Hi guys!
I wonder if you could give me some pointers. My wife's Contour, code 3 engine, shows a P1380 Cam Actuator Circuit Bank 1. The car gets driven short distances and has about 110K miles on it.
My hunch is that the solenoid is faulty. On the valve cover there is some oil around the solenoid.
I could not find a video or other kind of instruction on how to fix both, the leak and diagnose/replace the solenoid.

A bit more detail: the solenoid has continuity. When cold I read 3.8 KOhms, when warm I got 9.3 KOhms and the resistance went down while I watched to 7.9 KOhms.

Thanks in advance!

 

115 views and no one can tell me how to properly test that solenoid?

 

Hi Bluewind,
Good to see you back!
One way you can get the info you need is to just replace that solenoid and make sure to correct the oil leak while there. From what I was able to find, sometimes debris can cause the solenoid to get plugged. The readings for a solenoid should stay constant , good or bad. There is also some info relating to wheel speed sensors not working correctly which are supposed to keep an eye on rough road conditions to sort out misfires and possible rough road conditions.

 

Thank you so much, hanky!
With that info I am thinking that most likely the valve is plugged and the solenoid heats up under voltage. As soon as I turn the engine off it cools down and electrical resistance drops.
Unfortunately a new solenoid costs about $250.00. If it were $50.00 I would follow your advice for sure.
I consider removing the solenoid to inspect it, clean it and putting it back in. As long I find the proper gasket or if I learn that silicone will work.
What do you think about that?

 

If you remember, a while back , I told you guys my wife won't even let me work on our/her wheelbarrow ! At first , my feelings were injured, but later on I realized, hey, that means I won't have to work on her car either. Soooo, we made lemonade out of that one.
Seriously, by all means if you can get that solenoid to work properly, go for it.

 

Hmmmm, lemonade! Maybe I shouldn't solve the problem, maybe I should make her sell it.

 

Did you end up having to replace the solenoid or did cleaning it resolve the issue?

 

Hi Jema: I did not solve the issue. Here are the details:
I checked the resistance once more when cold and when warm. When cold it seemed to be in proper range and when warm is was infinite, i.e. no continuity.
At the last oil change I asked the shop to give me a quote on the repair. They said it will be about $400.00 for labor only. The best price for the part I found on the web was $275.
I went to a self serve junk yard to get a solenoid. I pulled the valve cover and found that the solenoid can only be removed by pulling the exhaust cam out. That is why it's $400 for labor.

We bought another car.

I am offering a rusty 2000 Contour with 120000 miles, nice interior, good tires and brakes, good AC and heat, a bad right front wheel bearing (best quote for repair: $170) a bad left rear strut (keep driving as is) and a CEL for a VCT circuit malfunction (keep driving as is). The price is very negotiable........

Even if we don't get anything at all for this Contour it has been the lowest cost 4000 miles / year car we ever had.