Common Problems, Unusual Cause
When a diagnostic tool indicated a camshaft sensor was at fault it was assumed that changing the part would remedy the problem. However when this didn’t solve the issue, more investigation was needed for the problem to come to light.
The Investigation
- The vehicle is experiencing poor acceleration and erratic idling, as shown on the stat sheet.
- After using a diagnostic tool the fault code P0011 appeared indicating incorrect camshaft timing. This led to the camshaft sensor being replaced.
- Once replaced, the warning light still appeared on the dashboard and the symptoms were still occurring.
- Therefore the connections were checked, but were also found to be perfectly functioning
- After further investigation into the engine timing, it was found out that the timing chain had stretched around 6mm.
- This is enough to cause the engine timing to go out of sync, causing erratic idling.
- To rectify the situation the timing chain was replaced. Cause:
- Timing chains generally stretch over time due to the workload they are put under. However this can be reduced by ensuring your oil is changed at regular service intervals.
- Constant lubrication will limit the amount of wear on the chains linkages which is a major factor in them stretching.
Remember!
It is common place to replace the cheapest component first in a repair attempt, however failure to check all aspects of the system can result in mis-diagnosis and high return rates!
