Power and Mpg's are down, HELP!

[j_herrold91]

Hello all,

I have a 2010 Cobalt ls xfe. I bought the car from my step mother last year, and it has had amsoil full synthetic in it since very low mileage. I got a check engine light back in May that said "Exhaust cam shaft over advanced". I was clueless as to what this could actually mean so i took it to the dealership since it was still under warrenty. After a day, i got a phone call from some dumbass at the shop saying "Uhhhh i couldnt find any problems with it." Both my power and mpg's were down and the light didnt come on for nothing, but ok what ever dude. So now last week, the same code came up again, took it back to the dealer, and same story. Now ive tried a few different fuel injector cleaners from amsoil, lucus, and seafoam, but nothing has really restored my power or mpg's. Ive read aroud and i think it might be the exhaust cam shaft sencor, which sounds like it would make sence. Im just afraid to change it myself and it not be the right thing and then void my warrenty and have a bigger mess on my hands. I commute 100 miles to school round trip five days a week. and im averaging about 28-30 average mpg, all highway. I know damn well it should be getting atleast 37 since it got more than that when i first bought it. Does anyone have any advice as to what to do here? Im stumped!

Thanks!

 

[BankDude]

it's your variable valve timing. i don't know much about it because i've never experienced it. but that's the only thing it could be. the reason you have no power is because your ECU is retarding the timing to save the engine from detonating. if they couldn't figure that out, they're idiots. have you tried to just delete the code and see if it comes back on?

 

[j_herrold91]

it's your variable valve timing. i don't know much about it because i've never experienced it. but that's the only thing it could be. the reason you have no power is because your ECU is retarding the timing to save the engine from detonating. if they couldn't figure that out, they're idiots. have you tried to just delete the code and see if it comes back on?

I believe i did delete the code the first time and it came back on last week. I did not think of it being vvt. This is my first car thats had it. I called my trusted local mechanic n he said the next time the C.E. light comes on to bring it over n hell take a look at it. Thanks for the help!

 

[BankDude]

my guess is it's one of your cam actuators/sensors. replace the sensor first, see if that does anything. if it doesn't, the cam actuator might be a costly repair if you don't know how to time these engines. you, being an xfe, have vvt. all 2.2 lap's have it i believe

 

[j_herrold91]

ok thank you very much.

 

[bbrewbaker]

I had that code on mine last year under warrenty. They replaced the cam actuator for the exhaust cam and the code cleared.

Whats funny is i got code right after i unplugged the actuator to swap the valve cover to the one i had painted.