Which trigger does your JZ have?
All turbo 1JZ and 2JZ engines use separate crank and cam sensors. Some naturally aspirated versions, like the 2JZ-GE, use a distributor instead. VVT-i engines have their own crank and cam patterns, so if yours is a non-VVT-i engine, use our 2JZ non VVT-i trigger guide instead.
VVT-i crank and cam sensors
The crank trigger wheel is part of the timing belt gear on the nose of the crank, with the sensor mounted near the alternator. On VVT-i engines the wheel is a 36-2 pattern: 36 tooth positions with two missing. The cam uses a single reluctor sensor reading three teeth.
| Haltech cable | Yellow (positive) | Green (negative) |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger 4-core | Crank sensor pin 1 | Crank sensor pin 2 |
| Home 4-core | Cam sensor pin 1 | Cam sensor pin 2 |
If you're using the factory Toyota wiring rather than a Haltech harness, pin 2 of each sensor goes to signal ground instead of a negative input.
Reluctor sensors are polarity sensitive. If the crank or cam is wired backwards, the ECU sees each tooth on the wrong edge, which can show up as no sync, intermittent sync, or timing that moves as RPM rises. The 2JZ crank/cam plug and pins make a clean, correct connection if your factory plugs are tired.
2JZ-GE distributor
The distributor engines use a reluctor system with three pickups sharing one common return wire (G-):
- NE: a 24-tooth signal. This is the Trigger.
- G1 and G2: two single-tooth pickups. Haltech only needs one of them, G1, as the Home.
| Haltech wire | Distributor pin and factory color |
|---|---|
| Trigger+ (yellow, Trigger 4-core) | Pin 1, NE, black |
| Home+ (yellow, Home 4-core) | Pin 2, G1, red |
| Signal ground (blue, Trigger 4-core) | Pin 4, G-, green |
| Not connected | Pin 3, G2, white |
Because the pickups share a ground rather than having their own negative wires, you need to enable the Trigger and Home grounds in the Haltech software for this setup.
Setting up the trigger in software
Once wired, select the matching trigger type in the ECU's trigger setup, then check sync while cranking and confirm base timing with a timing light before you start the engine for real. Haltech's reference trigger settings are shown as screenshots.
Need this diagram? Ask us and we'll send it over with advice for your build.
For the rest of the engine (ignition, injectors and sensors), see our 2JZ / 1JZ engine guide, and for background on why polarity matters, trigger systems explained.
