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Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid Valve Replacement (w. pics) - P0010/11 P0013/14

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Old 04-10-2014, 01:46 AM
  #461  
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Done - many thanks man - great lil tip.
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Old 04-28-2014, 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Slide_Rite
Just changed both int. & exh. solenoids with no problem. Figured while I had them out I would change the oil...being that TX summer is coming, threw in my normal 10W-30. Guess I'll switch it back to 5W-30 on the next change.

Regarding the replacement, things went smoothly. Kudos to Whopper for the how to, which made it a breeze.

Took this pic of my solution to the "clip lock retainer stopper holder inner hows this thing come out ah crap I broke it" problem...

This is the straw from my WD-40, slides in snuggly & then you can gently push the lock up and remove.




The only snafu I encountered was that I apparently didn't push the MAF connector back on completely and it lit the CEL back up again on my way to work. Re-connected it and no CEL or hard shifting since.

Thanks again to the OP, and everyone who has contributed to this thread!
I did the 'Oh **** I broke it'.
Got a new plug and used the 'Butt Connectors' to reconnect.
Now ( a couple of years later) I get the T/C light when the vehicle heats up.
Code says the Actuator is bad.
I was thinking of taking out the 'Butt Connectors' and solder and shrink tube it.
Or do the Actuators actually go bad that quick?
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Old 04-29-2014, 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted by coyote2ears
I did the 'Oh **** I broke it'.
Got a new plug and used the 'Butt Connectors' to reconnect.
Now ( a couple of years later) I get the T/C light when the vehicle heats up.
Code says the Actuator is bad.
I was thinking of taking out the 'Butt Connectors' and solder and shrink tube it.
Or do the Actuators actually go bad that quick?
Yeah, dang connectors eh? Soldering and heat shrink would be the best way to go over those butt connectors - crimped connections are not that great. I'd give that a try before replacing the solenoid.

Tip for you if you HAVE to use the crimped connectors: tin the end of the wires first (tin = apply solder to the end of the wires) - it gives the crimp something solid to bite into.

The solenoids should last longer than a couple of years - but being a mechanical item anything is possible. But I'd try the solder/heat shrink fix first - which you should do anyways if you do end up replacing the solenoid if the problem continues.
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Old 04-29-2014, 06:10 AM
  #464  
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Codes don't say anything, they point you in a direction to test. What is the code?
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Old 05-11-2014, 07:29 PM
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Back in February, I started getting a CEL and a P0013. I replaced the exhaust solenoid and cleared the code. This seemed to be good for several months and about 7,000 miles. A few weeks ago I got a CEL and code P0010 with an ABS and Traction Control lamp with very rough idling and one stall out. They were lighting intermittently and would sometimes stay OFF for days. The weather had been very damp and wet. Once the weather dried out, the lamps all stayed OFF for about a week and the idling seemed normal. The CEL reappeared with P0010, and I replaced the intake solenoid and cleared the code. This lasted a few days although the ABS and Traction Control stayed ON. I put in a new set of spark plugs yesterday and the CEL went OFF and idling seemed smooth. Now, the CEL has reappeared with P0010 and P0011 with the ABS and Traction Control on steady.

This seems to be a common problem with these models. I have a 2009 HHR LS with 128,000. Is Chevy doing anything to come up with a real answer? It seems pretty obvious that there is no long term solution to what appears to be a control module computer code issue.

Thanks for any new tips.
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Old 05-11-2014, 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by maddawg
Back in February, I started getting a CEL and a P0013. I replaced the exhaust solenoid and cleared the code. This seemed to be good for several months and about 7,000 miles. A few weeks ago I got a CEL and code P0010 with an ABS and Traction Control lamp with very rough idling and one stall out. They were lighting intermittently and would sometimes stay OFF for days. The weather had been very damp and wet. Once the weather dried out, the lamps all stayed OFF for about a week and the idling seemed normal. The CEL reappeared with P0010, and I replaced the intake solenoid and cleared the code. This lasted a few days although the ABS and Traction Control stayed ON. I put in a new set of spark plugs yesterday and the CEL went OFF and idling seemed smooth. Now, the CEL has reappeared with P0010 and P0011 with the ABS and Traction Control on steady.

This seems to be a common problem with these models. I have a 2009 HHR LS with 128,000. Is Chevy doing anything to come up with a real answer? It seems pretty obvious that there is no long term solution to what appears to be a control module computer code issue.

Thanks for any new tips.
Here is my tip: read this thread from the beginning.
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Old 05-11-2014, 10:25 PM
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And no, it is not a common problem. Does it happen? Obviously yes, things do wear out. The problem can also be caused by not changing your oil frequently enough - or in some instances, using non-GM parts.

Is Chevy going to come up with a real answer - there is no "real answer". One fixes it and moves on.
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Old 05-13-2014, 07:42 AM
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First of all, I did read the entire post and multiple posts to this and other boards.

Second, this does seem to be a common issue otherwise there would not be so much information on it without any real solutions. All the posts that I have read on this and other sites are identical. Problems appears. Battery disconnected. Problem Disappears. A few days/weeks later problem reappears. Parts replaced. Problem disappears. A few days/weeks later problem reappears. And so on and so on.

I have worked in the technical service industry for years and know when you see issues like this with identical symptoms their is most likely a root cause that no one wants to investigate. This should be in Chevy's court . Or does Chevy just want me to take to their dealership and have them throw $1000 worth of parts and labor at an issue for which they have no answer.
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Old 05-13-2014, 10:06 AM
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You are the first I have heard with repetitive problems.
But, OBD codes only provide a diagnostic starting point. Could be an entirely different thing. For instance a wire laying on the exhaust manifold. A bad connection to the ECM, etc.
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Old 05-13-2014, 10:28 AM
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Of course the problem temporarily disappears after disconnecting and reconnecting the battery - doing that clears the codes and the error condition. Then after a defined number of drive cycles, the problem reappears, because the cause of the problem has not been addressed.

On this board I think there has only been one (maybe two) people that have had continuing problems after replacing the appropriate solenoid - and if I remember right the final fix was to install a genuine GM part rather than the aftermarket version. So I still don't see it being a common problem as described.

You could even be looking at a replacement part that was defective from the factory - that is pretty rare, but it can happen. So I'd check into that, as well as ensure the wiring and the connection for that solenoid are good.
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