam gear. This advances or retards the cam.
Then the sensor tells the engine when is has moved the cam enough

Originally Posted by im_topher

Is this something im going to really hate my self for unbolting and looking at it? Are they like fine tuned and calibrated or can i pop em off and try to fix that plastic piece thats broken? With everyone being a little unsure on what they are and me googling around and not being able to find replacements easily im thinking i might just try and fix the wire.

It looks like the connector bodies on the "cam timing oil control valve assembly" is actually broken.
You should be able to disconnect the connector from the assembly and see if you can repair the damaged connector body.

[im_topher]

Originally Posted by stugray

The electric signal allows oil to flow one way or another through a port to the cam gear. This advances or retards the cam.
Then the sensor tells the engine when is has moved the cam enough



It looks like the connector bodies on the "cam timing oil control valve assembly" is actually broken.
You should be able to disconnect the connector from the assembly and see if you can repair the damaged connector body.

Thanks for the advice, im going to give that a try

[stugray]

Originally Posted by im_topher

Thanks for the advice, im going to give that a try

Just a guess but: the car rear-ended another car didnt it?
And the radiator is what smashed the connectors, and the header heat shield?

If you cant fix the connectors, you would have to replace the two passenger side "cam timing oil control valve assemblies".

To attempt to fix the connectors, you could remove the assemblies, and "pot" the connector while holding it in the correct position using a high temp epoxy (NOT JB weld) until it cures.

[im_topher]

Originally Posted by stugray

Just a guess but: the car rear-ended another car didnt it?
And the radiator is what smashed the connectors, and the header heat shield?

If you cant fix the connectors, you would have to replace the two passenger side "cam timing oil control valve assemblies".

To attempt to fix the connectors, you could remove the assemblies, and "pot" the connector while holding it in the correct position using a high temp epoxy (NOT JB weld) until it cures.

I dont know what happened to the car that got it that way, it had damage to the undercarriage going back pretty far so i assume it hit something and ended up driving up and over it pretty far.. fire hydrant or something? i duno lol

[FrX]

The connectors on the Oil Control Solenoids are super fragile. And the actual copper wire inside the connector is very thin. It probably broke as well. You would be best served probably by just buying a set of new solenoids. They are about 60 bucks a pop from the dealer. Get new o-rings at the same time.