Camshaft position sensor fault

Air_Wolf

Active Member
Jul 10, 2016
9
0
Copied thread from Ibiza MK 5 forum. In desperate need of help

Hi
I'm running a mk 5 ibiza 1.2 TDi. I recently changed the water pump and immediately the coil warning light came on. Read through this forum and someone suggested after 20 odd good starts the fault may clear itself. The same day I turned the car over repeatedly, it started fine, but sometimes it wouldn't start straight after I stopped the engine (hot starting). Anyway I ran the car out and all was fine, but after stopping the engine I only had to wait 20-30 seconds for it to start again correctly.
So I have ignored the coil light and run the car for about a week and a half. Next the DPF light comes on last week, and after reading the forum posts again I try to get the car to do a regeneration, this didn't work so I called out a mechanic with a code reader to do a forced regeneration. After £40 it appears the soot content is fine and no regeneration is required, he read the other fault code which was the camshaft position sensor - 3 signal implausible.
So mechanic man says change the sensor which may have been damaged during the water pump change. I am pretty sure the timing is correct but have a few questions I would appreciate your help with.

1 - I can buy a new sensor and change it. Do I have to take apart the cam belt again to get the sensor through the hole in the back or is this a simpler job with just a few screws?

2 - is it worth getting the timing checked first?

3 - shall I invest in a code reader too and will the code have to be cleared if I replace the sensor? I don't fancy paying another £40 for mechanic man to clear codes.

Sorry for the long post but wanted to get all info down. I have read all posts relating to camshaft position sensor for all makes and would be glad of extra assistance.
Thanks
 

Air_Wolf

Active Member
Jul 10, 2016
9
0
Disappointed that over 70 people viewed this post and no one could help me. Maybe I should change my username to lone wolf?

Anyway I bought a vag com and checked the timing which was slightly out.
After adjusting the timing a few times I came to the conclusion the tensioner had gone. I replaced the tensioner and rechecked the timing and all lights still on after clearing the faults.
Took her out for a spin and eventually the coil light goes out (brilliant, and guess it was never the camshaft position sensor) got the car back on vag com and clear fault (dpf). both the dpf and emissions light still on.
Took her out again and soon the emissions light goes out folded by a 20 minute run at 2500 rpm and finally the dpf light goes out.

Now everything is good �� the moral of the story is it doesn't take long for the soot content to build up when the engine won't regenerate itself, in my case because the camshaft position sensor detected a signal implausible and wouldn't let the car inject more fuel when required to burn off the soot.

I hope this thread will assist someone in the future with a similar problem
 
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