SOLVED! Oil on connectors normal over time or signify problem?

[Elizabetty]

Hey guys. Just me again. I'm going to include two pictures here where I see what appears to be too much oil on connectors and wires. I am likely using the wrong word of connector so what I'm referring to is the light colored piece where wires are going in/coming out. Notice how the wires seem to be oil covered too. I noticed the check oil dipstick is in this area so perhaps someone was sloppy and it's just from many oil checks over the years and nothing is truly leaking and I just need to clean it up? I'm not really sure what to expect in this area.

Reason I'm asking is because this used to have a lot more oil on it 6 days ago. It was completely black and when I wiped it off with some paper towel, I miraculously had p0340 which was pending and never confirmed go away. I thought oh this must be having to do with the camshaft sensor. Maybe it shouldn't be this dirty etc etc. Since then though, the code has returned so was probably just the fluke but I am still wondering how much oil on this area is normal versus signifying a problem. I will be addressing p0340 but would appreciate a response to this.

 

[christo829]

Oil on that often means the internal seals are failing. You could pull the connector and the solenoid and clean everything out, but odds are that that CPAS should be replaced.

Cheers-

Chris

 

[Mooseman]

That would be the Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid (CPAS). If it's leaking oil, especially in the connector, it's done.

It's still available from ACDelco but the price on RA seems a little high.

More Information for GM GENUINE 12615873

There is an NTK, normally a quality name and more reasonably priced.

More Information for NTK VV0012

Standard also has one and may be available locally:

More Information for STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS VVT102

The P0340 code is for something else, the camshaft position sensor. It may be defective or the wiring is sometimes damaged because of its location. It's #1 in this image. #2 is the CPAS:

 

[Elizabetty]

That would be the Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid (CPAS). If it's leaking oil, especially in the connector, it's done.

It's still available from ACDelco but the price on RA seems a little high.

More Information for GM GENUINE 12615873

There is an NTK, normally a quality name and more reasonably priced.

More Information for NTK VV0012

Standard also has one and may be available locally:

More Information for STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS VVT102

The P0340 code is for something else, the camshaft position sensor. It may be defective or the wiring is sometimes damaged because of its location. It's #1 in this image. #2 is the CPAS:

Okay. Let's assume I get my hands on the part. Is this a repair that takes removing or taking apart many pieces in order to replace or is this sort of along the lines of removing some bolts and putting a new one in and calling it good? Obviously if I was going to do it, I would be Google and YouTube deep diving first. Until I get more experience and learn more parts of my engine, I'm most comfortable with changing things to replace them when it doesn't require taking apart lots of other things I may not put back together correctly (if that's possible) or need fancier tools for.

 

[christo829]

Most annoying part of this repair is loosening the power steering pulley bolts to allow the solenoid to pull free.

How To: Clean The Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid (CPAS) Picture Heavy

If your truck has been throwing a p1345 and or p0014 code these simple steps can help determine if you need to replace the actual CPAS. With my experience in this procedure I had also done an engine flush using Mobile 1 full synthetic 5w30 motor oil, cheap fram oil filter. My truck had decided...

gmtnation.com

 

[TJBaker57]

I will be addressing p0340 but would appreciate a response to this.

Is this now an active current code with a check engine light on or is it only a pending code?

 

[Elizabetty]

Is this now an active current code with a check engine light on or is it only a pending code?

It has been a pending coe mainly. It's never been confirmed as a confirmed or permanent code and it's never thrown a check engine light. Occasionally it is not even pending and shows as a powertrain code with my scanner, just the blue driver type, and then other times, it goes away entirely. I'll definitely have this addressed.

 

[TJBaker57]

I only chase current active codes. I don't bother with pending codes. If they are just pending codes they are not worth chasing yet. That is why the system lists them that way, because the system doesn't think they are a real issue at the time.

 

[Elizabetty]

I appreciate everyone's responses here but I think what I'm more so getting at is even though the p0340 isn't anything I need to address right now without an actual confirmed code, it led me to look under the hood and find the oil in the pics. Regardless of whether or not the visible oil on the wires is related to pending p0340, I'm wondering if oil on wires could be causing any type of problem at all because if that isn't normal, I need to have that solenoid replaced I think. Keep in mind, that light colored connector where the wires go in had a thick solid layer of black all the way around. I had to wipe oil off in order to even notice there were wires going into something.

I'm leaning towards what mooseman posted about it being the CPAS and the solenoid needing replacement. The amount of oil seen is what is left after already having cleaned it off some. I agree though TJ, from what I've learned here so far, that I don't need to worry about the pending code. (As an aside, I'm not 100% sure it's not my dongle causing some of the odd code readings. I'm not going to get too far into that in this thread with the progressive insurance claims and people's personal stories, but I have this nagging feeling that even though it's not supposed to be possible, maybe it is possible that these things interfere with the electrical system, communications etc.)

As far as the oil, I suppose if anyone disagrees, I'm certainly open to ideas on the oil in the wires, but otherwise I'm going to tackle it from mooseman's angle and handle that solenoid. Excited! Lol

 

[Reprise]

Far be it from me to discourage anyone trying to make their vehicle run optimally, but most of the time, oil (or more often, 'grease') generally won't harm wiring (or connectors). Even if the wire is somehow exposed (think: battery cable ends on older cars, etc.)

For wire itself, there are certain cables (non-automotive, high-voltage stuff) that are impregnated / bathed in oil -- it helps both cool and insulate). Then there's dielectric grease, which is made to actually improve conductivity -- we'll often use it for lighting connections and the like.

Automotive wire / harness connectors tend to be pretty robust, as they need to keep the wiring safe from water and other harmful things. This isn't exclusive to GM, of course, but having serviced them the last few years, I kinda like (or at least understand) their various 'flavors'. I'm also very partial to Hondas, but their connectors throw me for a loop sometimes, as they're often very different than what I've become accustomed to over the years. And this is coming from someone who usually has a copy of the factory service manual for any vehicle I own.

As an aside, having access to things like automotive pick tools and the like can make disconnecting / removing certain connectors much easier. And experience always helps, of course. When I was younger, I certainly broke one or two connectors after struggling to take them apart. And I'm sure I'll break one or two more before they pry the tools from my cold, dead fingers.

With the CPAS specifically, it's an exception to the above, as detecting oil on / around it is one of the steps in troubleshooting it. Also, it's unique to the I6, so those of us with the V8s don't have to worry about them (our engines are relative dinosaurs, in comparison).

TL;DR: Don't worry too much about a little oil around components. Of course, if it's the result of leakage from a component, you want to track the source and eliminate the leak if possible (taking into account the size of the leak and the effort needed to stop it -- the oil pan gasket comes to mind on these trucks especially (as the 4wd components actually go through a hole in the pan -- by design!) Usually, a pan leak takes a lot of work on almost any vehicle, not just ours. So you'll see a lot of people put up with that type of a leak, if it's slow, rather than spend the time / labor to fix it (or spend $$$ to have someone do it).

 

[Redbeard]

Then there's dielectric grease, which is made to actually improve conductivity -- we'll often use it for lighting connections and the like.

Dielectric, sometimes referred to as tune-up grease, is a viscous non-conductive waterproof substance used to protect electrical connections from corrosion and dirt. So it prevents corrosion from damaging the electric connection, yet itself does not conduct electricity.

For a bit more info on dielectric grease:

What The Heck is Dielectric Grease?

Learn more on what dielectric grease is. Our team of experts have prepared a detailed guide on everything you need to know about electric grease.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Mooseman]

I only chase current active codes. I don't bother with pending codes. If they are just pending codes they are not worth chasing yet. That is why the system lists them that way, because the system doesn't think they are a real issue at the time.

However, as I have experienced, a pending code will disable cruise control. Codes involving the VVT in particular will do this.

With the CPAS specifically, it's an exception to the above, as detecting oil on / around it is one of the steps in troubleshooting it. Also, it's unique to the I6, so those of us with the V8s don't have to worry about them (our engines are relative dinosaurs, in comparison).

Swapping out the CPAS and cam position sensor was the resolution for this thread:

SOLVED! - Persistent P0171 & P0340 and corresponding/related issues:

Need some input here from you gents concerning the problems I've had coinciding, whilst having both codes. Bear with me, as I might go different directions explaining issues and my thoughts... Truck has had a high idle and lean issue for a while, that I've sadly procrastinated on...

gmtnation.com

Another possibility is excessively old oil. What does it look like? Because of the VVT system, it can be particularly sensitive to oil conditions and viscosity. Since this truck is new-to-you, was an oil change done? Even if the oil life monitor says it's still good, it may need to be changed anyway.

 

[TJBaker57]

Another possibility is excessively old oil. What does it look like? Because of the VVT system, it can be particularly sensitive to oil conditions and viscosity. Since this truck is new-to-you, w

Indeed!!

When I first acquired my 2002 back in 2010 it would occasionally set the P0340 as well as a P0014. I learned what they were and how the system operated. Cleared the codes a few times and did my usual oil changes using full synthetic oil. Never removed the CPAS or the position sensor. The CPAS had oil on it and the connector spins. After some time both codes stopped returning as the synthetic oil did its' thing. I have often monitored and recorded the operation of the system. Works fine.

Just sayin'. Others experiences may vary.

 

[Redbeard]

My trailblazer was an '04. If it showed any codes the cruise control won't work. After clearing the codes it would work until another code was thrown. Clear all your codes and go for a spin to see if your cruise control is doing the same thing. Sometimes this would stay clear for several weeks or only several minutes, but either way you will know if the codes are causing the problem.
This would upset the mrs. (and this was her daily driver) because I would clear the codes and go for a ride with her and just like magic no cruise control problems. lol. I never figured out what was causing the error codes, but normally it would throw a misfire code. Something Mooseman mentioned before (and this might have already been mentioned in this thread) is make sure you have electricity at your cigarette lighter because they run on the same circuit.

 

[Elizabetty]

My trailblazer was an '04. If it showed any codes the cruise control won't work. After clearing the codes it would work until another code was thrown. Clear all your codes and go for a spin to see if your cruise control is doing the same thing. Sometimes this would stay clear for several weeks or only several minutes, but either way you will know if the codes are causing the problem.
This would upset the mrs. (and this was her daily driver) because I would clear the codes and go for a ride with her and just like magic no cruise control problems. lol. I never figured out what was causing the error codes, but normally it would throw a misfire code. Something Mooseman mentioned before (and this might have already been mentioned in this thread) is make sure you have electricity at your cigarette lighter because they run on the same circuit.

Interesting because when I had the battery disconnected, codes cleared and cruise did work. Some codes have now returned, communication ones, but cruise is still working. AC decided to not work now LOL. I'm getting to those wiring schematics little by little. Appreciate the info!

 

[TequilaWarrior]

Changing out the CPAS and the camshaft position sensor are fairly easy as all the stuff you'll remove are "accessories" to the engine. The camshaft position sensor is slightly more involved, but not terrible. When changing either/both of these, a can or two of electrical contact cleaner will be your best friend... spray out the connections very well and let them dry (takes seconds). A good clean connection is best. In general, whenever I do anything involving an electrical connector I clean it. Depending on where it's located (bulbs, especially), I'll put some contact grease in it during reassembly.

 

[Elizabetty]

Today is the day the solenoid is replaced. I could not move the power steering pump out of the way when trying to loosen bolts so I'm at a shop recommended for being fair and affordable. Here's hoping things go well. I appreciate the tips because I was able to use your info, supply photos, and request the work be done without them insisting on the initial appointment to look it over and charge me to tell me what I already see and know.

 

[Elizabetty]

After that solenoid was replaced, the engine does run better. I believe it was responsible for some of the clicking when accelerating. That had started a day before I had it fixed. After they did the repair for me, I switched out the camshaft position sensor by myself and went through a reset of everything since the throttle body had been cleaned and sensors were replaced and it was my understanding without doing that, the engine is going to be running off it's stored information based on a dirty part or problematic data it had stored. I no longer have the pending p0340 after many many engine cycles or drive cycles I suppose. They cleaned the connector for the solenoid and suggested I wait to see if I have problems before replacing it since they were confident the oil has been handled. So far so good on those parts of the engine.