[chrisneill]

Afternoon everyone, please help if you can.

Following the code read of my Alfa Brera 2.2 (after check engine light) I have asked and spoken to a couple of people who have suggested the following, in the order listed.

Remove and clean the phase sensors (there are 2) - possibly referred to also as the solenoids as there is a filter in them and it can get clogged. Can anyone give me a 'janet and john' explanation of removal and how best to clean? First stop would be where are they (I know under the cover at the top of the engine, but to be truthful, Im not even sure what I am looking for).

Second step, if that doesnt work would be to replace them and after that replace the timing chain. Has anyone got an approx price for replacing this chain (with all the bits required and including approx labour) by a non dealer, as one horror estimate I have been given is £1700!!!

Any help (explained in a non techy way) would be really appreciated. Whats particularly frustrating is that the car is not driving any different today than it did 6 months ago when the light was not coming on/going off, so any expenditure it could be argued is to extinguish the light coming on (although no doubt it is a sign of something to come if I dont deal with it)

Thanks all (particularly those that help!!)

Chris

 

[BuonGiorno]

What is exact failure code(s) alarmed???...

 

[Rewe]

The solenoids are about £90 each and the cost to change the timing chain on its own is about £500-600, paying typical £50 per hour labour rates, add £200 -£250ish if you do the balance chain at the same time. Do an oil change while you are at it and you should see change from £1000.

 

[chrisneill]

What is exact failure code(s) alarmed???...

Hi codes are p0159, p0010 and p0011

 

[BuonGiorno]

Hi codes are p0159, p0010 and p0011

Ah... I see now...
Once I have told how to get them out in different thread...
:thumbup:

It is really easy. Open the bonnet, strip TWIN PHASER engine cover off.
Two phase solenoids are left side, closed one is intake, next one is exhaust.
To take solenoid off ( apart of socket and single bolt ) some efforts to be applied since it is stuck normally.

 

[BuonGiorno]

Solenoids are placed under red cover in green oval area. Cover is to be stripped off.
:biglaugh:

 

[chrisneill]

Solenoids are placed under red cover in green oval area. Cover is to be stripped off.
:biglaugh:

Top man. Thank you

 

[BuonGiorno]

Do you have possibility to read ( clean ) failure codes yourself ( or free at least ) with OBD or ever???...
I would exclude camshaft sensors failure first. They are inductive and rather reliable but still nice to be sure... This sensors are located under same cover but right side only. If you replace sensors onebyone and one of them faulty P0010/11 failure codes would switch to P0013/14. This would be nice case to replace one sensor only.

 

[chrisneill]

Thanks BG. Unfortunately no ability to read codes for free. Cost was £36 so I can reckon on that each time I want an update!

 

[BuonGiorno]

Thanks BG. Unfortunately no ability to read codes for free. Cost was £36 so I can reckon on that each time I want an update!

Bad. Anyway a chance than camshaft sensor faulty is even lower than solenoid may be washed my view.
Sure somebody from AO would recommend you how to buy ELM\OBD to deal with codes for better price.
It is up to you how to proceed further.

 

[lussoman]

Hi codes are p0159, p0010 and p0011

Don't do anything with the chain until you get code P0016.

 

[chrisneill]

Don't do anything with the chain until you get code P0016.

That's reassuring - thanks. The frustration and reluctance to do anything is that the car is not behaving/sounding any different to how it has always been. The only odd thing that has developed over the past few months (which I have not previously mentioned) is that when the car is cold, on pull away (at clutch bit point) there is a momentary hum from the engine bay area (sounds almost like an electric motor hum) which seems to go away, not when coolant is to running temp but when oil temp starts rising. Could be something, could be nothing....

 

[lussoman]

That's reassuring - thanks. The frustration and reluctance to do anything is that the car is not behaving/sounding any different to how it has always been. The only odd thing that has developed over the past few months (which I have not previously mentioned) is that when the car is cold, on pull away (at clutch bit point) there is a momentary hum from the engine bay area (sounds almost like an electric motor hum) which seems to go away, not when coolant is to running temp but when oil temp starts rising. Could be something, could be nothing....

From what I've read on here, the car will go into 'limp' mode before anything catastrophic happens.
That's limited power just to get you home.
Only what I've heard, it's never happened to me.

 

[BuonGiorno]

Limp mode at petrol is actually something may not noticed even.
Limp mode at diesal is disaster.
Solenoids failures makes Alfa twin phaser into Opel single phaser.
:biglaugh: