Can I Clean it with Carb Cleaner?

[Freddy G.]

I am ready to clean my Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid but I notice the plug to it seems to be covered in oil. I will take out the Solenoid and Sray it with Carb Cleaner, but can I also spray the plug? View attachment 19472

 

[Voymom]

I am ready to clean my Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid but I notice the plug to it seems to be covered in oil. I will take out the Solenoid and Sray it with Carb Cleaner, but can I also spray the plug? View attachment 4831

I never cleaned the oil to the CPAS plug. I simply just wiped it down with a clean dry lint free cloth.

 

[JerryIrons]

You might have a bad sensor, that's what mine started doing when a screen broke inside. I can't remember exactly where the oil was leaking out. Here is a shot of the good, the bad and ugly sensor:

See the broken screen from the bad one on top?

I would be more likely to use throttle body cleaner vs carb cleaner anywhere there is a sensor involved. Not quite as harsh theoretically.

-Jerry

 

[Voymom]

You might have a bad sensor, that's what mine started doing when a screen broke inside. I can't remember exactly where the oil was leaking out. Here is a shot of the good, the bad and ugly sensor:

See the broken screen from the bad one on top?

I would be more likely to use throttle body cleaner vs carb cleaner anywhere there is a sensor involved. Not quite as harsh theoretically.

-Jerry

Oily plugs doesn't always mean a broken sensor. I was throwing p1345 and p0014 codes, and my plug was 10x more oily than that, plus the seem to the CPAS was so caked with old oil it literally glued the CPAS into place, and my sensor wasn't broken...it was just extremely dirty. After a good cleaning I put the same old and original sensor in the truck, my SES light turned off without resetting it, and has not been back on. We cleaned ours last Tuesday. Truck runs great and purr's like a kitten.

I would always clean a part and try it before I replace it, it's cheaper in the long run.

 

[Mark20]

Throttle body cleaner is supposed to be more friendly to the electronics and connectors on modern electronic throttle bodies. Carb cleaner is aimed at traditional carbs with no electronics.

 

[Freddy G.]

Thank You. I have been putting the maintaince off for a while now(with a 1 year old, never having the free time, planning on getting married, and saving for a house all at the same time). After leaving Jareds Jewlery Store yesterday my Envoy staled in the Target Parking lot. Said Low Oil Pressure, Shut Engine Off Now. So I came home cleaned the throttle body Again. My Oil Guage has been broken for a few months now(also put that off). After the Throttle body was cleaned I was reading up on the Stalling issue again(and only happens when the ac is on) and I read that it could bethe Oil Pressure Switch gone bad or it could be the stepper motor that is causing the problem. Either way, I bought a Oil Pressure Switch from AutoZone for 35 bucks. Before I replace that I will clean the Camshaft Position soleniod. Looks like I have alittle bit of work to do.

 

[Mark20]

The 4.2L engine only has an oil pressure switch (12 PSI IIRC) to tell the computer oil pressure is there or not. The computer imputes what the pressure is from RPM and that's what it displays on the dash. So when you called it a switch, you got the right part.

Had one of those switches go bad on an 70's F*rd. Didn't cause me too many problems but it controlled the electric choke and that took a long time to open up giving me way to long high idle. (God, I can't even remember what year that thing was and it was my first car.)

 

[Freddy G.]

I am hopeing when I replace the Switch it will fix the guage problem. My Dash Oil Guage is all the way to the right, all the time. I think the stepper motor is broken but I have read, if the switch is bad it can cause the Pressure Guage to do that.

Oily plugs doesn't always mean a broken sensor. I was throwing p1345 and p0014 codes, and my plug was 10x more oily than that, plus the seem to the CPAS was so caked with old oil it literally glued the CPAS into place, and my sensor wasn't broken...it was just extremely dirty. After a good cleaning I put the same old and original sensor in the truck, my SES light turned off without resetting it, and has not been back on. We cleaned ours last Tuesday. Truck runs great and purr's like a kitten.

I would always clean a part and try it before I replace it, it's cheaper in the long run.

Where did you buy the Sensor and How much?

 

[JerryIrons]

Oily plugs doesn't always mean a broken sensor. I was throwing p1345 and p0014 codes,
I would always clean a part and try it before I replace it, it's cheaper in the long run.

Yep I agree 100% that is why I said might. If this part is bad I think you will either get a code, or the engine runs rougher or both. Not to mention oil leaking out. I couldn't just clean mine it had a broken screen in it.

-Jerry