Parts for your 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero-Camshaft sensor

1991 Mitsubishi Pajero camshaft sensor — do you actually have one?

Short answer: a separate, bolt-on camshaft position sensor isn’t used on the 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero. That’s not just workshop folklore — it’s backed by the factory paperwork. The Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Factory Service Manual for the era (Ignition/Engine Electrical sections) and the Mitsubishi ASA/EPC parts catalogue list a distributor assembly on petrol models with an internal crank/cam angle pickup, and no stand-alone camshaft sensor. The Haynes Repair Manual covering Pajero/Montero 1983–1996 (Ignition chapter) says the same thing: timing and phase data come from the distributor’s internal sensor rather than a separate cam sensor.

How it’s set up:

• Petrol engines (e.g., 6G72 V6, some 4-cylinder variants) use a distributor containing an optical or Hall-effect crank/cam angle sensor. It’s driven off the camshaft, so the ECU gets both engine speed and phase from inside the dizzy.
• Diesel engines (e.g., 4D56T) run a mechanical injection pump and don’t use a camshaft position sensor at all. Timing is set by gears/belts and the pump’s own indexing.

So if someone’s chasing a “camshaft sensor” on a ’91 Pajero, they’re unlikely to find a separate one under the bonnet. For petrol models, any fault that feels like a bad cam sensor typically comes back to the distributor’s internal angle sensor, wiring, or the ECU reading of that signal. On diesels, look to pump timing, belt/chain indexing, or related sensors (if fitted) rather than a cam sensor that doesn’t exist.

Good servicing tips for owners and techs working on a 1991 Pajero:

1. For petrol models, inspect the distributor: play in the shaft, cap/rotor condition, internal sensor connector, and any oil ingress that can foul the pickup.
2. Check earths and the engine harness plugs — a flaky ground can mimic a failed sensor signal.
3. If the internal pickup has failed, many workshops replace the distributor as an assembly. Use quality OEM or reputable aftermarket parts to avoid erratic timing.
4. On diesels, verify belt timing marks and pump alignment before suspecting electronics that aren’t fitted.

Technical sources referenced: Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Factory Service Manual (circa 1991, Engine Electrical/Ignition sections), Mitsubishi ASA/EPC parts catalogue for 1991 Pajero (V2/V3/V4 series), and Haynes Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero 1983–1996 Repair Manual (Ignition and Fuel/Engine Management chapters). All identify no separate camshaft position sensor on 1991 Pajero models, with the distributor’s internal angle sensor providing phase on petrol engines and no cam sensor provision on diesels.

Popular questions

Does a 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero have a camshaft position sensor?
No separate unit. Petrol versions use a distributor with an internal crank/cam angle pickup, diesels don’t use a cam sensor. If you’re fault-finding, focus on the distributor assembly, wiring, and ECU inputs on petrol models, or timing and pump setup on diesels.

Where is the cam angle signal generated on a 1991 Pajero V6?
Inside the distributor. The optical/Hall pickup generates the reference signals for the ECU. If that pickup fails, the usual fix is repairing wiring/connectors or replacing the distributor (or its internal module, if available).

Can a modern standalone camshaft sensor be retrofitted?
Not as a simple service part. Retrofitting typically needs an aftermarket ECU, custom trigger wheels, brackets, and calibration work. For a stock 1991 Pajero, retaining a healthy distributor-based system is the practical approach.