Crankshaft Position Sensor location

[SJon]

Hello all

OK, so the next issue on my never-ending trail of engine faults is P0335, a faulty Crankshaft Position Sensor

I've now got the replacement part, but for the life of me, I can't find the location under the bonnet. I've had a good root around, and checked Google, but can only find videos for different models to mine. Maybe I'm blind (my wife thinks so, especially when she's moved the cupboard around) can anyone help with a wide and close shot under the bonnet showing me where to look, or a video? It's an A4 B7 2.0 TDI

Thank you

 

[Matt275]

Looks like this, also known as speed sensor it seems :

Crankshaft Position Sensor Location 2.0 TDI

www.vwvortex.com

Crankshaft Sensor for VAG Mk5 1.9 TDI PD & 2.0 TDI Engines

Replacement OE Quality Crankshaft Sensor for VAG Mk5 1.9 TDI PD & 2.0 TDI PD & PPD Engines

www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk

Youtube video....rather you than me man! And no wonder you couldn't see it....
The car in the video below is a BRD 170ps TDi, if yours is a 140ps the chances are it's the same part in the same place.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iiYTp0GVjc

 

[SJon]

Thank you

Mine is the 170 BRD, so it's the same car. That looks like a lot of work, but I need to change the oil and filter anyway, so... many hours later... At least we don't expect rain this weekend.

Cheers mate. Gonna be busy with the rachet I guess.

 

[Matt275]

You're welcome, he's got quite a good channel for the odd bit of B7 stuff.
The oil cooler gasket may be a good shout whilst you're there, and maybe a spare bit of coolant could be handy!

 

[SJon]

Yes, I've followed his suggestions before. Helps that he has the same car as me. Since I've had this car I've cleaned the intake manifold, changed the EGR and swapped out the battery and alternator.

Yeah, I got that I need a new gasket, and the coolent is sitting on the minimum line as well, so I think this is a good time to do all of this without too much waste.

 

[Matt275]

Same here with the EGR and intake manifold...swirl flaps etc. He got a nice shiny aquablasted one from Darkside with no swirl flaps, I just used degreaser and got off what I could...I'll need to soak it overnight properly at some point.
It was thanks to his video that I then knew about that sneaky hidden bolt in the inlet manifold, I'd never have suspected that or found it under all that muck! I'd have been nicely defeated probably

 

[SJon]

Yeah, I seem to remember it being his video that showed me that hidden bolt. I would have changed the intake manifold to one without swirl flaps, but if I remember rightly, it didn't fix the issue he had. I finally found that the cap of the swirl flap actuator kept coming off, so I taped it on. It didn't fix the problem completely, but helped.

To be honest, I'm thinking of selling up. I bought this car to be a daily driver, I didn't want to be a mechanic, I don't have Jason Statham's skills! I might get this sorted, and then sell up. My old Skoda Octavia 4x4 never broke down, not until a lorry driver decided to practice driving with his eyes closed. I may go back to one like that, I'm getting fed up with all these problems.

 

[Matt275]

I won't part with my Mk4 Golf 1.9 115 or my B5.5 (2004) Passat Highline 1.9 AWX 130 mapped to 170 - needs a clutch so badly though.
The Passat also needs a driver window regulator. And my 2007 Subaru STi just needs to go! Lol the joys of 4 old cars!

 

[SJon]

Sounds lovely, but I'm a builder, I need something that can haul stuff without needing me to play nursemaid. I wouldn't mind having a car that needs TLC if I had something more reliable as a daily, but there's already 5 cars in our family, my son has 2 bimmers and a Suzuki Justy for aping about with the 4WD, so there's no room for another. The Audi is going to go unfortunately.

I like the Passat too, they're nice cars, nearly bought one.

 

[Matt275]

Sounds lovely, but I'm a builder, I need something that can haul stuff without needing me to play nursemaid. I wouldn't mind having a car that needs TLC if I had something more reliable as a daily, but there's already 5 cars in our family, my son has 2 bimmers and a Suzuki Justy for aping about with the 4WD, so there's no room for another. The Audi is going to go unfortunately.

I like the Passat too, they're nice cars, nearly bought one.

It's been a good workhorse, but it's that bulletproof 1.9 AWX that is the jewel in the crown. Only done 157k so she's still young at heart. Good for at least 300k no problem.
No DPF no EGR cooler, no swirl flaps....that's why there's never any issues with it. Boringly reliable!
I'll be on the scrap heap before that thing hahaha

 

[SJon]

LoL... I had one of those, I only paid a grand for it, it was great, only problem was the salt on the roads, eventually the hole in the driver footwell made it undriveable. Nice thing about that car was I didn't care about bumps and dents and the AWD.

Oh well.

 

[SJon]

Ok, so after many hours, I've drained the oil, removed the EGR, the coolant container, the thing that contains the oil filter (I've got a new filter, and new gasket for that) and finally got the cover off the sensor, and I've run into one final issue.

The damned screw holding the sensor in place is completely ceased. I've used copious amounts of WD40, tried to remove it with all sorts of Allen keys, hex screwdrivers, (it's #4 in size) but now the bolt is beginning to strip on the inside and the hex key is jumping out.

My thought now is to try with a screw removal tool. One of those things that screw in backwards and lock in place, or just drill it out, and recut the threads, but to be honest, it's buried so deep into the engine, I'm not sure I could do either of those things.

Any ideas?

 

[Matt275]

Oh no that's really awkward. Now I've seen that second pic I see how tight it is on space.
I hope people can speak from experience and give you some advice.

The only thing I can possibly think of is hammering in a slightly oversized allen or torx (a long attachment so you can hold it whilst you hammer it in) and see if it bites in the hole, and push inwards hard as you try to undo it.

We get a guy come in to work sometimes who's mobile and always gets everything out, The Stud Doctor. He knows how to charge though.
Keep soaking with the WD40 in until you have a possible solution, will perhaps help it budge.

 

[Matt275]

This is my theory in the video below, at 6:09 but it's getting the tools in such a tight space.
Maybe somehow butcher off the sensor first as it's only plastic.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkCvm01dptQ

 

[SJon]

I left it overnight, and my step son went out this morning and two minutes later came back in with this in his hand and a big grin on his face. I owe him a beer!

Right, so now "all" I have to do is put everything back together.

 

[Matt275]

Yaaay result!

 

[SJon]

Well, that was an ordeal.

But, it's all back together and the car is back on the road, all the annoying errors in the OBD are gone, except for the Turbo underboost error P0299 that has plagued me from the get go.

Oh well, the car needed an oil and filter change anyway.