How the RB30 sensor works
The RB30 uses a distributor with an optical, Hall-style trigger inside. A single disc has two rings of slots read by two sensing elements:
- Outer ring, 360 slots: a fine, high-resolution position signal.
- Inner ring, 6 slots: one per cylinder. Five of them are the same size and one is wider, and that odd slot is what lets the ECU find cylinder 1.
The ECU counts how many outer-ring pulses happen during each inner slot. The wide slot produces a different count, which gives it sync. If you want the background on patterns like this, read engine trigger systems explained.
Wiring
| Sensor pin | Signal | Haltech wire |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal ground | Blue, in the Trigger 4-core cable |
| 2 | Switched +12 V | Red, in the Trigger 4-core cable |
| 3 | 360-slot signal (Home) | Yellow Home+, in the Home 4-core cable |
| 4 | 6-slot signal (Trigger) | Yellow Trigger+, in the Trigger 4-core cable |
The one-cable trick
Wired as standard, you need two shielded cables at the distributor, even though the second one only carries a single wire you use (Home+). The Trigger cable already has a spare: its green Trigger- wire isn't needed for this sensor. Moving that green wire to the Home+ pin at the ECU lets it carry the 360-slot signal, so everything runs through the grey Trigger cable alone.
| ECU | Step 1: remove and insulate | Step 2: move green wire |
|---|---|---|
| Elite 550 / 750 / 950 | Yellow wire at pin A32 | From A33 to A32 |
| Elite 1000 / 1500 / 2000 / 2500 | Yellow wire at pin B2 | From B5 to B2 |
At the distributor, the green wire then goes to sensor pin 3 in place of the Home cable's yellow. Label the change on the loom so the next person working on the car knows what was done.
Before you move any pins, confirm which Elite you have and check the connector pinout. The pin numbers differ between the smaller and larger Elite models.
Trigger setup in the software
The trigger settings screen tells the ECU what pattern it's looking at, and getting it right is what turns those two signals into a stable RPM and sync. If you're starting from an RB base map the pattern will usually already be set. If not, and you'd like the reference screen, ask us and we'll send it over with advice for your build.
Where to go next
For the rest of the engine, see our RB30 engine and RB engine pages. If you'd rather skip the wiring entirely, the Elite 2500 terminated harness kit for the RB30 single cam is built for this engine.
