H e l p (Cam Sensor Error, changed sensor 2x, engine light still on)

Just bought a 2010 Aveo with 49,000 miles....Second time out for a drive and the check engine lite comes on...It's been at the shop now for six weeks...It shows Cam Sensor Error.....Car Runs fine....Changed the Sensor twiceand cannot get the check engine lite to go off????The shop it's in is very reliable and experienced...They are still stumped...a second shop suggested the cam phaser might be bad...original shop says no..Problem is on the exhaust sensor....free pizza for the one that helps me figure this one out....

I don't have any experience on the 2010's, but if you post the code you are getting I can at least lookup the TIS page for the code you have to get some idea. Same with any posted question; if you just post what the ECM reports I can follow the factory diag procedure, without that I can only guess, and guesses are expensive!! Don't ask me how I know LOL

update: found the exhaust cam had a tab broken off the end so that the cam sensor had nothing to see...Changed the cam....Changed the phasers....Changed the mass air flow sensors...Still runs like a pig....engine surges as you try to maintain speed...when it hits 3000 rpm, it takes off...stuck a pressure guage on it and went down the road...pressure did not drop....did a smoke test and did not find any vac leaks...no check engine lite at this time....found out that this one was made in Canada..good stick of tnt might fix it...........

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Originally Posted by panamajack

update: found the exhaust cam had a tab broken off the end so that the cam sensor had nothing to see...Changed the cam....Changed the phasers....Changed the mass air flow sensors...Still runs like a pig....engine surges as you try to maintain speed...when it hits 3000 rpm, it takes off...stuck a pressure guage on it and went down the road...pressure did not drop....did a smoke test and did not find any vac leaks...no check engine lite at this time....found out that this one was made in Canada..good stick of tnt might fix it...........

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Well I be, somebody in my neck of the woods. Live in west union. You sound pretty pissed and considering what you had to replace I would be too. I had to look up what is a cam phaser (the 2006 does not have them). Here is a link describing cam phasers.
Delphi Variable Cam Phaser

It's cool, it's also yet an other mechanical device to go bad. So no thanks for me.

Here is my advice, I would carefully go over the intake section carefully for breaks in the plastic. There has been a couple posts here covering broken intakes.

If you could please, go over the pressure test in more detail. Was it a intake vacuum gauge while running or was an exhaust pressure test?

Also in reading up on the phasers could it be there might be a blocked oil channel not allowing the phaser to move the cams properly?

the pressure test I mentioned was fuel pressure while going down the highway....I performed a smoke test for vac leaks and did notfind any leaks...blocked oil channel waschecked...

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Originally Posted by panamajack

the pressure test I mentioned was fuel pressure while going down the highway....I performed a smoke test for vac leaks and did notfind any leaks...blocked oil channel waschecked...

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Even though you have done a smoke check, I would pull the intake parts and check them with a visual inspection. For example my intake hose had a crack on the inside of the bellows and I never saw it until I removed it.

I would also check the idle control valve and make sure the throttle body controller is moving the flap. It could be getting stuck. Or it's flopping.

I don't have any hands on experience with second gen, but the sequence of events you wrote isn't making any sense to me. You said the original problem was a CEL, but the "car ran fine". Now, after all of the repairs at the shop, it "runs like a pig". If both of those statements are true, then something with the repairs must have caused the current performance problem (and not a preexisting condition). First thing that comes to mind is not setting the timing correctly when the belt was replaced.

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Originally Posted by avguy

I don't have any hands on experience with second gen, but the sequence of events you wrote isn't making any sense to me. You said the original problem was a CEL, but the "car ran fine". Now, after all of the repairs at the shop, it "runs like a pig". If both of those statements are true, then something with the repairs must have caused the current performance problem (and not a preexisting condition). First thing that comes to mind is not setting the timing correctly when the belt was replaced.

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So, here is the latest....Decided to pull the plugs....Guess what??????????Someone had installed a set of autolite plugs...Put in the correct NGK plug and it runs fine.....Not sure where/when they plugs were put in, but almost everybody knows ya don't put autolite plugs in a Chevy....