How to Replace the Crankshaft Sensor on a '98 Honda Civic EX
by Don BowmanThe Honda Civic started production in 1973. The economy Japanese car had room for four passengers and it boasted 40 miles per gallon with an 1169-cc, four-cylinder engine making 50 horsepower. The Civic had a front-wheel-drive system, which was somewhat of a novelty at the time. The crankshaft sensor on a 1998 Honda Civic EX is located under the front lower timing cover, where it gets its signal off the crank sprocket. Replacing the crankshaft sensor should not be attempted without a certain amount of mechanical ability and a basic understanding of the mechanical principles that apply to this task.
Step 1
Open the hood and remove all three accessory belts by loosening the belt tensioners with a wrench and moving the tensioners away from the belts to relief tension. Remove the top timing belt cover using a 10 mm socket and ratchet.
Step 2
Loosen the lug nuts one turn each on the left front wheel. Raise the driver's side front of the car with the floor jack and place a jack stand under the subframe. Lower the car onto the stand. Complete the removal of the left front wheel by removing the lug nuts.
Step 3
Remove the inner fenderwell splash shield, using a 10 mm socket. Remove the center bolt in the crankshaft pulley, using a socket and pry bar. Remove the pulley. Remove the lower timing belt cover, using a 10 mm socket.
Step 4
Disconnect the crankshaft sensor electrical plug. Remove the 10 mm bolt securing the sensor to the block using a socket. Remove the sensor.
Step 5
Install the new sensor and tighten the bolt. Plug in the sensor's electrical plug. Install the lower timing belt cover and tighten all the bolts snugly.
Step 6
Install the crankshaft pulley and tighten the bolt to 135 foot-pounds of torque. Install the inner splash shield in the fenderwell and tighten the bolts.
Step 7
Install the wheel and lug nuts. Tighten them as much as possible, by hand, and snug them down with the lug wrench. Lower the car and torque the lug nuts to 105 foot-pounds of torque. Install the upper timing belt cover.
Step 8
Install the three accessory belts and tighten the tensioners with a wrench until there is only ½-inch of deflection in each belt. Push on the center of the belt between the pulleys -- it should only move up or down ½-inch.
References
Things You'll Need
- Floor jack
- Jack stand
- Lug wrench
- Ratchet
- Breaker bar
- Set of sockets
- Set of wrenches
Writer Bio
Don Bowman has been writing for various websites and several online magazines since 2008. He has owned an auto service facility since 1982 and has over 45 years of technical experience as a master ASE tech. Bowman has a business degree from Pennsylvania State University and was an officer in the U.S. Army (aircraft maintenance officer, pilot, six Air Medal awards, two tours Vietnam).
