Cadillac CTS4

[mr.mindless]

Report of a breifly flashing MIL today
This thing is made of codes. Misfires all around and both exhaust cam phasers.

Still rattles like a mother on anything but hot fresh restart. GM and I really don’t get along.

It got fresh spark plugs along with the timing job and oil pump. Didn’t do anything with coils, could see about parts cannon those at it at 150k miles.

Code dump - none came back immediately. Oil has about 3400 miles on it, that’s been when cams started throwing codes the last couple oil changes. It might got one step thicker grade but it would be much nicer if it stopped draining back. Replacing the oil filter cap ( integrated check valve ) made zero difference.

Hope the evap code was a loose gas cap one time. Mom’s Mazda will have an evap code chased next week.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2
Version: 1.112.9/1.112.9/iOS
DTC report
Connection profile: Cadillac OBD-II / EOBD (2004 - present) + CANDate: 11/20/2024 7:36:23 PM
VIN: 1G6DG577390136653
============================
OBD-IIOBD-II
DTCs: 10
----------------------------
P0300 [0x0300]
Random/multiple cylinder(s) - misfire detected
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0302 [0x0302]
Cylinder 2 - misfire detected
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0496 [0x0496]
Evaporative emission (EVAP) system - high purge flow
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0304 [0x0304]
Cylinder 4 - misfire detected
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0306 [0x0306]
Cylinder 6 - misfire detected
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0014 [0x0014]
Camshaft position (CMP) actuator, exhaust/right/rear, bank 1 - timing over-advanced/system performance
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0024 [0x0024]
Camshaft position (CMP), exhaust/right/rear, bank 2 - timing over-advanced/system performance
Status: Confirmed
----------------------------
P0303 [0x0303]
Cylinder 3 - misfire detected
General Electrical Failures [0x00]
Status: GM failure record
----------------------------
P0301 [0x0301]
Cylinder 1 - misfire detected
General Electrical Failures [0x00]
Status: GM failure record
----------------------------
P0305 [0x0305]
Cylinder 5 - misfire detected
General Electrical Failures [0x00]
Status: GM failure record

[M4wdFab]

inspect an check all engine to body to chassis to battery grounds, never hurts when multiple codes pop

[mr.mindless]

New set of codes with no repeats after 2 cycles and 15-20 miles.

I like the “General Electrical Failures”, that’s cool.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2
Version: 1.112.9/1.112.9/iOS
DTC report
Connection profile: Cadillac OBD-II / EOBD (2004 - present) + CANDate: 11/22/2024 12:21:55 PM
VIN: 1G6DG577390136653
============================
OBD-IIOBD-II
DTCs: 3
----------------------------
P0011 [0x0011]
Camshaft position (CMP), intake/left/front, bank 1 - timing over-advanced/system performance
Status: Pending
----------------------------
P1012 [0x1012]
General Electrical Failures [0x00]
Status: GM failure record
----------------------------
P0341 [0x0341]
Camshaft position (CMP) sensor A, bank 1 - range/performance problem
General Electrical Failures [0x00]
Status: GM failure record

[mr.mindless]

Well it either ate a timing chain or a phaser shit the bed

Barely avoided a sheriff ordered tow, rolled it down the hill into mark moores driveway lol

It’s been a pretty poor car week!

[mr.mindless]

No block holes. No sensors sheared. Won’t know more till I pull valve covers later this week.

[M4wdFab]

boo!  hiss!

[etk300ex]

oh no!

[mr.mindless]

One valve cover off, front plate on exhaust cam phaser -fell off- the cam phaser

Wtf

I knew I would regret scrapping the old phasers and chains. I really wanna see what’s supposed to hold that thing on there.

In a few minutes, I’ll see what the other side looks like… Maybe this will be as easy as a cam position sensor and a cam phaser? I’ll assume that it beat the shit out of the sensor.

[mr.mindless]

Driver head is fine

Cam is not moving with the phaser, probably have exhaust valve damage. Unsure if camshaft could be damaged as well, would depend on how the phaser is damaged. It did loosen the bolt, so will depend on whether the phaser guts are loose on the cam or if the phaser came apart

Easiest rescue would probably be a junkyard head swap. Several hundred and probably 8 - 12 hours more total?

Might get 5k out of it, more likely 3. Versus what, 500-700 in scrap?

Sounds like I should make it go away. Sarah likes it even w the Magnum and the caddy is in worse shape though it’s a bit nicer and gets way better em pee gees

¯\_(?)_/¯

[mr.mindless]

some research led to some parts and tools buying.

- not interference engine. valves should be fine
- rattle on startup is indicative of bad cam phaser (has rattled at startup forever, before and after timing set)
- phasers are supposed to have pins that lock in to static timing when there's no oil pressure. it's when those pins fail that things go badly.
- there's a tool to jam down behind the cam gears to retract chain tensioner and change phasers without pulling the timing cover.
- there's an updated right side valve cover gasket that restricts PCV and reduces oil consumption.

Both those camshafts spin - one freely and one within the range of phaser adjustment.

I bought that tool and both phasers. will retime those cams and hopefully she'll run again. Then probably send it.

[M4wdFab]

sounds like progress but annoying!

[mr.mindless]

Back together, starts and runs. Not fixed. Rattle came back shortly. Pulled the brand new vvt actuators, no ground up chunks on them like the old ones. Didn’t try unplugging and running to see if the pins lock and stay locked without actuators, idk if that’s “allowed” or a quick route to damage.

$500 with a smile to anyone here. Will drive onto a trailer.
Should have intake and valve cover pulled again for anything further than that.

At least it’s mobile again and now it’s outside and not soaking up a bay or blocking the forklift.

[M4wdFab]

wheels, cat, battery, fuel drained from it, and the Claw at metalico dropping and smashing it would probably net 500 and be more satisfying