Cam Position Sensors changed but CEL still comes up
11-19-2017, 06:30 PM
#1
Cam Position Sensors changed but CEL still comes up
I have a 2006 XL 5.4 triton engine. The CEL came up for both sensors. I changed both of them, reset the CEL but after a few minutes of driving they come up again.
I just got the truck from a family member so I don't know too much about it but I know it has some engine work done to it before, I'm pretty sure most of it was rebuilt. Anyways, I think it runs fine. Don't have any obvious misfires, doesn't stall on me, starts right up without any issues. Don't really feel any power loss, but again, I just got it so I don't know if its supposed to pull any harder than it does.
Ive heard it could be a timing issue or an electrical issue with the sensor harness but not sure. Any help Is really appreciated!!
I just got the truck from a family member so I don't know too much about it but I know it has some engine work done to it before, I'm pretty sure most of it was rebuilt. Anyways, I think it runs fine. Don't have any obvious misfires, doesn't stall on me, starts right up without any issues. Don't really feel any power loss, but again, I just got it so I don't know if its supposed to pull any harder than it does.
Ive heard it could be a timing issue or an electrical issue with the sensor harness but not sure. Any help Is really appreciated!!
11-20-2017, 02:37 AM
#3
Senior Member
If it's showing for the cam sensors (w/o knowing your specific DTC), it sounds like your VCT Solenoids may be bad.
Any new noises?
If the sensor is detecting a threshold that trips a CEL, replacing the sensor is not the fix. It is telling you the sensor is out of threshold value and DTC is set.
Are you getting a "camshaft position sensor over retard" type code?
Any new noises?
If the sensor is detecting a threshold that trips a CEL, replacing the sensor is not the fix. It is telling you the sensor is out of threshold value and DTC is set.
Are you getting a "camshaft position sensor over retard" type code?
11-20-2017, 11:46 AM
#4
I don’t have the actual code number. I can get it later. But from what I remember it was just displaying the cam sensors, I don’t recall seeing over retard. I just got the car and since I got it, this has been on. IMO it drives pretty well. No noticeable noises. You think I should go ahead and change that vct seleniod then?
11-22-2017, 04:06 AM
#5
05 5.4l 3v s.crew lariat
The cam sensors are telling you the hydraulic cam system not working
Shooting the messenger is not the right course . Changing both vcts for the newer model is always a good thing .
But a worn out system part or oil pressure problem is going to show backup. You must understand the system ,it uses dirty engine oil to hydraulically move cams . Pcm commands vcts to move the oil to change cam positions . Oil goes to cam phasers to release them and move them . Phasors work very hard and can fail .
The timing chains are kept tight by plastic chain tensioners driven by oil pressure , they tend to blow out their seals and cause low oil pressure . This can cause chains to whip breaking plastic chain guides putting plastic pieces in oil pickup which further lowers oil pressure .Plus the long chains do stretch and can cause this same problem .
Clean good oil is a must --no extended interval oil changes . There are fixes for all of this but with mileage it usually means a full timing job , no one thing at this point is going to fix it . Oil flow problems cause failures of rollers and lash's so its best to change them too. Hopefully before cam damage .
If you have the will you can do all this yourself ,there is plenty of help on here .
But a worn out system part or oil pressure problem is going to show backup. You must understand the system ,it uses dirty engine oil to hydraulically move cams . Pcm commands vcts to move the oil to change cam positions . Oil goes to cam phasers to release them and move them . Phasors work very hard and can fail .
The timing chains are kept tight by plastic chain tensioners driven by oil pressure , they tend to blow out their seals and cause low oil pressure . This can cause chains to whip breaking plastic chain guides putting plastic pieces in oil pickup which further lowers oil pressure .Plus the long chains do stretch and can cause this same problem .
Clean good oil is a must --no extended interval oil changes . There are fixes for all of this but with mileage it usually means a full timing job , no one thing at this point is going to fix it . Oil flow problems cause failures of rollers and lash's so its best to change them too. Hopefully before cam damage .
If you have the will you can do all this yourself ,there is plenty of help on here .
11-22-2017, 12:27 PM
#6
Shooting the messenger is not the right course . Changing both vcts for the newer model is always a good thing .
But a worn out system part or oil pressure problem is going to show backup. You must understand the system ,it uses dirty engine oil to hydraulically move cams . Pcm commands vcts to move the oil to change cam positions . Oil goes to cam phasers to release them and move them . Phasors work very hard and can fail .
The timing chains are kept tight by plastic chain tensioners driven by oil pressure , they tend to blow out their seals and cause low oil pressure . This can cause chains to whip breaking plastic chain guides putting plastic pieces in oil pickup which further lowers oil pressure .Plus the long chains do stretch and can cause this same problem .
Clean good oil is a must --no extended interval oil changes . There are fixes for all of this but with mileage it usually means a full timing job , no one thing at this point is going to fix it . Oil flow problems cause failures of rollers and lash's so its best to change them too. Hopefully before cam damage .
If you have the will you can do all this yourself ,there is plenty of help on here .
But a worn out system part or oil pressure problem is going to show backup. You must understand the system ,it uses dirty engine oil to hydraulically move cams . Pcm commands vcts to move the oil to change cam positions . Oil goes to cam phasers to release them and move them . Phasors work very hard and can fail .
The timing chains are kept tight by plastic chain tensioners driven by oil pressure , they tend to blow out their seals and cause low oil pressure . This can cause chains to whip breaking plastic chain guides putting plastic pieces in oil pickup which further lowers oil pressure .Plus the long chains do stretch and can cause this same problem .
Clean good oil is a must --no extended interval oil changes . There are fixes for all of this but with mileage it usually means a full timing job , no one thing at this point is going to fix it . Oil flow problems cause failures of rollers and lash's so its best to change them too. Hopefully before cam damage .
If you have the will you can do all this yourself ,there is plenty of help on here .
11-23-2017, 12:44 AM
#7
Senior Member
Did you order Motor Craft Solenoids?
If not, send them back and do so.
I JUST went through this. Bad solenoid out the box from NAPA, 2 days later, all kinds of issues I wont even get into. Read the posts on here, research, there is overwhelming info to convince that you should use MC Parts for all timing components.
If you don't have any unusual sounds/ticks/knocks. The engine sound does not change when cold start-operating temp. Then, you might be ok as far as the timing system goes for now.
It is possible that a VCT solenoid simply failed which was my case and reason for replacing. It was on bank 1. I swapped it to bank 2, DTC followed, therefore verifying it was the solenoid itself that was bad and not the timing / phaser system failing.
Make sure to stay up on any codes and keep us posted.
Everything redfish said is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Especially the oil changes and quality. Full synthetic 5W-30 and no extended intervals.
If not, send them back and do so.
I JUST went through this. Bad solenoid out the box from NAPA, 2 days later, all kinds of issues I wont even get into. Read the posts on here, research, there is overwhelming info to convince that you should use MC Parts for all timing components.
If you don't have any unusual sounds/ticks/knocks. The engine sound does not change when cold start-operating temp. Then, you might be ok as far as the timing system goes for now.
It is possible that a VCT solenoid simply failed which was my case and reason for replacing. It was on bank 1. I swapped it to bank 2, DTC followed, therefore verifying it was the solenoid itself that was bad and not the timing / phaser system failing.
Make sure to stay up on any codes and keep us posted.
Everything redfish said is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Especially the oil changes and quality. Full synthetic 5W-30 and no extended intervals.
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11-23-2017, 03:43 PM
#8
Did you order Motor Craft Solenoids?
If not, send them back and do so.
I JUST went through this. Bad solenoid out the box from NAPA, 2 days later, all kinds of issues I wont even get into. Read the posts on here, research, there is overwhelming info to convince that you should use MC Parts for all timing components.
If you don't have any unusual sounds/ticks/knocks. The engine sound does not change when cold start-operating temp. Then, you might be ok as far as the timing system goes for now.
It is possible that a VCT solenoid simply failed which was my case and reason for replacing. It was on bank 1. I swapped it to bank 2, DTC followed, therefore verifying it was the solenoid itself that was bad and not the timing / phaser system failing.
Make sure to stay up on any codes and keep us posted.
Everything redfish said is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Especially the oil changes and quality. Full synthetic 5W-30 and no extended intervals.
If not, send them back and do so.
I JUST went through this. Bad solenoid out the box from NAPA, 2 days later, all kinds of issues I wont even get into. Read the posts on here, research, there is overwhelming info to convince that you should use MC Parts for all timing components.
If you don't have any unusual sounds/ticks/knocks. The engine sound does not change when cold start-operating temp. Then, you might be ok as far as the timing system goes for now.
It is possible that a VCT solenoid simply failed which was my case and reason for replacing. It was on bank 1. I swapped it to bank 2, DTC followed, therefore verifying it was the solenoid itself that was bad and not the timing / phaser system failing.
Make sure to stay up on any codes and keep us posted.
Everything redfish said is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Especially the oil changes and quality. Full synthetic 5W-30 and no extended intervals.
also, I changed the intake filter, (now I checked back and it was motorcraft), and the truck now has a P0420 code. You think it was the filter or anything you can tell me on this?
11-24-2017, 12:38 AM
#9
so I've been searching and it seems like a bad alternator can cause these codes? or a bad wire somewhere? again the car runs fine, just has these codes. anyone have any experience with this being something electrical?
also, just noticed that in some occasions my ac kind of surges. I have it on high or medium and it will go to very low and then back up, and do that a few times. Can all of this be related?
also, just noticed that in some occasions my ac kind of surges. I have it on high or medium and it will go to very low and then back up, and do that a few times. Can all of this be related?