I'm familiar with this code as I had it years ago and the solenoid was replaced etc.. But this time the cel came on and the logs don't make sense...when all is well and you log actual camshaft position at heavy throttle you see the actual numbers rise to 20s and 30s around 4k rpm and smoothly reduce to about 5 at high rpm. When there is a camshaft or solenoid problem the bank 1 and bank 2 don't match and the problem side doesn't rise to 20s and 30s and you can clearly see in the logs which side it is (along with the matching cel).
This time, I only have p0011 and not p0021 but the actual camshaft positions are the SAME (similar at least) but don't vary far from zero (ie they don't rise to 20s and 30s) from 3k rpm all the way to the top. Again, I don't see a bank 2 error. So I don't know why both sides are behaving the same. There is a little power loss between 3k and 4k rpm as expected.
Is there some "common" place or sensor where the ecu gets a reading that would explain this? i.e. a crankshaft position sensor that supplies both sides with a reading or something?
I may actually end up at the dealer with this one (and to help confirm the airbag light issue I'm having post DRL replacement) or if my Indy does get the PIWIS it will be way cheaper than the dealer (although the prices seem to be creeping up!)
Appreciate any input!

 

I hope that your fix will be as easy as mine. I also had the code P0011 pop up on my 08 997TT back in October a few times. About had a heart attack as I thought it was a spun camshaft as well.

Turns out that my COBB Accessport reversed the code when I pulled errors. And I'm not the only one.. I read elsewhere on forums that the COBB reversed codes for people. It turns out it was a P1100 (not a P0011) after my local porsche shop connected their computer to the car. In the end, it was just a mass air flow sensor and I've had no issues for the last 1,500 miles.

Good luck my friend!

 

I'm feeling your pain as well.

I have been suffering from a P0018 code (bank 2 crank/cam correlation issue) for many, many weeks now, with no success on finding the fault. I've inspected the whole wiring harness, checked continuity from the bulkhead connectors to all the cam sensors and solenoids, checked power at the sensors and solenoids, checked the crank sensor, checked both (and replaced anyway) cam position sensors and removed, tested and cleaned both cam timing solenoids.
I've even swapped them side to side, and the bank 2 (P0018) code stays on bank 2.

The car starts, idles and drives perfectly...just no power.

When I scan with Durametric, this is what I get, and it basically never changes. I'm wondering if Durametric transposes codes as well? I think it would still be a cam solenoid if it was P0081? I checked them on a spare battery, and they "click" when power is applied, but maybe they don't work with oil pressure in them?





Accepting all opinions...

 

I don't think I have your luck since I run mafless and the logs show that there is some type of error related to timing....

 

I'm not familiar with that particular code but if there is a single bank problem one has to wonder about a spun camshaft sleeve. Is the power down just between 3 and 4k rpm? I usually log the actual camshaft value and compare left to right, but I suspect that what you are logging should provide useful info too...
All else fails it's probably worth getting the car analyzed on a Piwis system (dealer or indy) as sometimes the problem is located better than with Cobb/Durametric etc...

 

Aren't those deviation numbers way out of spec? Deviation is not supposed to change and if I remember correctly should be less than 6 degrees (not sure if that is INDIVIDUAL or TOTAL for both cams). The fact that you swapped solenoids and it stays on the same cam is a clue.

No power = something wrong for sure. I assume no boost or vac leaks?

Not sure of this, but spun cam maybe?

Ed

 

Yes...I think 6deg or less is good, but not so much worried about deviation, as much as I'm confused about the 0deg crank angle? And my cams are pinned. No boost leaks. It will make boost, but only a couple PSI. I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to have bad solenoids, EVEN THOUGH they seem to "click" when tested on a battery? They don't click with any kind of authority, so wondering if maybe they click in free air, but with 75-80psi of oil pressure, not so much...
I get P0018 AND once in a while P0016 pops up...BOTH are sensor 'A'. Is this the cam position sensor? I've replaced both of them with brand new sensors, as they were cheap.

 

hmmm...if you're not making boost then I don't think that's necessarily a solenoid issue. Even when I had p2100 and p1100s there was boost, just a loss of power in the midband.

Well the good news for me is that things got sorted out...I added some oil as the reading was at minimum. Reset the code and drove it for a while and today I felt like the power came back. Looking at the various Cobb datalogs today I can see clear progression - now the numbers make sense...20s to 30s for actual camshaft position until higher rpms where it comes down to single digits. The left and right don't track perfectly yet, there is still half a second lag on bank 1 but I know that it will correct in the next day or 2 (which it did previously).

My theory is that since my car sat all winter without being started at all (usually I start the car monthly and roll it a few feet back and forth so the tires don't flat spot) the oil may have become sticky inside the solenoids. The slightly low oil level didn't help anything. Once I added some oil and increased the engine temperature and the system pressure by driving hard it must have worked things loose and back to normal. This is why everyone says to change the oil as a first step when troubleshooting the p1100/p2100 codes. If the oil level is low then topping up obviously makes sense. Phew, dodged another wallet-raping for now. Just need to get my airbag light sorted out and I'm gold.

 

Wow, I really hope the issues corrects itself, very interesting discovery. I know it is recommended to change your oil before storage. How many KM did you have on your oil before the car was put away? Also what oil/ weight are you using?

 

I use mobile 1 0w40. I have to add a litre of oil every 1600km or so, I typically change the oil once a year. I may have skipped last year though, will check my logs.
usually 5 to 8000km between oil changes

 

Thanks for the info, has the problem cleared up?

 

Sometimes it's the simple things.

I think sometimes I look for more complicated solutions when something simple is the answer. Just had a go around with replacing a head on my kid's A4 1.8t. First time for me and I had thought I had the cam chain timing correct between the intake & exhaust. I always use the screwdriver method to find TDC, so I knew I was on there, and the exhaust mark lined up, but the intake while inside the mark was still just to right edge of the mark. I thought moving it would pull it back out of the notch the other way, so I left it. I had rotated by hand and no clanks, and the thing ran but pretty good, but had a hard start and the turbo started over boosting at extreme top end. I started looking at CPS. FPR's, fuel filter, and finally looked at the cams again (which is where I should have started). Made the adjustment and now it runs like it should. I just was lazy and didn't want to deal with removing the 10,000 bolts between the cover, the cam caps and the chain tensioner.

Other times, it's a detective case.

In your case, that's why I like the new oil approach for storage. Live and learn.

Ed

 

As I think about it, maybe I didn't even change the oil last year, just topups as needed. I know, not good.

Anyway, I haven't looked at the latest logs but the butt dyno indicates that the car goes like a missile so I believe all is well.