As the title indicates I decided in all my infinite wisdom I would pressure wash the engine to try and identify all the little oil leaks. After I finished I started my LC and the CEL light stayed illuminated. Out comes the handy dandy scanner and it showed P0340. First question is where the hell is my camshaft sensor and two is there a possibility that I simply wet something down and should look elsewhere before replacing things that aren't really broken. 1997 LC 1FZ-FE 179,000 miles. Yes I do have a FSM and no I cannot find it in that complex maze of Toyota knowledge. If someone can point me to the page/section that would be helpful as well. It is a Toyota 1997 Land Cruiser repair manual volume 1A, curtesy of the PO who apparently read it in the bathtub or had a roof leak in his garage from the water damage. AS always thank you in advance for your help.
Pressure washed engine now P0340 CEL (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Desertmedic80
- Start date
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Squash
SILVER Star
Start it up, warm it up, drive it.
Will probably take a few driving cycles before it disappears or pull the EFI fuse or disconnect the negative battery post to reset the computer.
Will probably take a few driving cycles before it disappears or pull the EFI fuse or disconnect the negative battery post to reset the computer.
You have likely gotten water into a harness connector somewhere.
I did similar with mine. It was undriveable for about a week until everything dried out, then all good again
I did similar with mine. It was undriveable for about a week until everything dried out, then all good again
- Thread starter
- #4
Quick update... I have had the intermittent P0340 cam position light since I pressure washed my engine bay. Mostly off and never had any associated symptoms like rough idol, no start, etc. A couple of days ago however I got a light and the engine started to cut out several times. I live in South Texas and it was and has been raining like crazy for the last week. Like 10 inches raining! Today I started to look and found that the distributor cap had one screw missing, one finger tight and one I had to actually put a little force with a screwdriver to break lose. With two screws tight and a zip tie in number three I reset the light and took a short trip to the local pull a parts for a replacement screw. I have now driven three cycles (city/highway with cool down) and no light. Could I have been that lucky that a loose cap was causing the light? Distributor, cap, rotor, plugs, and wires are all new (within the last year)
- Thread starter
- #5
Ok so this is becoming a sh!t show for sure. I have been battling this light going on a month now at least. On and off still with no poor running conditions or hard starts/stalling. Just appears and disappears at will. The distributor assembly, cap, rotor, wires and plugs were all replaced by the PO. No idea what brand other than the wires are "Sharkey" if I remember seeing that printed on the wires. I am getting quite frustrated so I am considering loading up the parts cannon and firing away at it. I daily drive this and want to have that warm fuzzy feeling and a check engine light is severely hampering that from happening. I have pulled just about every connection apart that I can find and cleaned with contact cleaner but the light will just not stay away. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Install OEM plug wires, cap, and rotor and see if it resolves the issue.
I did the same thing last Saturday...........got water in the distributor and it wouldn't run............blew it out it's been fine
- Thread starter
- #8
Other than my local dealer which seems to take a long time to get parts where would you recommend? Toyota parts depot? I just don't want to get a crap part in a re-pop Toyota box.
- Thread starter
- #9
I was hoping that it was going to be that easy. Took everything apart that I could find that was even close to the distributor and sprayed with contact cleaner and it is still there.
80 Series 1FZ Complete Tuneup Kit- Naturally Aspirated Engines
80 Series 1FZ Complete Tuneup Kit- NA Engines (TUN-1KIT)
McGeorge Toyota online.
- Thread starter
- #12
I believe that I have located the problem.... I'm and idiot! As I have stated the LC runs fine and the distributor is new blah blah blah so I was thinking that it could not be the actual cam position sensor. Well.... I looked at the FSM long enough that I found how to ohm it out. My old distributor ohm'd out just fine. The one in the truck would not give a reading at all for the number 1 to 3 pins. Question can I just swap the sensors and not the whole distributor. My old one appears to be leaking oil from the main shaft into the cap area so I don't want to put the whole thing back in. What does everyone think?
- Thread starter
- #13
Well I didn't want to put the old distributor back in but I did. While trying to pull the cam sensor out of the "new" one several of the screws pulled the threads out of the housing. Not sure what brand it is as it was installed by the PO but apparently it was the cheapest one he could find. After a lengthy conversation with my helper Mr. Shiner Bock we decided that I was indeed capable of performing such a task. First attempt was a tooth off and the engine barely ran and would not accelerate. First thought was the old distributor was bad and I was now up a creek as this is my daily driver. Another "conversation" with Mr Bock and R & R the distro again watching the rotor closely. Took a couple of attempts before I was comfortable with the position. Buttoned everything back up and sent the lighting. Fired right up! No timing light so I warmed it up turned AC off and adjusted the timing to idol about 650rpm. I have been driving it for a week now and no CEL. Seems to accelerate better, not as sluggish, and the initial impression is that I am getting better mileage. Won't know on the second one until I fuel up again.
I'm going to order new distributor assembly and wire set from Toyota. Plugs are NGK and all look to be in good shape and new. Once I get that all installed I will get a timing light and set the timing as per the FSM. Anything else I should replace while I am there let me know.
Lesson learned... New part does not equal good part. I guess if the computer says cam position sensor check the damn cam position sensor. It's all a learning experience and I have had fun tracking it down either way.
To everyone that has posted ideas and especially the member that PM'd me thank you so much.
I'm going to order new distributor assembly and wire set from Toyota. Plugs are NGK and all look to be in good shape and new. Once I get that all installed I will get a timing light and set the timing as per the FSM. Anything else I should replace while I am there let me know.
Lesson learned... New part does not equal good part. I guess if the computer says cam position sensor check the damn cam position sensor. It's all a learning experience and I have had fun tracking it down either way.
To everyone that has posted ideas and especially the member that PM'd me thank you so much.
