Sneaky Pete

This past weekend I had a DE. End of the day yesterday the car was idling rough and threw a CEL. The 1341 code came up. Cleared it but 2 more CEL today with the same code. Under power the car is fine. Thoughts?

logray

P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Below Limit
P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Above Limit
P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Signal Implausible

Possible causes:
– Short to ground
– Open circuit in triggering wire
– Open circuit in B+ supply
– Actuator faulty

Solenoid or actuator. Likely if it is fine under power but idles rough, the bank 1 actuator is stuck "on". My guess would be the actuator since the solenoid throws p1531... but it could be either. Might as well replace both. Parts new are about $800 to $1000 and shop labor probably about the same amount.

If you have a Durametric. Can you also post the camshaft deviation values at idle and 3000rpm? As well as actual angles (camshaft) at idle and then at 3000rpm?

Sneaky Pete

So this a module of sorts? On the engine?

logray

Yep it is a chain tensioner for variocam. It activates (advances cam timing) at various RPMs to give the car more torque. In our year car there is one actuator per side of the engine, and they are inside of the engine. You have to take the cover off of the engine and remove the camshafts in order to replace them. The solenoid is easier to replace, but you still have to take the cam cover off.

If you have a Durametric, post the camshaft deviation and actual angles for the camshaft at idle and then again at 3000rpm. That will help let us know if this is in fact the problem.

Also in most cases it is safe to drive the car for example to the shop in order to get it repaired, but I wouldn't drive it for too long without getting it addressed.

ivangene

Can happen if the pads are worn beyond the limit or adjustability too.

Sneaky Pete

Ugh....this appears to be above my skill set. I'll give a call to the dealer......but I don't want to.

ivangene

With luck its something simple but most likely will need to have the valve cover off and maybe cams/actuator assy. It is what it is, don't sweat it, just get her fixed and back to a healthy state

Sneaky Pete

To fix this, does the motor need to be dropped?

logray

No, it can be done with the engine in car...

Definitely agree though get it taken care of and don't sweat it.

You should feel lucky your's lasted 100k.

Sneaky Pete

I do feel blessed

logray

It could be something simple though... maybe just a cam position sensor... which is still a few hundred bucks for the part and the same for labor, but chances are...

Anyways it's normal to happen for these cars, and not likely on the 3.6 liter since they have a different variocam system. I believe Jake wrote that he recommends replacing them every 3 or 4 or so years as they get "tired and dirty".

I recently replaced a very similar solenoid/actuator but for an automatic transmission on a Chrysler. Similar piece of equipment, fortunately that one was outside of the engine... but similar concept - sealed valve fluid actuated system. That particular car had not had a transmission fluid change for about 80,000 miles. Coincidence?

As luck should have it my 1999 C2 car has the same exact problem right now as your car's computer is reporting... in my case it is probably the car's computer (dme) causing the problem and not the actuator. My spare computer does not throw the code, and sometimes the computer can cause this problem too (at least with the P1531).

Since your's is lumpy at idle though, chances are it is the actuator stuck activated or solenoid stuck grounded and not the computer (dme) or sensor (cps). Most likely it is the solenoid or actuator. Worn variocam pads would have to be very worn to throw that code, but I have read about worn pads throwing cam position codes before. Certainly have the small cylinder 1-3 timing chain and variocam pads replaced at the same time for bank 1 (drivers side of engine cylinders 1-3). Those are both very inexpensive parts in the less than $100 range total.

ivangene

as stated, motor stays in...pretty easy job for a good shop....still depending on what it is. most cam work is as simple as pulling the muffler off and the spark plugs, then the covers...once in, fix whats wrong, some clean up, new seals and some lick em and stick em glue....done

Sneaky Pete

So the diagnosis is the cam tensioner is not working. What does this mean? I'm being told the motor needs to be dropped and opened up and that tensioner needs to be replaced. Any idea of how much this would cost? I have the cost from the dealer.

Macster

Which cam tensioner? One of the VarioCam tensioners (actuators) or one of the tensioners that keeps the chain from the IMS to the exhaust cam tight or even the tensioner than keeps the chain from the crank to the IMS tight?

If not the actuator tensioners -- these I think can be replaced with the engine left in the car -- then my second hand info is the engine has to come of the car.

To even get at (remove and replace) one of the IMS to exhaust cam chain tensioners the transmission has to come out. One of the bolts is behind the bellhousing of the transmission.

Let's see... labor to drop/reinstall the engine would be $2K.

Labor to replace the bad tensioner: $1500. Parts... another $1000.

Misc. $200.

Total: $4700; To be safe call it an even $5000.

FWIW, I paid $3000+ to have a bad VarioCam solenid/actuator replaced in my Boxster's engine and the engine didn't have to come out of the car. $1400 in labor (at $150/hour) and then another $1400 or so in parts and the rest in supplies, tax and I opted to have the oil changed changed.

Sincerely,

Macster.

logray

Pete,

Based on the fault code it's a variocam actuator (which is one of two cam tensioners).

There are many people that have successfully done this replacement with the engine in car on a 996. It is certainly much easier to do with the engine out of car as I have done it a couple times now. I haven't tried it myself with the engine in car.

You could try an independent mechanic, or if you insist on using a dealer ask them if they can do it in car. You might also try calling a few other dealers to see if they will do it without dropping the engine.

If they insist on dropping the engine there are certainly some other "while your in there" items...

Hope this helps.