[erik.wahlstrom]

We were on our way from Telluride to Seattle. We stopped in Moab where it was >100 degrees.  When we started out again the car was very difficult to start and I got a check engine light.  The car drove fine.  I reset it and went on our way.  Upon restarting we got another code P0340 (Camshaft position sensor "A" Circuit) and a bunch of P030x codes indicating misfires.  We limped into Provo and the van is at the VW dealership.  Provo being Provo, everything is closed we're stuck here until tomorrow.

Doing some research I found this https://www.openbay.com/p0340/2002-volkswagen-eurovan which says it should be cheap! Three questions:

• Is there any chance this is a timing chain?
• What's the likelihood a VW dealership will have the part(s)?
• Anything I should lookout for?

Thanks.

--Erik

[robinson1509]

You should post more details. 12 or 24v, specific misfire codes, was the cel flashing, rough idle, stalling, mileage...

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[erik.wahlstrom]

2002 VR6
215K Miles
Codes:

• P0340 Camshaft Position Sensor "A" Circuit
• P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
• P0305 Cylinder  5 Misfire Detected
• P0303 Cylinder  3 Misfire Detected
• P0306 Cylinder  6 Misfire Detected
• P0302 Cylinder  2 Misfire Detected

The car actually ran very well. We powered over a 7500' mountain pass at 70MPH.  We stopped on the other side and upon restarting the engine had very little power.  It felt like I was on 3 cylinders for the 12 miles to the VW dealership.

I bought the car 2 years ago and the guy said he had just done the timing chain at 197K.

[robinson1509]

Thats a lot of miles could be chains. But if you want to be optimistic and assume it is a cps then yes it is very likely a dealership would have one. The oil pressure / chain tensioner can throw a cam code.

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[erik.wahlstrom]

Assuming the chain was done in 18K miles ago, am I right in assuming I would have seen issues before now if it had been done wrong?

One other thing.  In the past when the engine has been warm occasionally the car would be hard to start.  Or rather it would start and then die.  Restarting it and giving it a little gas would fix it, and then it would run fine. 

[robinson1509]

18k on the chains they are not even broken in yet.

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[erik.wahlstrom]

If it is a timing chain (shudder) what would the expected cost be?

[robinson1509]

In an older post Cole said oil screen stuck in cam adjusters will cause cps code.

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[erik.wahlstrom]

One other piece of data.  THe first code that popped up was :
P0011 - "A" Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1)

I reset this and never got it again.  The rest were P0340's

[Cole]

My gut reaction is that it's the tiny screen stuck in the cam adjuster. Seems to be very common on the 24v VR6.

Symptoms are pretty much what you describe.

It's insanely easy to check if the cam position sensor is bad. There are two of them and they are identical. Just swap one for them other and see if the code changes. If the code moves from back A to B then the sensor is bad. If the problem stays the same.....the cam isn't adjusting.

The cam sensors can be swapped in about 4 min (totally not kidding here) so don't let a dealer charge you 3 hours for that piece.

If the screen is stuck in the cam adjuster then the valve cover/upper timing chain cover need removed to pull the cam adjusters out and get the screen out. That should take about 6 hours to do.

Good luck!!

[erik.wahlstrom]

Thanks Cole,

Still waiting to hear from the service dept. this morning.  Hopefully its just the sensors.  Or maybe something else electrical.  The van has had minor electrical issues in the past.  One other (likely irrelevant) thing. After resetting the MIL light, the wind shield wipers came on when starting the car.  Odd I know.  Fiddling with the wipers a bit and a few more starts/stops fixed it.  I'm hoping this points to a wiring harness or something impacted by the heat.  Hopefully.

[erik.wahlstrom]

Well after a nigh in a hotel and 6 hours at the VW dealership they came up with . . . .  Nothing.  The thing ran fine for them.  They saw the codes but couldn't get a repro.  So I asked them to change the oil and I put a fresh tank of gas and drove off with fingers crossed. And we made it home with no more CEL's. Whoop! Cole, I suspect you are spot on about the screen. 

I still have to figure out what to do.  I don't want to take it out on another roadtrip till I figure out what actually happened.  So I may take it to my local VW guy who will likely know more. 

--Erik