Dodged a bullet!

[Wonky]

Copied from a post I did on Facebook a week or so ago.

I posted a week or two about a check engine light I had on my 2008 E1 LS3 Senator. Turns out it was a camshaft position sensor code and after appearing for 2 days in a row it didn't come back, so I was possibly going to ignore it unless it came back.

Turns out I was very fortunate that it was due for its 75,000km service or given it hadn't reappeared I would have done that - ignored it, at least unless it appeared again.

Given the service was due I had my mechanic (ex forum member Spank) order a new sensor and the car went in yesterday with me waiting there for it. After 14½ years in a hot (blown) motor it turned out that the plastic of the sensor had all disintegrated, so the timing cover had to come off to remove it.

That's when my mechanic discovered a known problem with these motors which have a spring loaded chain tensioner. The plastic parts of the tensioner had already disintegrated and were in the sump! If my cam position sensor hadn't thrown a code we wouldn't have discovered that and most likely my motor would have gone bang in a major way! 😭

Also discovered an amazing amount of sludge (and bits of plastic) in the sump. 😭 The car has genuinely done 75,000km (bought it from a good mate), had oil and filter changes every 7,500km with quality full synthetic oil and only ever run 98 fuel.

[Wonky]

Hopefully the video in the first post works. Here's the second showing the sludge in the sump.

[HOLDAN]

Very fortunate indeed Wonky.

[Pickles]

Good pick up Gary, give my regards to Spank! (He'd know me as Martin..HSV Owners Club!)
Regards, Pickles

[BLACK 346]

Great news mate, that could have been a very painful and expensive outcome otherwise.

[Wonky]

[BLACK 346]

Hey Gary, are these tensioner parts OEM or aftermarket? I am assuming even an aftermarket chain like Rollmaster still uses the OEM tensioner,, is this correct?

[Wonky]

I believe they're OEM on all but LS2 and LS7 but I now have an LS7 dampener and Crow timing chain. Plus new oil pump etc.

[Smitty]

Copied from a post I did on Facebook a week or so ago.

I posted a week or two about a check engine light I had on my 2008 E1 LS3 Senator. Turns out it was a camshaft position sensor code and after appearing for 2 days in a row it didn't come back, so I was possibly going to ignore it unless it came back.

Turns out I was very fortunate that it was due for its 75,000km service or given it hadn't reappeared I would have done that - ignored it, at least unless it appeared again.

Given the service was due I had my mechanic (ex forum member Spank) order a new sensor and the car went in yesterday with me waiting there for it. After 14½ years in a hot (blown) motor it turned out that the plastic of the sensor had all disintegrated, so the timing cover had to come off to remove it.

That's when my mechanic discovered a known problem with these motors which have a spring loaded chain tensioner. The plastic parts of the tensioner had already disintegrated and were in the sump! If my cam position sensor hadn't thrown a code we wouldn't have discovered that and most likely my motor would have gone bang in a major way! ��

Also discovered an amazing amount of sludge (and bits of plastic) in the sump. �� The car has genuinely done 75,000km (bought it from a good mate), had oil and filter changes every 7,500km with quality full synthetic oil and only ever run 98 fuel.

wow...
lucky Wonky!

yeah that chain tensioner is a weak link on these engines

so me? saving for a new DOUBLE row chain, oil pump etc as the 90,000km speedo reading approaches

oh .. and a new tensioner to suit!

[whitels1ss]

wow...
lucky Wonky!

yeah that chain tensioner is a weak link on these engines

so me? saving for a new DOUBLE row chain, oil pump etc as the 90,000km speedo reading approaches

oh .. and a new tensioner to suit!

& a cam as well perhaps?

[Wonky]

wow...
lucky Wonky!

yeah that chain tensioner is a weak link on these engines

so me? saving for a new DOUBLE row chain, oil pump etc as the 90,000km speedo reading approaches

oh .. and a new tensioner to suit!

Spank said not worth the extra labour to go double timing chain. Was already a growing bill for someone now retired and relying on savings and SMSF.

[Smitty]

& a cam as well perhaps?

naah.... why would I ?

thing has been lumpy since day 1... idle sounds mean (stock zorst too mind you)
it goes to 6800ish and makes 290odd rwkw. In a manual wagon... thats awesome
so why upset that. For a daily drive it is perfect

and if I want to sound like a loon, a hoon I just open the zorst valves, turn that knob to track



plus i have a V8 VK race car.. with a cam, cranky bugger, tight LSA you see .. idles at 1200 will pull over 7000
and in an old Commodore weighing 1250kg with me in it, ain't slow buff:

[whitels1ss]

naah.... why would I ?

thing has been lumpy since day 1... idle sounds mean (stock zorst too mind you)
it goes to 6800ish and makes 290odd rwkw. In a manual wagon... thats awesome
so why upset that. For a daily drive it is perfect

and if I want to sound like a loon, a hoon I just open the zorst valves, turn that knob to track



plus i have a V8 VK race car.. with a cam, cranky bugger, tight LSA you see .. idles at 1200 will pull over 7000
and in an old Commodore weighing 1250kg with me in it, ain't slow buff:

I knew I would get that sort of reaction from you Smitty!

[QIKMIK]

Warranty claim. Send the bill to Mike.