P0016 on a 60k mile car

[Jamestl]

[QUOTE=ApexEight;3038917]That's exactly what I did and the ECU swap alone got rid of my CEL. It's been about 3 weeks now.[/

Keep us posted! Mine went away when I swapped the sensors but only for like two months. Fingers crossed for you!

[Teseo]

Anything to preventing that issue?

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Jamestl

The thing that pisses me off is that you don’t actually know whether sprocket has failed. If I just reset the ECU everything worked as before - I noticed zero change. I’m almost tempted to get a new ECU before I change the sprocket given the cost differential. Sigh...

Yeah. It really bugs me that it's such a secret.

Originally Posted by ApexEight

That's exactly what I did and the ECU swap alone got rid of my CEL. It's been about 3 weeks now.

Apologies for not first circling back around to your case, Apex. I did take it into account but forgot to explain here.

Do you think it's possible that you cleared the interference in the valve the first time you had it apart? That was my thought. It would also explain why, in my friend's case, the code returned even after we found the interference.

[ApexEight]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Yeah. It really bugs me that it's such a secret.



Apologies for not first circling back around to your case, Apex. I did take it into account but forgot to explain here.

Do you think it's possible that you cleared the interference in the valve the first time you had it apart? That was my thought. It would also explain why, in my friend's case, the code returned even after we found the interference.

The OCV? I'm not sure.

Here's the exact sequence of events:

1) Started car on a slight incline late at night leaving a friend's house. It was cold. About 1 mile down the road I get the slip angle light illumination and CEL. Ran the codes and I got I think P0420 for cat efficiency (had this code once before so I wasn't too worried because it went away the first time) and P0016 which I didn't really understand at the time.

2) Pulled over and cleared the codes. Car drove without re-illuminating the whole way home. I later learned that P0016 takes two drive cycles to re-appear after being cleared.

3) Swapped cam sensors. Nothing.

4) Swapped OCVs. Nothing.

5) Massaged OCV and cam sprocket "plungers". Nothing.

6) Learned that I was about half a quart of oil. Re-filled. Nothing.

7) Changed the oil. Nothing.

8) Swapped ECUs. CEL gone.

During this time, I had no drivability changes, other than being in limp mode. The car idled and drove the same otherwise.

I wouldn't be surprised if my cam sprocket is missing the little plate with the spring beneath it, or shows some visible damage, or maybe even has the lag in VVT timing or whatever (I don't really understand that stuff). All I know is the car feels as strong as ever and I'm so glad the CEL is gone lol.

I have a buddy who has a 2013 FR-S and he had a P0016 a while back. He got the ECU replaced under warranty and it cleared the code. It hasn't come back in the ~40K miles he's been driving since. I'm on 3 weeks. I just hope that it's gone for good.

[TheStig85]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

The OCV? I'm not sure.

Here's the exact sequence of events:

1) Started car on a slight incline late at night leaving a friend's house. It was cold. About 1 mile down the road I get the slip angle light illumination and CEL. Ran the codes and I got I think P0420 for cat efficiency (had this code once before so I wasn't too worried because it went away the first time) and P0016 which I didn't really understand at the time.

2) Pulled over and cleared the codes. Car drove without re-illuminating the whole way home. I later learned that P0016 takes two drive cycles to re-appear after being cleared.

3) Swapped cam sensors. Nothing.

4) Swapped OCVs. Nothing.

5) Massaged OCV and cam sprocket "plungers". Nothing.

6) Learned that I was about half a quart of oil. Re-filled. Nothing.

7) Changed the oil. Nothing.

8) Swapped ECUs. CEL gone.

During this time, I had no drivability changes, other than being in limp mode. The car idled and drove the same otherwise.

I wouldn't be surprised if my cam sprocket is missing the little plate with the spring beneath it, or shows some visible damage, or maybe even has the lag in VVT timing or whatever (I don't really understand that stuff). All I know is the car feels as strong as ever and I'm so glad the CEL is gone lol.

I have a buddy who has a 2013 FR-S and he had a P0016 a while back. He got the ECU replaced under warranty and it cleared the code. It hasn't come back in the ~40K miles he's been driving since. I'm on 3 weeks. I just hope that it's gone for good.

I'm in the same boat and did almost exactly what you did but my CEL came back after 9 months. I'm debating it but I'm probably have to remove the sprocket and inspect the plate.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

The OCV? I'm not sure.

No, but you covered it in step 5. ...the sprocket plunger.

I have to start over because nothing makes sense.


If anyone reading this thread manages to save a failed sprocket assembly, I'd gladly pay for shipping and the hassle of boxing it.

[ApexEight]

Originally Posted by TheStig85

I'm in the same boat and did almost exactly what you did but my CEL came back after 9 months. I'm debating it but I'm probably have to remove the sprocket and inspect the plate.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Damn, that sucks. Does your car ever run low on oil? I wouldn't be surprised if this has something to do with the ECU seeing a low oil pressure condition for even a split second.

[TheStig85]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

Damn, that sucks. Does your car ever run low on oil? I wouldn't be surprised if this has something to do with the ECU seeing a low oil pressure condition for even a split second.

Maybe... Ever since I had my oil cooler installed, I was never 100% sure on how much oil to add. I'll double check it later. Thanks!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

Damn, that sucks. Does your car ever run low on oil? I wouldn't be surprised if this has something to do with the ECU seeing a low oil pressure condition for even a split second.

ECU doesn't monitor oil pressure.

[Jamestl]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

No, but you covered it in step 5. ...the sprocket plunger.

I have to start over because nothing makes sense.


If anyone reading this thread manages to save a failed sprocket assembly, I'd gladly pay for shipping and the hassle of boxing it.

Seriously... where the actual mechanical failure for this stupid code.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Jamestl

Seriously... where the actual mechanical failure for this stupid code.

The actual mechanical failure is anything inside the cam sprocket that causes it (the phasor) to quit responding appropriately to commands from the solenoid, which is inaccurately called the "oil control valve."

Everything else is electrical.

[Jamestl]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

The actual mechanical failure is anything inside the cam sprocket that causes it (the phasor) to quit responding appropriately to commands from the solenoid, which is inaccurately called the "oil control valve."

Everything else is electrical.

No I get that. I’m just saying that we all go through this stupid process and don’t know whether there was actually a mechanical failure. I thought hat was your point - trying to pinpoint where the mechanical part failed.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Jamestl

No I get that. I’m just saying that we all go through this stupid process and don’t know whether there was actually a mechanical failure. I thought hat was your point - trying to pinpoint where the mechanical part failed.

Oh. Oops.


Yeah, it is. I'm dying to figure out this damn thing.

[rusty959]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

No, but you covered it in step 5. ...the sprocket plunger.

I have to start over because nothing makes sense.


If anyone reading this thread manages to save a failed sprocket assembly, I'd gladly pay for shipping and the hassle of boxing it.

If you don't mind me taking it apart myself first I'll send you mine. Finally home now so I'll be putting things back together in the next week or so.