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This can't be good

5K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  LAC Sky 
#1 ·
Took off the cam solenoids and saw this....

Recently the engine went out of time (after chain slipped while replacing tensioner) and I just redid the timing chain. I got p0016 and p0017, but the engine runs, albeit a bit rough. I have read those can be due to oil passage blackages on the sensors but didnt expect this. Yikes. Probably going to inspect the cam lobes and rockers, otherwise screw it...run it until it dies and replace the engine. Crank sensor is next, and i can always retime it, although I do not think thats it.


 
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#5 ·
No throttle response.

Hello guys, i was wondering if anyone could help me with my issue.
Ive already i stalled new ECM & TCM i also had my transmission control module programmed from the dealer & the ECM as well. My camshaft position sensors are new as well. Problem is when i floor the car nothing happens but when i lightly press the gas the car goes. It takes me about 1 min -3 min to reach 65mph (texas highway speed). I also feel a thrust in the transmission drive shaft area when im at idle
 
#8 ·
Hello guys, i was wondering if anyone could help me with my issue.
Ive already i stalled new ECM & TCM i also had my transmission control module programmed from the dealer & the ECM as well. My camshaft position sensors are new as well. Problem is when i floor the car nothing happens but when i lightly press the gas the car goes. It takes me about 1 min -3 min to reach 65mph (texas highway speed). I also feel a thrust in the transmission drive shaft area when im at idle
I would suggest making a new topic for this one so we don't clutter this one up. Plus you will have more attention to it that way. Off the top of my head though, almost sounds like the pedal issue is a pedal re-learn kind of deal. Don't know if we have that ability or necessity but that's what it sounds like. Please make a new topic and we can continue this conversation there.
 
#9 ·
How long ago was your oil changed? Was it really low? Has the car sat for years? I don't see any oil on those solenoids and usually it's like your dipstick, it's usually running off of them. Personally it doesn't look like those were ever in your engine. There is no oil on the inside of the screen either, which is odd.
 
#10 · (Edited)
The oil was changed every 5k or so, always mobil 1 5w-30 synthetic. I got the car at 53k, not sure before then, but I never got it low. It was sitting for a year but I primed it (fresh oil and filter) before starting, cranking and pulling the FP fuse to prevent it from firing up and circulating everything. The solenoid doesnt have oil on it because I took it out of the car, drained it, and took the pic inside my house. It was dripping when I took it out. I did replace it with a brand new one as well. I am now thinking I should have taken a magnet and stuck it down the receptacle to get any shards still left down there, Ill do that tomorrow morning. Didnt get to it today since work is crushing me.

edit: to your point, probably best idea to give the new ones an oil bath before installing, ill do that while taking the VC off etc...
 
#11 ·
Just changed the crank sensor. What a PITA. FSM calls for full removal of intake manifold. I was able to take the tubes up to the manifold off and weasel a ratchet with 6 inch extension in there. Not a job for small hands...if you have bigger clumsy hands like me, youll lose a couple layers of skin...but it beats removing the IM.

Couldnt get good pics. This post mainly for those searching how to remove the crank sensor. It is possible without removing the IM or starter motor...but still not a fun job.

I need to get everything back together, going to flush the engine oil, new filter, and see what happens. If i still get codes I am going to have to fully retime again.
 
#14 ·
since work is crushing me.... Working around that problem first leaves little time for
the hard stuff, the PITA work... to be done.

After seeing the metal shavings, err chunks attached to the old solenoids, maybe the IM should have come off
and the magnet should have been used. Changing out the oil & filter gets the smallish stuff, but bigger stuff remains
hidden from view. Not running for a year.... so that explains the condition of the engine bay shots. I believe you...
dear god, downtown Bagdad doesn't look that bad.

I hope you get back to running shape. These fixes might help the short term, but IF the motor is on it's last legs, do you
plan to rebuild/replace it? Would this then be a candidate for a swap?

LAC
 
#15 ·
since work is crushing me.... Working around that problem first leaves little time for

the hard stuff, the PITA work... to be done.



After seeing the metal shavings, err chunks attached to the old solenoids, maybe the IM should have come off

and the magnet should have been used. Changing out the oil & filter gets the smallish stuff, but bigger stuff remains

hidden from view. Not running for a year.... so that explains the condition of the engine bay shots. I believe you...

dear god, downtown Bagdad doesn't look that bad.



I hope you get back to running shape. These fixes might help the short term, but IF the motor is on it's last legs, do you

plan to rebuild/replace it? Would this then be a candidate for a swap?



LAC
I did use a rare earth magnet in the solenoid passages and also fished it down into the pan. Nothing at all, not even shavings. The material I found on the solenoid is non-ferrous anyways, but no shavings, which is good. I flushed the system with oil and found nothing else. I need to cut open the filter but I suspect more and more it is old damage from previous owner rather than recent work.

I am not sure what removing the intake manifold would have done except allow to inspect intake valves, which I suppose wouldnt hurt considering it is probably due for a media blast, but I think is overkill for the sole purpose of a crank sensor.

If the engine is gone I will probably just swap in a fresh LNF or newer ecotec and go from there. My plans with this car was originally to mod it fairly heavily but never got there with it since this was my DD for a while.

Unfortunately time is always limited, I took last monday and yesterday off to work on it. I travel quite a bit and also have a lot of stuff going on at work -- it is also a lot of fun and very rewarding so I am not at a total loss here. I also do not really drive anywhere anymore so this is a fun car, not DD. It looks worse than it is -- aluminum is crusty and everything else is pretty dusty. The surface rust on things like bolts has been there since I got it, as it was a beach car.
 
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