CEL 1539
12-13-2011, 08:27 PM
#1
Racer
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CEL 1539
The CEL is on and when I connect a scan tool I get P1539. I clear it and it goes away for a day or two and comes right back.
The car runs exactly as it always has, no symptoms at all, which leads me to believe it is the VarioCam Solenoid.
When I look at it under the car I see the solenoid sticking out of the VarioCam cover with a small flange around it. The cable going to it seem fine.
What is involved in changing it? I've searched the forum and cant come up with a straight answer on if removing the 2 allen bolts is all thats involved in removing the solenoid or does the VarioCam cover have to come off?
Porsche told me its going to cost THOUSANDS to fix this. I'm puzzled because the car runs 100% the same as it always did - GREAT!
Any help, links, pics is appreciated
The car runs exactly as it always has, no symptoms at all, which leads me to believe it is the VarioCam Solenoid.
When I look at it under the car I see the solenoid sticking out of the VarioCam cover with a small flange around it. The cable going to it seem fine.
What is involved in changing it? I've searched the forum and cant come up with a straight answer on if removing the 2 allen bolts is all thats involved in removing the solenoid or does the VarioCam cover have to come off?
Porsche told me its going to cost THOUSANDS to fix this. I'm puzzled because the car runs 100% the same as it always did - GREAT!
Any help, links, pics is appreciated
12-13-2011, 08:43 PM
#2
The CEL is on and when I connect a scan tool I get P1539. I clear it and it goes away for a day or two and comes right back.
The car runs exactly as it always has, no symptoms at all, which leads me to believe it is the VarioCam Solenoid.
When I look at it under the car I see the solenoid sticking out of the VarioCam cover with a small flange around it. The cable going to it seem fine.
What is involved in changing it? I've searched the forum and cant come up with a straight answer on if removing the 2 allen bolts is all thats involved in removing the solenoid or does the VarioCam cover have to come off?
Porsche told me its going to cost THOUSANDS to fix this. I'm puzzled because the car runs 100% the same as it always did - GREAT!
Any help, links, pics is appreciated
The car runs exactly as it always has, no symptoms at all, which leads me to believe it is the VarioCam Solenoid.
When I look at it under the car I see the solenoid sticking out of the VarioCam cover with a small flange around it. The cable going to it seem fine.
What is involved in changing it? I've searched the forum and cant come up with a straight answer on if removing the 2 allen bolts is all thats involved in removing the solenoid or does the VarioCam cover have to come off?
Porsche told me its going to cost THOUSANDS to fix this. I'm puzzled because the car runs 100% the same as it always did - GREAT!
Any help, links, pics is appreciated
I believe the cover has to come off.
12-13-2011, 08:43 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
P1539 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 2
Actuator triggered, no active position.
Possible causes:
- Open circuit in triggering wire.
- Open circuit in B+ supply.
- Actuator faulty.
(thanks Loren)
Do you have a 99 C2?
If so, then the camshaft cover has to come off to replace the actuator or solenoid. Depending on which one (or both) it is a $150 part for the solenoid or a $700 part for the actuator & solenoid assembly, plus probably 8 hours labor to repair (without engine drop). A couple thousand is a reasonable amount of money for the repair (do you have a more accurate estimate from your dealer?)
There are a few likely possibilities.
1.) Your actuator is toast and stuck in the off position or dirty and tired and done working for you, which means it will idle fine and power will be a little down in the mid rpm range and explains why you don't "notice anything".
2.) The solenoid is toast in which case the actuator will not advance the timing in the mid rpm range. Which would also produce a regular idle but down on power a little during mid rpm range. You can test the solenoid, both by manually applying 12v+ and ohming it out to see if it is around 13ohms. This is a sanity check to make sure the problem is what it is.
The flip side of the above which can often happen is the actuator gets stuck in the advanced position which produces a very rough idle but normal power curve in the mid rpm range. Yours seems to be in the opposite position.
There are a few corner cases that your DME could be fried and needs to be repaired, your wiring is damaged, or your camshaft position sensor is on the fritz.
Actuator triggered, no active position.
Possible causes:
- Open circuit in triggering wire.
- Open circuit in B+ supply.
- Actuator faulty.
(thanks Loren)
Do you have a 99 C2?
If so, then the camshaft cover has to come off to replace the actuator or solenoid. Depending on which one (or both) it is a $150 part for the solenoid or a $700 part for the actuator & solenoid assembly, plus probably 8 hours labor to repair (without engine drop). A couple thousand is a reasonable amount of money for the repair (do you have a more accurate estimate from your dealer?)
There are a few likely possibilities.
1.) Your actuator is toast and stuck in the off position or dirty and tired and done working for you, which means it will idle fine and power will be a little down in the mid rpm range and explains why you don't "notice anything".
2.) The solenoid is toast in which case the actuator will not advance the timing in the mid rpm range. Which would also produce a regular idle but down on power a little during mid rpm range. You can test the solenoid, both by manually applying 12v+ and ohming it out to see if it is around 13ohms. This is a sanity check to make sure the problem is what it is.
The flip side of the above which can often happen is the actuator gets stuck in the advanced position which produces a very rough idle but normal power curve in the mid rpm range. Yours seems to be in the opposite position.
There are a few corner cases that your DME could be fried and needs to be repaired, your wiring is damaged, or your camshaft position sensor is on the fritz.
12-13-2011, 08:46 PM
#4
Three Wheelin'
More than just the solenoid cover. On a 1999 C2 the entire camshaft cover has to be removed, which requires locking the cams in place, removing the camshafts, replacing the parts, cleaning and re-applying flange sealant to the cam cover and then finally re-timing the engine. Oh, and did I mention it is a huge pain in the **** to do if the engine is in car?
12-13-2011, 08:53 PM
#5
Three Wheelin'
If you want to get to the nitty gritty of it, check out this thread (typically same repair for p1539):
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...on-with-p1524/
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...on-with-p1524/
