5 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWavering "Actual angle for Camshaft" Bank 1
Leading reported evidence
Replace cam sensors
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I've swapped cam sensors on the banks and still same result.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Certainly a possibility but be aware they have a built-in leak path by means of the 2 tiny holes on one end of the actuator to lubricate the guide that points to the crank.
Leading evidence: 'Replace cam sensors' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Lubricate guide' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Replace imsb, variocam pads and the three chain tensioners
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I purchased the car at ~101,000 miles and at that time I replaced the IMSB, Variocam pads and the three chain tensioners.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
There is a thread on rebuilding variocam actuators using the Hartech/Slakker o-ring kit, check that for what problems regarding cam deviation it solved:
Outcome qualification: Negation, uncertainty or missing explicit repair resolution overrides the raw extraction signal.
Lubricate guide
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Certainly a possibility but be aware they have a built-in leak path by means of the 2 tiny holes on one end of the actuator to lubricate the guide that points to the crank.
Run engine at higher rpm and the variocam switches over
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
It's the same when running the engine at higher RPM and the variocam switches over.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Lubricate guide
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Certainly a possibility but be aware they have a built-in leak path by means of the 2 tiny holes on one end of the actuator to lubricate the guide that points to the crank.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
There is a thread on rebuilding variocam actuators using the Hartech/Slakker o-ring kit, check that for what problems regarding cam deviation it solved:
Outcome qualification: Negation, uncertainty or missing explicit repair resolution overrides the raw extraction signal.
Coverage and how to read this overview
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
5 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 1 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T183130Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
This regards a 5 chain engine with 105,000 miles. I purchased the car at ~101,000 miles and at that time I replaced the IMSB, Variocam pads and the three chain tensioners. Cam deviations now sit at -2.39 for Bank 1 and 0.64 for Bank 2. The idle is still a little rough. I chased down all vacuum leaks and fuel trims seem ok: Bank 1 FRA 1.02% RKAT -0.28 Bank 2 FRA 1.02% RKAT -0.28. I did notice something odd in the running data though, the "Actual angle for camshaft" reading for Bank 1 seems to hunt or oscillate:
What could be causing this? I've swapped cam sensors on the banks and still same result. Could the Variocam actuator be leaking oil pressure? It's the same when running the engine at higher RPM and the variocam switches over. Appreciate everyone's thoughts!
Thanks
Certainly a possibility but be aware they have a built-in leak path by means of the 2 tiny holes on one end of the actuator to lubricate the guide that points to the crank. That means the unintended leak path would have to be quite large to cause your observation.
Also the green o-ring that can fail is not supposed to seal but just acts as a bumpstop to prevent metal to metal contact at the end of the stroke.
The o-rings in it that do have a sealing purpose might become hard but that won't cause a large enough leak path.
OTOH if little bits of that o-ring end up in the piston controlled by the solenoid, it could impede its movement and possibly create a leak path big enough.
I'm brainstorming here so let's see if others chime in who were able to solve what you're observing.
There is a thread on rebuilding variocam actuators using the Hartech/Slakker o-ring kit, check that for what problems regarding cam deviation it solved:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/1403677-variocam-rebuild-part-numbers.html
Appreciate your thoughts, hardtailer. Have you looked at this data on your own car before? I�m curious what the camshaft angle graphed looks like on a healthy car ie how it moves and how much.
Yes, I have. Unfortunately my durametric shows a never changing 3` angle for bank 1 on my M96.01 3.4l with just 1 cam sensor. Having seen the pad wear at 128k miles, I doubt that number is a valid measurement.
