Camshaft position deviation results......

[Steve Tinker]

I'm just about to start my annual major service and inspection on my '02 Boxster S.
Before starting, I plugged in my trusty Durametric (what a great tool that is) to check for error codes (non found) and going through the menue I checked a few parameters like fan operation, voltages, etc.
I also checked an item called "Camshaft Position 1 Deviation" and "Camshaft Position 2 Deviation". When checking these (obviously with the engine running @ 800rpm) I got:

Camshaft Position 1 Deviation = -5.26 *Crk.
Camshaft Position 2 Deviation = 0 *Crk.

Anyone know what Camshaft Deviation & these numbers mean?
Do I have to worry??

I THINK its the cams retarded @ idle revs before the Variocam kicks in, but......

[JFP in PA]

Do you have the acutal code numbers? Easier to research that way............

[derb]

The Porsche manual says 0 degrees, +/- 4 degrees at idle.

[jhandy]

Jake raby measured the same thing with my car if I am correct it was 5 Degrees off. What it turned out to be was the chain tention pad worn, allowed the chain to jump a tooth.

The result was a little loss of power, I would suspect that more would result in the valves slaming into the pistons.

I would contact Jake and ask him.

[Steve Tinker]

This dosen't look good - I'm a hell of a long way from Jake, but perhaps he can shed some light on the results.

JFP - I saw no code numbers as I was just scrolling down the Durametric menue, ticking the appropriate box I wanted the tool to interrogate. Ticked the Camshaft Pos #1 and #2 Deviation and it came up with the -5.26 and 0 results.

Is there a more positive way as determining chain tensioner wear or damage? Would a worn tensioner pad show up debris or particles in the oil filter?
I was about to change the oil & filter anyway....

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

This dosen't look good - I'm a hell of a long way from Jake, but perhaps he can shed some light on the results.

JFP - I saw no code numbers as I was just scrolling down the Durametric menue, ticking the appropriate box I wanted the tool to interrogate. Ticked the Camshaft Pos #1 and #2 Deviation and it came up with the -5.26 and 0 results.

Is there a more positive way as determining chain tensioner wear or damage? Would a worn tensioner pad show up debris or particles in the oil filter?
I was about to change the oil & filter anyway....

Typically, yes, you should see some debris in the oil or/and filter; usually small plastic bits. You can see the wear pad on the upper (billet) tensioner from LN Engineering..........



What you don't want to see is this, as it comes with a lot of other headaches:

[Steve Tinker]

Thanks (?) for that JFP - I pity the poor guy who ownes the engine in the lower pic.

I've just been down to the car & checked a related (I think) parameters on my Durametric, labelled:

"Actual Angle Camshaft Bank #1" and "Actual Angle Camshaft Bank #2"
Bank #1 was fluctuating between 0.3 to 0.8 *Crk @idle rpm.
Bank #2 was steady @ 0*Crk. @ idle rpm.

Help - is this starting to look ugly??

What do you guys recommend - remember we don't have a Jake Raby lookalike here in Australia, & while I can & do service my Boxster without any problems, getting into camshaft timing can be fraught with danger which I really don't feel comfortable with......

[jhandy]

Email Jake and ask him. He is very nice. I would them expect that if needed there is someone out there that can fix it. All it is is setting the cam timeing.

Chain tentioner pad wear started with me with a clicking, very faint at idle. I guess the loose chain.

Also after repairs, I dug out the old filter and it did have small black plastic pieces in it.

I am by no means a porsche mechanic, however it should be as simple as removing the cam covers and resetting the timeing. While in there, replace the pads, they are cheap., replace the cam cover gasket, it usally leaks anyway.

I do know however that there is some kind of majic trick and inside knowledge when setting the cam timing.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jhandy

Email Jake and ask him. He is very nice. I would them expect that if needed there is someone out there that can fix it. All it is is setting the cam timeing.

Chain tentioner pad wear started with me with a clicking, very faint at idle. I guess the loose chain.

Also after repairs, I dug out the old filter and it did have small black plastic pieces in it.

I am by no means a porsche mechanic, however it should be as simple as removing the cam covers and resetting the timeing. While in there, replace the pads, they are cheap., replace the cam cover gasket, it usally leaks anyway.

I do know however that there is some kind of majic trick and inside knowledge when setting the cam timing.

It is a bit more complicated than that, and requires a set of special fixtures ($500-600) as well.......

[jhandy]

Ah, special tool #54865S3*6.
as usual, nothing is easy on a porsche.

[stephen wilson]

I believe there are several people who have made their own "holding" tools, but it may have been on another forum.

[Steve Tinker]

I sent Jake an e-mail and he says that the deviation could be caused by worn tensioner strips but could also be caused by numerous other reasons including being set like this from the factory
So job # 1 will be to drop my oil and inspect for particles in the filter & oil.
Can anyone confirm that the tensioners can be inspected for wear by removing just the cam cover - or is that being too simplistic?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

Can anyone confirm that the tensioners can be inspected for wear by removing just the cam cover - or is that being too simplistic?

No, you cannot see all of the tensioner by removing the cam covers due to curvature in the tensioner and very limited viewing access (you would be looking down a hole in which the tensioner is standing vertically). To properly inspect them, they need to be released (this is where the cam locking fixtures come into play) and removed. Not difficult, but it does take some time and require some specific tools...........

[Steve Tinker]

Thanks for the heads up JFP. I'm checking the oil filter internals over the next day or so and (depending on what I find) then dropping the sump plate.

Its still a worry why the camshaft deviation is -5.2 *Crk though - I read that as 5.2 deg retarded which sounds questionable. I did elec eng not mech eng, so what do I know.......