Variocam thoughts and questions

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by blue62

I can on my scanner.
It is the Foxwell NT520 Pro

I went out and hooked it up to my 2000S so I could refresh my memory on how I do it.
I will attempt to talk you through it.

Hook up the scanner
Go to the Porsche program and hit enter.
Go to manual selection and hit enter.
Go down to 986 Boxster/Cayman hit enter.
Go to Diagnosis hit enter.
Go to control units hit enter.
Go to DME (its the top choice on my scanner) hit enter.
Go down to actual values hit enter.
Go to all data hit enter.
Now you should be looking at a list of all the data the DME sees.

With the car running you can watch all this data under different driving conditions.
You can watch all the data the DME sees in real time. You just have to learn what your looking at and what it means.
I have hooked mine up and watched various data over a 320 mile run several times.

Now go down till you see camshaft deviation for each bank
Below that is actual camshaft angles.


so if your at idle watching camshaft angle you should see changes when your Variocam timing actuator kicks in. I think that is around 1500 RPM. then I kicks back out around 5000 RPM. Not positive on those RPM's but I should be in the ballpark.
You can graph it with the graphing feature and see changes over a short period of time.
I think you can also Data log with this scanner but I have never tried it.

Now You can back out to where you found actual values and go down to
Drive links active.
Hit enter
Now you can activate your fuel injectors and your Variocam timing Actuators.
sort of a test mode.
You will hear and feel the difference when you activate the injectors or the actuators with the engine running.
Now simply activating them does not tell you that everything is within spec. but it will tell you if they function, or not.

So that is how it works with my scanner on my 2000S

Hope this helps
Let me know how you go

omigosh, so fantastic!. Thank you So much again. Unfortunately, my $178 Foxwell scanner is an NT150 Elite.

[blue62]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

omigosh, so fantastic!. Thank you So much again. Unfortunately, my $178 Foxwell scanner is an NT150 Elite.

NT 150 or is it the 510????
Hook it up and see what you can do with it.
You got it with the Porsche program right?
If it is in fact a 510 it will do everything mine does.

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by blue62

NT 150 or is it the 510????
Hook it up and see what you can do with it.
You got it with the Porsche program right?
If it is in fact a 510 it will do everything mine does.

Yes, can’t read my own writing. NT150. Thanks. Will give it a bash in the morning.

[sfkjeld]

I am still driving my car until I reach the 1000 mile mark, then the Pcar shop is going to do an engine flush in the hopes of clearing a potential clogged oil gallery that feeds the cam actuator. In the meantime I’m seeing a definite pattern to when the 1341 CEL is thrown. After ~36miles, then I clear the code. It can happen sooner in heavy traffic. But never more than 36 miles, so far. Does That make sense? There must be an algorithm for what activates the Cam timing error code that involves time or miles, huh?

[blue62]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

I am still driving my car until I reach the 1000 mile mark, then the Pcar shop is going to do an engine flush in the hopes of clearing a potential clogged oil gallery that feeds the cam actuator. In the meantime I’m seeing a definite pattern to when the 1341 CEL is thrown. After ~36miles, then I clear the code. It can happen sooner in heavy traffic. But never more than 36 miles, so far. Does That make sense? There must be an algorithm for what activates the Cam timing error code that involves time or miles, huh?

In real simple terms.
My guess and it's just that, a guess.
Is that a sensor like the cam position sensor has a limit (voltage level) that the DME/ECU sees. when it hits that limit the code is set.
Or the voltage level is far enough out of spec. that the DME/ECU sees it and triggers the code.

I do know that on an O2 sensor when the signal response time slows down to a certain point that the DME/ECU has a response time limit that when hit it triggers a O2 sensor aging code.
I found that info in some literature put out by Bosh.
Bosh developed and produced the DME/ECU in our cars

So I think everything (when it comes to codes being set) is either signal response time or voltage level related as far as the sensors are concerned.

Hope that makes sense.
Remember that's just a guess

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by blue62

In real simple terms.
My guess and it's just that, a guess.
Is that a sensor like the cam position sensor has a limit (voltage level) that the DME/ECU sees. when it hits that limit the code is set.
Or the voltage level is far enough out of spec. that the DME/ECU sees it and triggers the code.

I do know that on an O2 sensor when the signal response time slows down to a certain point that the DME/ECU has a response time limit that when hit it triggers a O2 sensor aging code.
I found that info in some literature put out by Bosh.
Bosh developed and produced the DME/ECU in our cars

So I think everything (when it comes to codes being set) is either signal response time or voltage level related as far as the sensors are concerned.

Hope that makes sense.
Remember that's just a guess

An excellent guess too, thank you so much. Unfortunately for me, I think it was my driving pattern that was causing the CEL at nearly the same time. I have more awareness now of what throws the code. It will only throw it in city driving, never on the highway. If I accelerate from low rpms, like 2k, it’ll throw the code. If I ease up to 2.5k I am ok.

So now the shop I’ve been taking the car to, wants to do an engine flush to see if it can clear an oil gallery feeding the actuator. Seems like a Hail Mary, but I guess I’ll do it.

Am still convinced the problem is the green o-rings have disintegrated and may have clogged a gallery, who knows? But when I start the car now, I often hear the clatter of the timing chains for about 2-3 secs until the oil pressure comes up. Tells me the engine is not gonna last a long time.

So here is my question. Would I be well served to run a heavier engine oil? The shop has been using Swepco at $16/quart. I baby this car for the most part, don’t need a high performance oil. Was going to ask the shop to just fill it with Mobile 1 at maybe a 40 weight? Might improve the starting clatter? Unless the engine flush miraculously cures the oil pressure problem in the actuator, I figure to drive it until the car dies. Oddly enough, it’ll probably pass smog tests, as it did last month. And as of now, despite the CEL, it runs great.

[blue62]

I don't have an answer to your latest question.
But I am very interested in the outcome of your engine flush.
Keep us posted.

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by blue62

I don't have an answer to your latest question.
But I am very interested in the outcome of your engine flush.
Keep us posted.

Ok, the Hail Mary engine flush + a number of snake oil additives have resulted in absolutely nothing. The car threw another 1341 CEL after a few miles from the shop.

This was another $450 procedure after a $1000 solenoid replacement procedure which again, resulted in absolutely no change.

I should just let it go, and drive the car until the next disaster then scrap it. It just runs so great and a perfect car for me now. But after all this, now I am annoyed. I’ve had my doubts about this shop all along. So now think I will try to find the best Boxster shop in NorCal. I know S Car Go Racing cannot be it. To get some fresh eyes on the problem. If anyone reading this knows of a shop in NorCal, I’d love to hear about it.

[blue62]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

Ok, the Hail Mary engine flush + a number of snake oil additives have resulted in absolutely nothing. The car threw another 1341 CEL after a few miles from the shop.

This was another $450 procedure after a $1000 solenoid replacement procedure which again, resulted in absolutely no change.

I should just let it go, and drive the car until the next disaster then scrap it. It just runs so great and a perfect car for me now. But after all this, now I am annoyed. I’ve had my doubts about this shop all along. So now think I will try to find the best Boxster shop in NorCal. I know S Car Go Racing cannot be it. To get some fresh eyes on the problem. If anyone reading this knows of a shop in NorCal, I’d love to hear about it.

Well that is disappointing news

[Homeoboxter]

Sorry for the bad news. Did you get the alleged faulty solenoid back?

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by Homeoboxter

Sorry for the bad news. Did you get the alleged faulty solenoid back?

Naw, am sure they tossed it the first moment they could. Found a 5 year old recommendation for a shop nearby, on this forum. Called him, talked a pretty good game. Totally trashed the engine flush strategy. I should have trusted my hunch..... Made an appt to see him.

[blue62]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

Naw, am sure they tossed it the first moment they could. Found a 5 year old recommendation for a shop nearby, on this forum. Called him, talked a pretty good game. Totally trashed the engine flush strategy. I should have trusted my hunch..... Made an appt to see him.

Keep us posted on the diagnosis and such.

[Homeoboxter]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

Naw, am sure they tossed it the first moment they could. Found a 5 year old recommendation for a shop nearby, on this forum. Called him, talked a pretty good game. Totally trashed the engine flush strategy. I should have trusted my hunch..... Made an appt to see him.

Sounds great. Make sure the new shop documents what the previous shop (S Car Go in San Rafael?) did on your car. Using that you may want to file a claim to Better Business Bureau. A friend of mine got his money back in a similar situation when the shop charged him for replacing an expensive part in his car that was not faulty in the first place.

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by Homeoboxter

Sounds great. Make sure the new shop documents what the previous shop (S Car Go in San Rafael?) did on your car. Using that you may want to file a claim to Better Business Bureau. A friend of mine got his money back in a similar situation when the shop charged him for replacing an expensive part in his car that was not faulty in the first place.

Latest installment of the P1341 cam timing saga. After wasting $1500 for a solenoid I prob didn’t need and another $500 on a “engine power wash” that Prob no one ever needed, I Decided to ditch S Car Go. I took the car to Modderman Porsche in Mt View. Gave them the whole ugly story. The shop manager brought the car into their garage and came out 5 mins later with the explanation. The cam timing is 6deg off at idle. Needs adjustment, that’s all. Has nothing to do with the vario cam actuation. He explained why the CEL was thrown only when hot (I thought it was oil pressure) and why it was never thrown on a freeway. He did not understand why S Car Go didn’t pick it up. And unlike S Car Go he was confident enough to stand by the diagnosis.

Another annoyance was that I was never able to get the old solenoid from S Car Go, despite my documented request to receive all parts, made prior to work beginning. They “forgot”.

Was thinking of giving S Car Go a chance to make it right tho. Explaining all this to them. At least asking them to Cover the costs to R/R the valve cover. That cost is nearly $1000 alone in these shops. Or should I just have Modderman Porsche do the job and go the Better Business Bureau route to reclaim some of my loses?

[flmont]

I would give them the chance to refund some of the $$,.If you don't get the parts you requested ( I forgot ) isn't your problem,.so I think you should be compensated, I know modern engines can be difficult to diagnose but that's their world I'am not sure why they would charge you 500.00 to clean your engine,( seems a bit greedy).But that solenoid should have been in the trunk !

[Homeoboxter]

Originally Posted by flmont

I would give them the chance to refund some of the $$,.If you don't get the parts you requested ( I forgot ) isn't your problem,.so I think you should be compensated, I know modern engines can be difficult to diagnose but that's their world I'am not sure why they would charge you 500.00 to clean your engine,( seems a bit greedy).But that solenoid should have been in the trunk !

I agree, I would get it all refunded. The solenoid plus the labour. This particular part is very easy to inspect, even in the car, no need to remove it. So, they pull it (allegedly), and then instead of testing they just toss the old one, and then charge it on the customer... Amazing. Great service. At least now you know a reliable shop in MV. And we know which shop to avoid. Give them a chance to refund and if they disagree just go straight to BBB.

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by Homeoboxter

I agree, I would get it all refunded. The solenoid plus the labour. This particular part is very easy to inspect, even in the car, no need to remove it. So, they pull it (allegedly), and then instead of testing they just toss the old one, and then charge it on the customer... Amazing. Great service. At least now you know a reliable shop in MV. And we know which shop to avoid. Give them a chance to refund and if they disagree just go straight to BBB.

Getting my case in order to go back to the original shop. I just scanned thru this thread because I thought I read somewhere whether you need to r/r the cam cover to replace the solenoid. Can’t find it. Can the solenoid be replaced externally? Thanks again.

[blue62]

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

Getting my case in order to go back to the original shop. I just scanned thru this thread because I thought I read somewhere whether you need to r/r the cam cover to replace the solenoid. Can’t find it. Can the solenoid be replaced externally? Thanks again.

The cam cover has to be removed to replace the solenoid.
There is a writeup and good pictures on the pelican parts site that should be of help.
Looks like once the cam cover is off that there are two bolts holding the solenoid in place.

[sfkjeld]

Originally Posted by blue62

The cam cover has to be removed to replace the solenoid.
There is a writeup and good pictures on the pelican parts site that should be of help.
Looks like once the cam cover is off that there are two bolts holding the solenoid in place.

Thank you Blue62. Wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but thank you.

[flmont]

Also if the old part is gone,the receipt for the new part should be available a profit for service is fine..a profit for ripping...is not..