Camshaft position sensor -replaced but MIL now back on

[jondude]

This is on my commute car, a Hyundai Getz 1.1

OBD reader said P0340, camshaft position sensor. I changed it but admittedly for a pattern part. All was well for 3 weeks and now the MIL is back on, the OBD reader again flagging P0340, the sensor.

Just wanting some thoughts. I am inclined to buy a genuine Hyundai sensor as some are on offer for £20 but is or are there other checks to make?

[paintman]

Some pattern parts can be very good, some can be awful.

Get the genuine one.

[jondude]

paintman said:

Some pattern parts can be very good, some can be awful.

Get the genuine one.

Yep, does seem the best way forward. Thanks.

[TwinKam]

Sensor may be telling the truth... and the cam really is in the wrong position relative to the crank... first sign of chain stretch/ tensioner wear.

[Mercdriver]

I have tried to find out if this engine is twin camshaft and failed miserably.

Our Kia picanto had same fault, sensor replaced by garage, fault gone, two weeks later same fault.

Turned out kia has twin camshafts, do you have same problem and wrong sensor replaced.?

[jondude]

Mercdriver said:

I have tried to find out if this engine is twin camshaft and failed miserably.

Our Kia picanto had same fault, sensor replaced by garage, fault gone, two weeks later same fault.

Turned out kia has twin camshafts, do you have same problem and wrong sensor replaced.?

Am pretty sure it is a SOHC engine. The sensor put in did match the number on the Hyundai one so that should be fine. One thing I remember was it really surprised me how lightly the sensor is held - just one 10mm bolt which turned very easily. I did tighten it a bit more when putting in the new one, wonder now if that caused some damage....

[jondude]

TwinKam said:

Sensor may be telling the truth... and the cam really is in the wrong position relative to the crank... first sign of chain stretch/ tensioner wear.

Ah yes, had not thought about that.

[E-bmw]

I would have thought that if the issue went away by the replacement of the sensor that wouldn't have moved the cam back in the process of changing the sensor for it then to move again...... Just sayin'.

[TwinKam]

Had it happen on a couple of R56 Minis (Peugeot engined ones)... fault goes away for a while then recurs, put it down to slight manufacturing tolerances in the sensor, new one not being so 'fussy'... but eventually manifested itself as chain stretch.

[Polly Grigora]

jondude said:

This is on my commute car, a Hyundai Getz 1.1

OBD reader said P0340, camshaft position sensor. I changed it but admittedly for a pattern part. All was well for 3 weeks and now the MIL is back on, the OBD reader again flagging P0340, the sensor.

Just wanting some thoughts. I am inclined to buy a genuine Hyundai sensor as some are on offer for £20 but is or are there other checks to make?

Have you checked the wiring is ok?

[jondude]

Polly Grigora said:

jondude said:

This is on my commute car, a Hyundai Getz 1.1

OBD reader said P0340, camshaft position sensor. I changed it but admittedly for a pattern part. All was well for 3 weeks and now the MIL is back on, the OBD reader again flagging P0340, the sensor.

Just wanting some thoughts. I am inclined to buy a genuine Hyundai sensor as some are on offer for £20 but is or are there other checks to make?

Have you checked the wiring is ok?

Was a bit lazy here as I told myself the way the car started and ran well for weeks would tend to indicate the wiring is OK. But I will check now.

[Belle427]

I’d fit genuine too but first try slackening the bolt off and just nipping it up.
Probably won’t make any difference but worth a try.

[bearman68]

Cam sensor error normally refers to an error in timing between the cam and the crank. It might be that the crank sensor is in trouble. The crank sensor in these sits very close to the pick up, and if it's had a new belt (not chain), it's easy for the crank sensor to rub on the pick up. This could result in cam sensor codes.
As a general rule, older ECU's (and this is one of them) will rarely throw crank sensor codes, unless the sensor or the wiring has a notable electrical fault. Occasional misses of the signal may well show as a cam sensor.

Or it could be wiring / ECU / crank sensor wiring / ECU / timing belt slipped / worn, the flags on either the cam or the crank being worn or out of place, or probably a multitude of other issues I've not thought of.

My guess would be the cam sensor itself is OK.

[jondude]

Thanks all - appreciated.