AHHHHHHHH!!!!! P0365 code

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Just back from a short journey and just threw up this code P 0365 camshaft position sensor. No problem starting no noise, misfire or lack of power. Did over 150 kms yesterday smooth as silk great power for a C180. 68K miles on the engine.
Question is this the start of the damned timing chain cam sprocket death wish of the M271?
 

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Maybe worth not restarting the engine until you have checked it ?
 

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Have you checked for oil in the magnets on the front of the engine ? Could this cause it ?
 

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Darned sensors!

As you've possibly deduced, the cams are in the right place and working as they should. After all, once the ecu gets the right signal from both crank sensor and cam sensor it gives the all-clear for the engine to start.
Once the engine has started, the cam sensor is basically redundant, because if the cam timing was out of sync the engine would not continue running.

So in your case a cam sensor warning could indicate something else - as already stated above. Worth looking deeper and checking out sprockets etc.
 
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Have you checked for oil in the magnets on the front of the engine ? Could this cause it ?
Hi Wighty,
Been through all that a few years ago all changed including blockers at the new cam magnets. I'll have to bite the bullet and give it a check over but with the record of M271 it's always going to need changing sometime. Looks like I'll be in the Golf for a while (270,000kms 30 year old GTD daily runner!).
 
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Darned sensors!

As you've possibly deduced, the cams are in the right place and working as they should. After all, once the ecu gets the right signal from both crank sensor and cam sensor it gives the all-clear for the engine to start.
Once the engine has started, the cam sensor is basically redundant, because if the cam timing was out of sync the engine would not continue running.

So in your case a cam sensor warning could indicate something else - as already stated above. Worth looking deeper and checking out sprockets etc.
Yes, indeed "wishing" for an electrical problem but with the history of M271 engines it's more likely the start of the "Camembert" cam sprockets and "plastic" timing chain problem. I'm looking up prices now and if the weather dries up a bit I'll give it a check over.
 
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I'd certainly get it checked out.
Yes, as the engine is running OK at the moment I'll check it hoping no real damage except to my pocket.
 

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Hi Wighty,
Been through all that a few years ago all changed including blockers at the new cam magnets. I'll have to bite the bullet and give it a check over but with the record of M271 it's always going to need changing sometime. Looks like I'll be in the Golf for a while (270,000kms 30 year old GTD daily runner!).
Oh yeah , I remember that now , it was you that got me to put the blockers on my M271 .
 

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image.png
Yes, indeed "wishing" for an electrical problem but with the history of M271 engines it's more likely the start of the "Camembert" cam sprockets and "plastic" timing chain problem. I'm looking up prices now and if the weather dries up a bit I'll give it a check over.
Saw this the other day from MB Newcastle eBay shop , may also be worth trying MB Grangemouth as they do a decent forum discount .
 
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View attachment 48116
Saw this the other day from MB Newcastle eBay shop , may also be worth trying MB Grangemouth as they do a decent forum discount .
Thanks for that Wighty, just been doing a bit of looking around and with the price of new sprockets, tools and bits and pieces it looks like being about £800-£900 to do it myself. Not what's required just into the new year! But I'll take a bit of time to investigate first.
 

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Thanks for that Wighty, just been doing a bit of looking around and with the price of new sprockets, tools and bits and pieces it looks like being about £800-£900 to do it myself. Not what's required just into the new year! But I'll take a bit of time to investigate first.
There is a uk company called www.m271.com who manufacture and sell all things timing chain and sprocket as well
 
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UPDATE.
Must remember not to PANIC!!!!!
Got round to looking at the car and checked the sensor wiring and plug 12V feed there and 10V between the -ve and sig wires (thought that would be 5V). Cleared the fault code and started up no problem quiet as a mouse chewing a sweet paper. Waited revved it watched the fuel trims, went for a drive about 15 miles with a few stop starts. No codes or pending codes but the orange warning lamp on the reader is on this points to the cat. Now I've had this before and it went away after a few days driving when everything resets, so I'll have to wait and see.
So basically I've no idea why the code P0365 appeared unless the sensor is on the way out but having read a LOT on the internet it does seem to be more likely to be electrical than mechanical.
A new sensor is €44 so not too bad but I'll have to work up the courage some day and pull the rocker cover and check those damned cam sprockets and timing chain.
 

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UPDATE.
Must remember not to PANIC!!!!!
Got round to looking at the car and checked the sensor wiring and plug 12V feed there and 10V between the -ve and sig wires (thought that would be 5V). Cleared the fault code and started up no problem quiet as a mouse chewing a sweet paper. Waited revved it watched the fuel trims, went for a drive about 15 miles with a few stop starts. No codes or pending codes but the orange warning lamp on the reader is on this points to the cat. Now I've had this before and it went away after a few days driving when everything resets, so I'll have to wait and see.
So basically I've no idea why the code P0365 appeared unless the sensor is on the way out but having read a LOT on the internet it does seem to be more likely to be electrical than mechanical.
A new sensor is €44 so not too bad but I'll have to work up the courage some day and pull the rocker cover and check those damned cam sprockets and timing chain.
That's funny I was just thinking the same thing about plucking up the courage to take my rocker cover off , I'm hoping you can do it first though and I can piggy back your work .
Sounds like very good news if it's electrical though . Fingers crossed
 
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That's funny I was just thinking the same thing about plucking up the courage to take my rocker cover off , I'm hoping you can do it first though and I can piggy back your work .
Sounds like very good news if it's electrical though . Fingers crossed
There doesn't seem to be a lot to it Wighty. Take off the plastic cover, remove the coil packs, release the wiring and take out the 12 bolts around the cover and manoeuvre it out. Put new gaskets around the plug holes and the cover. About €25-35 the set. But as we were saying you only hear of the bad ones on here I had a look at a youtube the guy had an E class with an OM271 with 250,000 kms and all like new!
 

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There doesn't seem to be a lot to it Wighty. Take off the plastic cover, remove the coil packs, release the wiring and take out the 12 bolts around the cover and manoeuvre it out. Put new gaskets around the plug holes and the cover. About €25-35 the set. But as we were saying you only hear of the bad ones on here I had a look at a youtube the guy had an E class with an OM271 with 250,000 kms and all like new!
Yes thanks for that , very true about only the bad ones surfacing . I think I've seen that YouTube one , was that the guy checking it in a car park ? Edit...no I hadn't seen it .
I'll probably check mine in the Spring when it's warmer , I'll probably take the opportunity to change the spark plugs again (3 years old) whilst I'm down there .
 
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Have you checked for oil in the magnets on the front of the engine ? Could this cause it ?
Update.
Well Wighty you may well have been right.
After the initial blind panic settled and I had a bit of time I did a visual check over as no codes were present. Got underneath and checked for oil at the O2 sensors and the slightest trace on one leg of the wiring harness socket for the after cat which I cleaned with the usual contact cleaner and compressed air (wire brush and Detol ; Billy Connolly). Then pulled off the plugs at the ECU and a little bit more on the rear plug which was cleaned up. Obviously oil still making its way out two years after the repair.
As I'd said the cat and O2 sensors were NIC on the OBD reader but since then I've done a few miles and just back after a 150km run where I didn't spare the horses (showing the equivalent of 36mpg) and all now clear.
All that needs to be done now is to see which of us is the bravest to pull the cam cover and put to rest the timing chain terror!
 

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Update.
Well Wighty you may well have been right.
After the initial blind panic settled and I had a bit of time I did a visual check over as no codes were present. Got underneath and checked for oil at the O2 sensors and the slightest trace on one leg of the wiring harness socket for the after cat which I cleaned with the usual contact cleaner and compressed air (wire brush and Detol ; Billy Connolly). Then pulled off the plugs at the ECU and a little bit more on the rear plug which was cleaned up. Obviously oil still making its way out two years after the repair.
As I'd said the cat and O2 sensors were NIC on the OBD reader but since then I've done a few miles and just back after a 150km run where I didn't spare the horses (showing the equivalent of 36mpg) and all now clear.
All that needs to be done now is to see which of us is the bravest to pull the cam cover and put to rest the timing chain terror!
I'm sorry to tell you buddy , but whilst you were sans Internet , mechanic Wighty took the top of his engine off and checked his cam chain :D . All looked really good at my end . I took a few pics as well . It was in the "what have you done to your Merc today" about 4 days ago .
 

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I have 2 words to removing the cover on the M271 engine to check the chain and sprockets , Fiddly,Fiddly,Fiddly ! Specifically the fact that the wiring loom runs over the engine and does its best to stop you manoevering the camshaft cover out .
Eventually did it , but it took 4 hours . If i did it again i could probably halve that . The chain and sprockets looked in very good condition . There was almost no blackening of the chain by the oil and the sprockets seemed to have very little wear on the teeth .
I turned the engine using the crankshaft to 0/T , and checked the marks on the back of the sprockets and they were very close , within a mm or so . Trying to pull the chain up with my fingers created no movement at all , so everything is still very tight .
The car has 69,000 miles on it at the moment , with no start up noises .
The pictures i took didnt turn out as well as i hoped , the sun was quite bright .
This was quite an advanced job for me , really pushed my knowledge and nerve .
Next job will be check for leaks from the new gasket , fingers crossed .
Obviously i am far from any form of expert , but looking at the condition of the chain and sprockets my mind can rest easy for a while . I will just stick to my 5k oil changes
 
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I have 2 words to removing the cover on the M271 engine to check the chain and sprockets , Fiddly,Fiddly,Fiddly ! Specifically the fact that the wiring loom runs over the engine and does its best to stop you manoevering the camshaft cover out .
Eventually did it , but it took 4 hours . If i did it again i could probably halve that . The chain and sprockets looked in very good condition . There was almost no blackening of the chain by the oil and the sprockets seemed to have very little wear on the teeth .
I turned the engine using the crankshaft to 0/T , and checked the marks on the back of the sprockets and they were very close , within a mm or so . Trying to pull the chain up with my fingers created no movement at all , so everything is still very tight .
The car has 69,000 miles on it at the moment , with no start up noises .
The pictures i took didnt turn out as well as i hoped , the sun was quite bright .
This was quite an advanced job for me , really pushed my knowledge and nerve .
Next job will be check for leaks from the new gasket , fingers crossed .
Obviously i am far from any form of expert , but looking at the condition of the chain and sprockets my mind can rest easy for a while . I will just stick to my 5k oil changes
Excellent job, well done you get the bravery medal no problem.
Very satisfying result and a feeling of accomplishment, not to mention contentment.
Everything looks in top condition and fit for many, many more miles which just goes to prove what we've been saying, that on here you only hear of the failures and catastrophes.
Now I'll have to get round to buying a gasket and doing the same. I would be more than satisfied if I have the same result because with the miles I do, It will be me that needs spare parts before the engine.
Again, well done and many miles of happy motoring.
 


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