camshaft speed sensor

chevychase

Active Member
Apr 9, 2009
19
0
hi am not really up with the whole posting bit but to cut along story short a got my leon fr+ tdi in april and its been back to the garage for the camshaft speed sensor 8 times. has anybody else had problems with this sensor as i love the car but this is ruining the enjoyment of driving it.
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
Seems like its an actual cam timing problem if the error keeps coming up, possibly mis-diagnosed as a faulty sensor when actually its the cam timing its self. 8 sensors you would get at least 7 good ones lol.
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
m.facebook.com
Seems like its an actual cam timing problem if the error keeps coming up, possibly mis-diagnosed as a faulty sensor when actually its the cam timing its self. 8 sensors you would get at least 7 good ones lol.

Follow the above advice, when the cam timing is out the engine may still run but slightly out of the ecu's tolerence - which is why it will throw up a faulty sensor. On the ARL tdi engine there are 2 engine speed sensors - 1 is the cam sensor the other is the crank, when the timing is out they sensors read that the timing is unsyncronised which will require adjustment to rectify the fault.

If the timing is checked and is correct then there maybe a wiring fault or a fault with sensor rings ( being damaged or bent ) or the tensioner has become loose - when was the belt replaced?
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
TBH after having a fault with the same part 2-3 times its time to start investigating it a little deeper.
Is it being replaced with a genuine and correct part would be first question.
As others have said has the timing been checked?

After this its time to start looking at what the actual fault relates to, maybe theres a wiring fault to the sensor.
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
TBH after having a fault with the same part 2-3 times its time to start investigating it a little deeper.
Is it being replaced with a genuine and correct part would be first question.
As others have said has the timing been checked?

After this its time to start looking at what the actual fault relates to, maybe theres a wiring fault to the sensor.

To be honest, any cam timing fault code and il question the timing before the sensor as its better to be safe than sorry! 8 times is just a joke.
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
To be honest, any cam timing fault code and il question the timing before the sensor as its better to be safe than sorry! 8 times is just a joke.

But determining whether its been replaced with a genuine part or not doesn't require any effort or pose any danger to the engine, its a simple yes or no scenario to gain information from the original poster that hasn't been included yet.
 

chevychase

Active Member
Apr 9, 2009
19
0
TBH after having a fault with the same part 2-3 times its time to start investigating it a little deeper.
Is it being replaced with a genuine and correct part would be first question.
As others have said has the timing been checked?

After this its time to start looking at what the actual fault relates to, maybe theres a wiring fault to the sensor.

its at a SEAT dealership and av been told there genuine parts, and they say they've re-done all the associated wiring aswell. They're contacting seat uk, am unsure if they have checked the timing but being a dealer a would of thought that this would have been done.
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
m.facebook.com
A seat dealer have put 8 cam sensors on it!?! I'd be questioning if they know what they are doing, never mind if they can fix your car!

I've never seen one of these sensors fail, the crank sensors yes but never the cam sensors. If the cam timing has been set incorrectly then this will bring up a fault so definatly needs chacking.

When was the belt changed? (if it has been)
 

chevychase

Active Member
Apr 9, 2009
19
0
it hasn't been changed yet a was planning on doing it early next year as its only 3 1/2 year old n has 45000 miles on it. a found out today that there workshop manager is leaving so a may of been told a few porkies. its going back in this week for the final time to get a seat master tech to look at it 'apparently'!
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
its at a SEAT dealership and av been told there genuine parts, and they say they've re-done all the associated wiring aswell. They're contacting seat uk, am unsure if they have checked the timing but being a dealer a would of thought that this would have been done.

Oh so its at a Seat dealer, so yes I would imagine it should be genuine parts used each time.
So do I take it that you have only had to pay for 1 sensor so far?

They should have checked the timing by now but I would definitely still ask the question.

I'm not familiar with the set up on these engines regarding sensors used/how they read the position/what the affects are of each one being failed, but I would expect the dealer to know this anyway.

Have they said how often the fault is relogged if deleted, if it returns immediately or frequently then have they substituted the wiring between the sensor and the control unit?
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
Most dealership mechanics are just fitters, as said 8 sensors at a dealership is hidious, and also as mentioned the CA position sensor rarely fails and is mostly the CR position sensor. Id take it else where mate. Basically its either the sensor wheel on the camshaft, or its out of time.
 

chevychase

Active Member
Apr 9, 2009
19
0
a got a free month warranty luckily so hasn't cost yet, they haven't gave me any read out but out of curiosity last week a plugged ma mates vag com in and it said 'camshaft speed sensor implausable signal'? the day after a get it back the light is back on, if the timing was out would there not be change in performance? as it doesn't seem loose any power?
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
Most dealership mechanics are just fitters, as said 8 sensors at a dealership is hidious, and also as mentioned the CA position sensor rarely fails and is mostly the CR position sensor. Id take it else where mate. Basically its either the sensor wheel on the camshaft, or its out of time.
Thats are very broad judgemental statement to make dude, are you experienced within a dealership environment then?

I can't comment on Seat's but I know that BMW's have cam sensors fail and I would actually say more frequently than crank sensors.
I do think though that after fitting 8 sensors they have safely ruled out the cam sensor as the fault short of another fault causing them to fail.
 
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
a got a free month warranty luckily so hasn't cost yet, they haven't gave me any read out but out of curiosity last week a plugged ma mates vag com in and it said 'camshaft speed sensor implausable signal'? the day after a get it back the light is back on, if the timing was out would there not be change in performance? as it doesn't seem loose any power?

Not always but it sounds like you haven't had the car long so maybe there is a slight loss of power thats been there all along.

How long did you have the car before the fault started happening?
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
m.facebook.com
The only variable part of the timing sensor components and how it can be varied are:

The cam timing - by indipendantly moving the cam pully
The crank timing - by independantly moving the crank pully
The cam timing - by moving the vernier pully on the cam, which should only be done when the cam is locked, this pully also has the cam sensor pick-up on the rear of it.

The crank sensor pick up ring is bolted directly to the crankshaft so it cannot move or be moved.
Also when the crank sensor fails this will bring up both the engine and coil light - which flashes
Where as when the cam sensor fails this will only bring up the engine light and in some cases when either of these sensors fail it can konck off the TCS/ESP because the ecu cant determine how to limit fuelling due to the lack of engine postion signal.
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
Thats are very broad judgemental statement to make dude, are you experienced within a dealership environment then?

I can't comment on Seat's but I know that BMW's have cam sensors fail and I would actually say more frequently than crank sensors.
I do think though that after fitting 8 sensors they have safely ruled out the cam sensor as the fault short of another fault causing them to fail.

Well how many dealership mechanics repair things anymore? NON, a wiring loom is burnt out its a full loom so your just fitting a new part, i personally repair the loom. If nothing fits first time alot just say you need this this and this because of this. They charge the earth for a shoddy service when there are alot of mechanics out there who are willing to do a good job for a good price. To be honest, if you fit a new sensor and same fault code is thrown up, you quesiton it, so fit another if they feel its the sensor, if its flagged up again then its obviously not the sensor is it? after 5 sensors surely it must of clicked that it isnt the sensor its self so why havent they checked the wiring and reported ok, thats what they say. So why not check the timing? These are ment to be "Master technicians" so why 8 times? They also have acsess to the Seat erwin system which guides you through how to check the sensor so obviously they either dont want to know and are just after cash or dont know what there doing. My engine isnt running well and flagged the cam position sensor fault, but i didnt replace it, i checked and rectified the timing.
 
Last edited:
Dec 6, 2008
612
0
Shropshire
Well how many dealership mechanics repair things anymore? NON, a wiring loom is burnt out its a full loom so your just fitting a new part, i personally repair the loom. If nothing fits first time alot just say you need this this and this because of this. They charge the earth for a shoddy service when there are alot of mechanics out there who are willing to do a good job for a good price.

Thats a quite obvious no to the question I asked then.

To be honest, if you fit a new sensor and same fault code is thrown up, you quesiton it, so fit another if they feel its the sensor, if its flagged up again then its obviously not the sensor is it? after 5 sensors surely it must of clicked that it isnt the sensor its self so why havent they checked the wiring and reported ok, thats what they say. So why not check the timing? These are ment to be "Master technicians" so why 8 times? They also have acsess to the Seat erwin system which guides you through how to check the sensor so obviously they either dont want to know and are just after cash or dont know what there doing. My engine isnt running well and flagged the cam position sensor fault, but i didnt replace it, i checked and rectified the timing.

This particular dealership need to be thinking about why they have changed the sensor 8 times but that has nothing to do with any others.
The OP doesn't know if the wiring has been checked or the timing for that matter and the master technicians are yet to look at the car.

Is that the timing on the engine you just rebuilt?
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
m.facebook.com
Its very nice to see someone who still believes in the old narrow-minded dealership stereotype. At the end of the day dealers have access to alot of equipment and information such ELSA (for vag vehicles) but this counts for nothing if who ever is doing the job hasnt a clue how to use it. Or the reception staff are repeatedly instructing the techs to fit a new sensor - because it happens.
Its unfair to slam dealers saying that they charge the earth and do nothing but fit new parts if you dont have experience of that environment. I for one know that some dealers will happily strip and re-build components such as gearboxes (that a run of the mill private garage wouldnt know how or want to) and carry out the work to a good standard and in most cases a wiring loom at a dealer will be repaired as it would anywhere. In most cases Its not even viable to replace a wiring loom, one with 200 wires and 25 plugs for the sake of 6 broken sensor wires? of course its going to be repaired.
Most garages dont have all the info or equipment and will happily poke at a car with a fault that they have no experience with and charge the customer a fortune and still end up taking it to a dealer to rectify the fault they cant resolve.
With regards to the myth of dealer prices. You take into that a private garage might charge £40 an hour but take 3 hours to find a fault that they have never seen before, where as a dealer will charge £60 an hour and find the fault within the first hour and repair it there and then and charge £60 only because they have seen the same thing on another vehicle. That means your paying less per hour but being charged longer for a job that a dealer would find and fix for half the price. Thats not a rip off, surely the customer is being more hard done by the private garage?
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
At the end of the day everyones veiw is diffrent and not everyone is the same, so my information isnt wanted round here i guess, sorry for bothering chaps.
 
Nimbus hosting - Based solely in the UK.