Nissan Altima Crankshaft Position & Camshaft Sensor Replacement Guide - Pictures & Step By Step Car Maintenance Instructions

Nissan Altima Crankshaft Position & Camshaft Sensor Replacement Guide
Pictures & instructions on how to replace the crankshaft position sensor & camshaft sensor in a L31 2002+ Nissan Altima.

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Driver's Side, Below Throttle Body

Camshaft Sensor Location

Driver's Side, Rear Side of Engine

Crankshaft Position Sensor Location

Broken Wire Connector

This guide covers the replacement of both the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors since they are both identical.

In the above row of photos you can see the location of the camshaft sensor on the driver's side of the engine and the crankshaft position sensor is down on the back side of the engine (best seen from under the car & removed from above).

To replace either sensor you will need a 10mm metric bolt and a ratchet wrench. Don't forget the rubber o-ring. You're done!

Now for our saga. On a holiday weekend we discovered that the 2.5L inline 4 cylinder engine in the L31 generation 2002 Nissan Altima was leaking oil.

Upon inspection of the motor, my brother pinpointed the source of the oil leak to be the crankshaft position sensor.

The reason that the engine was leaking oil was that a careless auto mechanic neglected to install an o-ring on to the sensor during the car's 60,000 mile service. When replacing either sensor, be sure to inspect the rubber o-ring and verify that it is actually on the sensor! The mechanic also must have removed the wire harness connector with a screwdriver because it was practically falling apart.

Broken Harness Connector

Crankshaft Position Sensor

Engine Camshaft Sensor

Broken Air Box Tab

Camshaft Sensor Removed

Besides destroying the wire connector & forgetting the o-ring, the thoughtless "automotive repair technician" also broke a retaining tab on the air box cover, crushed the air filter with his elbow, and neglected to replace a vacuum hose's clamp.

Camshaft & Crankshaft Sensors

Connector From Junkyard

We needed to get this car running today and the only option was to visit a wrecked automobile parts recycling center, a.k.a. a junkyard. Luckily the junkyard had a totaled 2006 Nissan Altima with the engine wiring still intact. After we cut off the camshaft position sensor wire harness connector, all we had to do was splice it up to the '02 Altima with butt wire connectors.