It will change the cam It should be set with tech 2 scanner +-2 degrees or can cause misfire and crossfire and could damage your engine
most crank sensors are for engine timing with the cam shaft, the distributor on at least 97' dodge and newer controls fuel timing.
If it has an older style distributor with the Duraspark unit then there are springs and counter-weights in the distributor that rotate the electronic trigger to advance the timing. If it is the newer TFI distributor with the computer then the computer advances the timing based on the rpm. If it doesn't have a distributor at all and has individual coils then the computer controls the timing. This is based on what I know about the 2.3's from racing them. Hope it helps.
Can't give you specifics but most Crankshaft sensors (CKP) are located at the front of the motor under the timing cover or at the back of the motor where they can sense the rotation of the flywheel. The rear ones are generally located in the tranny bell housing. Some engines were made with no crankshaft sensor. They get there timing info from a sensor in the distributor. A camshaft sensor. Newer vehicles are being made with no distributor; they must have a crank sensor. It is on the engine block, behind the starter.
Sounds like a timing issue. There is no way to advance or retard the timing in the newer models unfornately. Either the distributor\coil pack is going bad or you are getting bad sensor readings from a sensor, possibly the crankshaft position sensor. Is your MIL comming on? If it is then get the code read and start from there. Autozone will read then for free. I hope this helps you some.
Here is a pic of it...You have to have it to replace the crank sensor on the newer Foeds...Jim
Answering this question is difficult without a year and motor size provided. I have experience with many Cougars from 1987 on - and all but one were completely timed by the computer without a distributor. The 3.8l engines 1994 and newer all had computer-controlled ignitions with coil packs and a crankshaft position sensor, so it is timed with software and is not modifiable. The 1999 and newer engines were all computer-controlled. Many V6 motors before 1994 were mechanically timed with a distributor, but I did own a 1993 with a computer-controlled setup. The distributor-based engines in those years are all timed according to the standard procedure.
On the newer cars like the Jetta there is no timing adjustment as it is set on the fly y the engine computer in accordance with sensor inputs.
In an older vehicle you replace points, plugs, condensor, rotor, distributor cap, plug wires, set the gap on the new plugs, set the points gap, set the engine timing and run a compression test. On a newer vehicle it's often just plug wires, plugs and an oxygen sensor. Some of the newer cars still use a distributor cap and rotor, so a tune-up varies from one vehicle manufacturer to the next.
If you still have the original catalytic converter (probably not) then keep it low. If you do not have one at all or the newer type cat then feel free to get out your timing light and set it up to 10 or 12 deg BTDC. Simply loosen the clamp om the distributor hold down and turn the distributor until you have it set.
It has a timing belt. Only 2007 & newer Sienna have a timing chain.
1998 and newer have no timing marks. Timing cannot be adjusted.
if its newer than 1995 then yes. anything up to and including the 1995 model year does not Answer: 2nd generation 4runners have crankshaft & camshaft position sensors built into the distributor.