The Chevy Cavalier was a popular car in the U.S. auto market during its 24 years of production, 1982 through 2005. Its low sticker price and high fuel economy were a big draws with car buyers. Car enthusiasts liked them because they were relatively easy to repair. In 2001, the base model Cavalier came with a 2.2-liter engine.
Park your Cavalier on a solid, level surface. Set wheel chocks behind the rear wheels. Place a floor jack under the center of the front crossmember and raise the front end off the ground. Position jack stands under the pinch welds behind the front wheels and lower the vehicle onto the stands.
Locate the crankshaft position sensor from under the vehicle. It's next to the oil filter on the firewall side of the engine. Disconnect the harness connector. Remove the mounting bolt with a socket and ratchet. Pull the sensor out of the engine block.
Coat the O-ring on the replacement crank sensor -- lightly -- with motor oil. Install the sensor and tighten the bolt to 71 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Plug the wire connector into the sensor. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands, remove them, and lower it to the ground.
Connect the scan tool to the port under the dashboard on the driver side. Select PCM from the scan tool menu, then select crankshaft position variation learn procedure.
Follow the scan tool's instructions to: Block the drive wheels. Apply the parking brake. Place the vehicle in park for an automatic or neutral for a manual transmission. Cycle the ignition from the off to on position. Apply and hold the brake pedal. Start and idle the engine. Turn off the AC.
Start the crankshaft position system variation learn procedure on the scan tool. The procedure takes about 10 minutes. Slowly increase the engine to the rpm that the scan tool tells you. Release the throttle when instructed. The scan tool will display the status: learned this ignition. Turn off the engine for 30 seconds after the procedure is complete. Disconnect the scan tool.
