What could cause an electric cam adjuster solenoid to go bad?

[staubach333]

I did a full timing service with the exception of the electric adjusters...year later, passenger side cam adjuster solenoid goes bad...I've slowly been working on it from the top, it is now at a friend's shop because of a stripped valve cover bolt. We are going to tear into this thing next week and finally swap the cam adjuster solenoid out. I'm afraid of the new solenoid going bad due to something else causing it, I guess what I'm wondering is did something cause the previous one to go bad? Faulty wiring? Fuse? Is there something I should be checking before I fire the car up? I would be quite pissed after all this work if the new solenoid blew out because of something else!

[Jake@JHM]

What made you come to the conclusion that it is bad?

[staubach333]

I smelt a funny smell one night, almost like a burning electric smell, briefly. At that same time the CEL came on and the car was in limp mode. I brought it to the shop that did the timing service originally and they told me the passenger side electric cam adjuster was faulty. I was shocked as this is a rare occurrence, car has 95k on it so the miles aren't too high for an electric adjuster. I pulled my own codes as well with a v-checker, and was told here on the zine those that those codes are common with a bad electric adjuster. Codes are P0011 - camshaft position, bank 1, and P2101 - cooling malfunction (which is a separate issue)

[staubach333]

What are your thoughts Jake

[BCsniper]

I got the code as well about a month ago. I also did my timing job over a year ago and replaced everything BUT the elec adjusters. I had the cam codes and car drove fine other being down on power between 2-4k rpm.

Weirdly enough after about a week or two, the codes disappeared and CEL is gone


How are you replacing just the solenoid and not the entire unit? Did you find them sold separately anywhere or are you replacing with a used piece

[staubach333]

I got the code as well about a month ago. I also did my timing job over a year ago and replaced everything BUT the elec adjusters. I had the cam codes and car drove fine other being down on power between 2-4k rpm.

Weirdly enough after about a week or two, the codes disappeared and CEL is gone


How are you replacing just the solenoid and not the entire unit? Did you find them sold separately anywhere or are you replacing with a used piece

I bought a used adjuster from somebody on here and will just be using the solenoid from it. When your CELs went away, did the power return?

[staubach333]

What made you come to the conclusion that it is bad?

Jake, how often do you guys see these solenoids going bad? Is it a common thing?