Fault Code 1341?

This past weekend I had a DE. End of the day yesterday the car was idling rough and threw a CEL. The 1341 code came up. Cleared it but 2 more CEL today with the same code. Under power the car is fine. Thoughts?

P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Below Limit P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Above Limit P1341 Camshaft Adjustment, Bank 1 – Signal Implausible Possible causes: – Short to ground – Open circuit in triggering wire – Open circuit in B+ supply – Actuator faulty Solenoid or actuator. Likely if it is fine under power but idles rough, the bank 1 actuator is stuck "on". My guess would be the actuator since the solenoid throws p1531... but it could be either. Might as well replace both. Parts new are about $800 to $1000 and shop labor probably about the same amount. If you have a Durametric. Can you also post the camshaft deviation values at idle and 3000rpm? As well as actual angles (camshaft) at idle and then at 3000rpm?

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So this a module of sorts? On the engine?

Yep it is a chain tensioner for variocam. It activates (advances cam timing) at various RPMs to give the car more torque. In our year car there is one actuator per side of the engine, and they are inside of the engine. You have to take the cover off of the engine and remove the camshafts in order to replace them. The solenoid is easier to replace, but you still have to take the cam cover off. If you have a Durametric, post the camshaft deviation and actual angles for the camshaft at idle and then again at 3000rpm. That will help let us know if this is in fact the problem. Also in most cases it is safe to drive the car for example to the shop in order to get it repaired, but I wouldn't drive it for too long without getting it addressed.

Can happen if the pads are worn beyond the limit or adjustability too.

Ugh....this appears to be above my skill set. I'll give a call to the dealer......but I don't want to.

With luck its something simple but most likely will need to have the valve cover off and maybe cams/actuator assy. It is what it is, don't sweat it, just get her fixed and back to a healthy state

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To fix this, does the motor need to be dropped?

No, it can be done with the engine in car... Definitely agree though get it taken care of and don't sweat it. You should feel lucky your's lasted 100k.

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I do feel blessed

It could be something simple though... maybe just a cam position sensor... which is still a few hundred bucks for the part and the same for labor, but chances are... Anyways it's normal to happen for these cars, and not likely on the 3.6 liter since they have a different variocam system. I believe Jake wrote that he recommends replacing them every 3 or 4 or so years as they get "tired and dirty". I recently replaced a very similar solenoid/actuator but for an automatic transmission on a Chrysler. Similar piece of equipment, fortunately that one was outside of the engine... but similar concept - sealed valve fluid actuated system. That particular car had not had a transmission fluid change for about 80,000 miles. Coincidence? As luck should have it my 1999 C2 car has the same exact problem right now as your car's computer is reporting... in my case it is probably the car's computer (dme) causing the problem and not the actuator. My spare computer does not throw the code, and sometimes the computer can cause this problem too (at least with the P1531). Since your's is lumpy at idle though, chances are it is the actuator stuck activated or solenoid stuck grounded and not the computer (dme) or sensor (cps). Most likely it is the solenoid or actuator. Worn variocam pads would have to be very worn to throw that code, but I have read about worn pads throwing cam position codes before. Certainly have the small cylinder 1-3 timing chain and variocam pads replaced at the same time for bank 1 (drivers side of engine cylinders 1-3). Those are both very inexpensive parts in the less than $100 range total.

as stated, motor stays in...pretty easy job for a good shop....still depending on what it is. most cam work is as simple as pulling the muffler off and the spark plugs, then the covers...once in, fix whats wrong, some clean up, new seals and some lick em and stick em glue....done

So the diagnosis is the cam tensioner is not working. What does this mean? I'm being told the motor needs to be dropped and opened up and that tensioner needs to be replaced. Any idea of how much this would cost? I have the cost from the dealer.

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Which cam tensioner? One of the VarioCam tensioners (actuators) or one of the tensioners that keeps the chain from the IMS to the exhaust cam tight or even the tensioner than keeps the chain from the crank to the IMS tight? If not the actuator tensioners -- these I think can be replaced with the engine left in the car -- then my second hand info is the engine has to come of the car. To even get at (remove and replace) one of the IMS to exhaust cam chain tensioners the transmission has to come out. One of the bolts is behind the bellhousing of the transmission. Let's see... labor to drop/reinstall the engine would be $2K. Labor to replace the bad tensioner: $1500. Parts... another $1000. Misc. $200. Total: $4700; To be safe call it an even $5000. FWIW, I paid $3000+ to have a bad VarioCam solenid/actuator replaced in my Boxster's engine and the engine didn't have to come out of the car. $1400 in labor (at $150/hour) and then another $1400 or so in parts and the rest in supplies, tax and I opted to have the oil changed changed. Sincerely, Macster.

Pete, Based on the fault code it's a variocam actuator (which is one of two cam tensioners). There are many people that have successfully done this replacement with the engine in car on a 996. It is certainly much easier to do with the engine out of car as I have done it a couple times now. I haven't tried it myself with the engine in car. You could try an independent mechanic, or if you insist on using a dealer ask them if they can do it in car. You might also try calling a few other dealers to see if they will do it without dropping the engine. If they insist on dropping the engine there are certainly some other "while your in there" items... Hope this helps.

Macster nailed the cost.....I wish I could do this repair myself. We only have one dealer in the area. Living in Indy there has to be some other options for a shop. The problem I have is this my DD and need it fixed fast. I'm thinking a clutch and AOS are due.

If you are already spending $5000 and add on some other goodies while you are in there, consider another 10 year lease on life... send it to Jake - for somewhere I am guessing around or less than double that, the entire engine aside from inside the case will have a once over - including lots of new components done by the master himself. Maybe you could borrow another car from someone for a while? Honestly after going through this myself, I am looking at $10k for a full rebuild - granted that will include a lot of better internal parts as well as more displacement (3.6L), balanced crankshaft/etc. If sending it to flat 6 innovations is not in the cards for your since you need it every day, I would seriously shop around on that price. I think I've read of some shops that get you in and out of half of that on the same job. The dealers seem to charge between 50% to 100% more than independents. Try JFP in PA over on renntech.org ... he runs a very tight shop. Not that 500 miles is close to indy (assuming the PA in his title indicates his shop is in PA), but hey maybe it would be an option for you. He is on this forum too, but we don't get to see him much here.

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Macster, I am not sure where you are getting this information from, but on his M96-01 engine the three chain/paddle tensioners are all accessible externally without removing the transmission. In fact, the bank 1 and IMS tensioners are dead simple to access with a 32mm socket. The 4-6, bank 2 tensioner is a pain in the *** because you have to remove the air conditioner to gain access to it. The newer style bank 2 tensioner is a little easier because it is a 12mm (IIRC) allen head socket. The variocam actuators/chain tensioners are accessible behind the camshaft covers, which several crafty individuals have been able to do without removing the engine from car (by removing bumper, heat shield, muffler, and then lowering the engine a little bit). Of course without removing the transmission.

Update....the dealer quote was too rich and I took the car down road to their competition at half the cost. I didn't want to but it is what it is. Now, while the motor is out (this is if they take it out) what else should I look at for preventive measures? The car has 100K miles and all internals are original as far as I know. Thinking: Clutch......stock or performance / sport clutch IMS...I don't oppose the issue or company just the marketing plan...so let's not turn this thread into a IMS thang! While the cam covers are off is there anything else in there that should looked at? Replaced? All ears on this.

Stock clutch, and if you need a new dual mass flywheel, or at least have the current flywheel inspected. Lightweighgt flywheel and race clutch = bad unless you have the entire mass balanced and perhaps a harmonic damper crank pulley AOS and possibly consider oil cooler. Any seal, oring, and gasket that can be easily reached on the following items (example AOS tubes, aos breather, intake manifold, cam position sensors, throttle body gasket, brake booster to intake gasket) Spark tubes and orings Variocam pads Cam to cam timing chain Sure IMS if you are up to it. (below this I start to get silly) You could do lifters but then you might have to do lifter carrier as well. HEll, then why not pull the heads and do a valve job. But then why not crack open the case and get a 3.6 L bore upgrade... Ok sorry for being silly

Pete, missed this thread earlier--sorry to hear it turned out to be relatively costly. Hopefully, they won't have to pull the motor. I've got a truck I could loan you, but I'm not sure how to get it from Louisville to Indy. Let me know if I can help.

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Wow! Thanks for the offer David but I got a rental to hold me over.

Pete. the tensioners should be very carefully inspected, any "mushrooming" will make them eventually stick, cheap to replace now. Also if they pull the cams (which they will have to to change an actuator) have them look at all the lifters , look for wear marks in the center that are excessive. These have been known to have the valve stem punch right thru the lifter once they get thin) - pads for the chains obviously, they should not have to pull the motor...NO WAY but if they do we will discuss "that list" this isnt a big job, dont read more into that it is, its just an actuator then its a simple in and out operation. Seen many of them done. Cheers, she'll be on the road soon enough

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This came up when my Boxster was in the shop for its VarioCam solenoid/actuator R&R. We were talking about the other chain drives and their respective tensioners/guides and the techs told me that to get at one of the chain guides the transmission has to come out because a bolt necessary to get to (remove/install) for this job is covered by the housing. I assume this is true of the engine in the 996 models, though of course this is only an assumption. If I'm wrong then thanks for the correction. Sincerely, Macster.

no, there is no tensioner in there, on the m96 they are all outside as logray has stated

I dropped my engine to do a major overhaul and should get it back in the next few days. Irene messed up my parts delivery schedule.... your list is very similar to mine. I found a shop to drop a motor for $1800 plus cost of parts. It will probably be around $5500 to $6,000 total for me. Aside from the items mentioned above, I also replaced: Lifters. Coolant lines since it runs in the tranny tunnel. Tranny is dropped. RMS water pump and thermostat assembly Coolant hoses CAM plugs spark plug tubes Various seals

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All good points! The water pump, coolant tank and hoses were replaced a year ago. The rest are in the queue of being replaced. Throw a clutch in there and we are in the same range.

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The tensioners are accessible without having to remove the tranmission but are the guides/rails against which the tensioner applies pressure? A bad tensioner -- bad enough to require replacement -- could have resulted in accelerated wear/tear of the guide/rail thus I'd be a bit concerned that if the tensioner required replacing that the guide/rail could need replacing too. Sincerely, Macster.

I'ld have to go back over my thinking but I dont think the long one that goes to the crank can be changed without serious engine dissassembly...the 2/side on the actuator are pretty easy, there is also one for the chain from the crank to IMS shaft... (total of 7 IIRC on the 5 chain motors)

Yep, pretty much have to pull the heads and split the case to get to the paddles...

Sorry to bring back an old thread but I currently have the same P1341 code. So Pete, what was the final cost and list of parts replaced?

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The cam actuator (chain tensioner) and solenoid were replaced on bank 1. All seals / o-rings were replaced on that side. Parts $1198 Labor $1062. The motor did not have to be removed however I had the clutch and flywheel changed out too which made them drop the motor. This is itemized because the actual cost was higher which added the clutch and flywheel to the mix. The more I look at it I think they charged too much since it was easier to make the repair with the motor out. I had a Indy do the work. The Pcar dealer wanted $5600 JUST for P1341 code repair. Hope this helps.