[RIPOutlook07]

Looking for advice...

07 XR AWD in trouble.

After about 15 minutes of driving the other day, my wife's car lit up with oil pressure / service engine soon / Stabilitrak off warnings. The engine started running with reduced power. Then she got a "turn/shut off engine". She pulled over and let the car rest. When restarted she said there was a "rattle" in the engine. Luckily she was near a Buick dealer and pulled in. Codes came back that it was a "cam balance" problem. Tech said that a software upgrade fixes the the problem most of the time. They did that.

I picked the car up on Saturday and didn't even make it a mile before I had the same errors but this time the car powered down like it was an electrical problem. Only this time I was not able to start it again. I had it towed back to the shop. Shop said there is still a cam problem and I probably need shims but the oil pressure problem is something bigger that they won't know until the pull the engine.

What am I looking at here? They want $2,500 to pull the motor and check the oil pump and then said the repairs (depending on the severity) wil be $1,000 to $4,000 more. I feel like there has to be something easier to try before dumping all kind of money into it for troubleshooting.... Any thoughts?

 

[rbarrios]

im wondering if this is a timing chain issue.
using shims was the initial steps-- before the chain issue popped up..

do you know what any of the codes are?

the chains on some of the years have a warranty till 120,000 I think...

 

[medicrxdoc]

Are you using a GM dealer or a private mechanic? Might be a good option to take it to the dealer since it might be the timing chain issue.

As suggested, list the trouble codes and we might be able to help more.

 

[RIPOutlook07]

I am an owner. I have it at a Buick dealer.

The Tech says I have 2 problems with the car and insists neither of which have anything to do with the timing chain. The first is a cam problem which needs shims? The second and more worrisome is there is low oil pressure. They are telling me the only way to diagnose the problem is a tear down that will cost me $2500. The car only has 55.6K miles on it with regular 3K mile oil changes. He thinks the engine is blown and I'm going to need a full rebuild. Again he insists the timing chain would not have any impact on either issue. GM is going to hear from me if that is the case.

 

[rbarrios]

this was posted on the Acadia forum...

I have done probably 5 or 6 sets of the chains at work. SOme of the other techs have done 15 to 20 of them. They do have a supplier issue and every chain i have taken off has been very stretched. They are kinda of intimidating the first set you do but after that I realized they are not that bad to do. THey do have special tools though to do the job. Cam holding plates are needed. The timing has to be set in a 2 stage process. Oh and there are actually 3 chains....one to each head and a primary chain that connects them and the crank. sounds confusing but not really. the front cover does need to come off and everything that is on the front cover. the lowest milage i have seen so far is 7,200 miles. I have done 2 cts and 2 srx and 1 dts. all under 25,000 miles. they also have cam postion actuator issues too. you have to measure cam end play and install shims as needed behind the actuators depending which manufacturer actuators are on the car. delphi or asin. i have done quite a few of them as well. We also have had them come in with a p0018 and p0008 which usually go along with the timing chain issue....but a few times more rare occations we had to replace the crank shafts for the engine correlation concern. there is actaually a bullitine on this. the reluctor wheel on the crankshaft which is press fit spins some on the crank and you have to replace as one unit.

 

[rbarrios]

Depending on how bad it is, they either re-shim the camshaft end-play, or replace the cylinder head all together because the camshafts are walking. To avoid that expense nylon shims are wedged in place for now.

Check Engine Light, DTCs P0011, P0014, P0021, P0024, P0341, P0346, P0366 or P0391 Set (Check Camshaft End Play and Perform Action as Outlined) - (Feb 18, 2011)

Subject: Malfunction Indicator Lamp On -- Check Engine Light, DTCs P0011, P0014, P0021, P0024, P0341, P0346, P0366, or P0391 Set (Check Camshaft End Play and Perform Action as Outlined)
Models: 2007-2009 Buick LaCrosse, Allure (Canada Only)
2010 Buick LaCrosse
2007-2010 Buick Enclave
2007-2010 Cadillac CTS Sedan, CTS Sport Wagon, SRX, STS
2008-2010 Chevrolet Equinox, Malibu
2009-2010 Chevrolet Traverse
2010 Chevrolet Camaro
2007-2010 GMC Acadia
2007-2010 Pontiac G6
2008-2009 Pontiac G8, Torrent
2007-2010 Saturn AURA, OUTLOOK
2008-2010 Saturn VUE
Equipped with 2.8L or 3.6L High Feature V6 Engine (VINs D, T, V, 7 -- RPOs LP1, LLT, LY7)