Cam Solonoid P1530

I've read several threads and probably over confused my situation. 1999 C2. I was sitting in the car during an extremely heavy rain storm between track sessions. Started car up and it started to idle bad but ran fine over 1k RPM. CEL came on with an error code of P1530 -Camshaft Adjustment Bank 1 error. I also had P1340 Timing chain out of position bank 1 but that has not come back after clearing. Thought it could be a cracked coil getting water inside so replaced all coils an plugs. Cleared the code but it came back again. Slightly rough idle but runs great otherwise. I've had P1539, P1530, P1540, P1531 at different times, but P1530 is the only one I have now after driving for an hour. I pulled off the connector for the cam solenoid, bank 1 and applied a 9V battery. Using a mechanics stethoscope directly on solenoid, I could hear a VERY faint click. Tried it with the car running and no change in RPM or idle quality. Testing the wires to the solenoid I had 12V on 1 wire and 0 on other with car at idle. No continuity between pin and frame of car. Resistance of the solenoid was 14.1. From what I read, the solenoid should only get 12V when the car is revved over 2k or somewhere close to that. I seem to have 12V all the time when the ignition is on. Thoughts? I'm on the fence about getting a Durametric. I gave a decent scanner but it doesn't have the option to activate the solenoids or read cam timing deviations. The chain guides were all refreshed not long ago. Kevin

You need better tools like Durametric or equivalent to do this level of trouble shooting. The bad news is you probably need to change the solenoid at the minimum, or the whole adjuster assembly. This is now costing well over $1,000 for the parts. The solenoid alone is $500 where it was $200 ish a couple years ago. And it is a big job involving expensive timing tools. At least it is not bank 2 where it is damn near impossible to do engine-in. Good luck.

The solenoid is provided 12-14 volts any time the key is on. The DME (ECU) provides the ground to make the solenoid operate when commanded. With this new/correct information, you can re-evaluate your test results/diagnosis...

Solenoid failure is not rare. Here�s one site that suggests the resistance test of 13 ohms is a bad solenoid: http://www.automotiveforums.com/t257...r_problem.html If you have to have the solenoid replaced, 7-9 hours of labor due to having to drop the exhaust headers, it might make sense to also inspect the tensioner pads and replace those while you�re in there.

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That forum is wrong, a resistance test of the solenoid that results in a 13 ohm value is a PASS/GOOD test result. Most forums have one guy that knows what he is talking about, all others are blind leading the blind...

Thank you everyone for the replies. I�ve got to start working on this as I�m missing too many track days. Regarding the 12v signal, if I put a voltmeter on the plug from DME, should I be reading 12V? I realize the 12v signal is always coming through and the DME triggers the ground for activate the solenoid, but wouldn�t that mean I have a ground if I�m reading 12v? I�m not touching the frame ground, only the two pins. I�ve ordered the tools and ordered the duramtric and will order parts tomorrow and start tearing it down. Chain guides and pads should be fairly new from some work that was done last year. Since I�m not getting any click or engine sound change with a 9v battery applied to the solenoid, as suggested, the solenoid is bad. I�m just worried DME is having issue as well. Getting it out will be a pain due to half roll bar and racing seats and the fact that I can�t get to a bolt due to roll bar mounting. edit: hooked a 8v light bulb to the solenoid lead and the light came on after rpm�s went over 2.5kish. So fingers crossed DME is fine. Orders $500 worth of parts. Thanks again everyone. I�ll reply back with update in a couple of weeks.

Replaced the solenoid and put everything back together. Cleared the codes, drove it for about 20 minutes and have the same code in �pending� your status. CEL not on, yet. Wasn�t hard to change, but took me about 10 hours. 1 hour of that is looking for tools I just had beside me. So my guess is the actuator is bad/stuck. Not sure I want to spend another full day doing it myself. I�d rather be doing anything else. I did fix a small oil leak from cam cover but since it�s coming off again, guess that didn�t really count. Car runs great, just this CEL won�t let me pass emissions. I can�t find too much information to the P1530 code, a lot of �could be� posts. I ended up not buying the Durameter after my light bulb test worked and confirmed signal from DME to activate solenoid. Kevin

It's time to pay someone for this job. Too bad the parts are going to be expensive.

It could be a blown transistor/driver in the DME. That's what happened to mine. You need to further test all this before concluding that the actuator is bad. If it's the transistor in the DME, I've replaced mine with a $7 part. Has been working flawlessly for years.

Imo000 is right, this needs to be properly diagnosed, he and Snell Gleb have written very good posts on how to accurately test every aspect of the vario-cam system, from the DME ($7 transistor that Imo00 was referring to) to solenoid, to the complete actuator, testing in several different methods.. All the info you need is located in the Rennlist 996 archive...

Thanks. I�ll see if I can find the threads. Much easier to pull the DME, even though I have to take passenger seat out and loosen rollbar, than to r/r actuator. Kevin

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It's under the foam pad behind the rear seats. I was able to get it out without doing anything to the rear seats.

That works if you can get into the back! I have fixed back racing seats and a half rollbar that has crossing bars you can�t get two arms through. Passenger side seat will have to come out and the rollbar bracket that is attached to spring perch is blocking the screw for the metal bracket covering the DME. So I�ll have to remove the nuts for the rear spring assembly. It�s always something complicating things.

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Update. Replaced solenoid but still had code. Bought Durametric and deviations were 4 on bank 1 and 0 on bank 2. No immediate change in rpm when solenoid 1 activated but eventually starts to run just a little rough. Activating solenoid 2 and engine dies. Reving engine deviations for bank 1 go to 25+ and slowly come down at idle (took about 2 min). So appears bank 1 actuator is sticking. Tried LiquiMoly engine flush to try to loosen/dislodge but no help. Took it all apart again and pulled cams and actuator. Plunger was very stiff and when I pulled it out it had green o-ring material ripped. So waiting on new actuator, cam plugs and loctite 5900 to come in and hopefully have it put together end of next week. Guides are all new from rebuild last year. Pulled oil pan too to check for anything but it was all clear. I have LN IMS Solution so I haven’t cut open metal oil filter yet to check it.

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Yep, the old green o-ring failure !! If anyone sees this green rubber in your oil filter, just know you are fixing to have a vario-cam actuator failure... It's a real shame these are not rebuildable, a 20cent o-ring failure will cost a grand $$$$ to fix. Bad Engineering..

And it's almost always bank 1... I have not seen a bank 2 actuator failure. They work in opposite directions so maybe that is why.

Out of curiosity, in the photo showing green o ring debris, an o ring groove is visible. I have not had the opportunity to see an actual actuator, so I ask, is there another "inaccessible" o ring groove that makes this deemed un repairable? Godspeed! Dave

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Dave, yes, that o-ring doesn't go on the grove you see in the pic, it much further down inside the actuator and is inaccessible due to manufacturing techniques ie. friction welding and staking/brading..

kbatl, such a shame you need to replace the actuator but thanks very much for the update as it completes what to look for when oneself experiences the symptoms you've described. Have you checked whether the removed solenoid still works (using a 9V battery)?

Update, and hopefully final one. Got it all back together after replacing the bank 1 actuator. No codes, runs great and durametric actuates both cam actuators now. Shows bank 1 deviation of “4” and bank 2 of “0”. Was expecting zero on both sides since all chain pads are new on both sides. Debating on keeping it as next project is GT3 LCA’s and other suspension bits to get more camber. Outside of tires getting chewed up at track. Goldcrest dialed in as much camber as they could while keeping toe in spec. Thinking of selling and moving to something more track ready. Yes, the original solenoid worked (I think I tossed it though). Since the new actuator came with a already installed solenoid, I’ll try to sell the one that was used for 200 miles. thanks for input. Kevin