Jeeeez..How much is this gonna cost??? 16396 error code

[markymarkg]

All was good till today. Then up pops the EML on the dash. Plugged it in an found a 16396 error code.

Had a look around the forum and the interweb and it's listed as a cam intake shaft sensor or something.

Just to add a bit more info, when the car is warm it has a tendancy to "tap" pretty loud at tick over but goes again under normal driving. I posted a question a while ago with some other codes(i've now sorted)and about the "tapping" noise and was told it could be the carbon canister, a coil pack and a few people saying not to worry about it as theres also did that.

But after some digging around, i'm wondering if the "tapping" is something to do with the internal cam chain tensioner - if there is such a thing and the problem has got worse to the point that it's throwing this code up.

Is it safe to drive like this......is it an easy job to do...can somebody explain if its a spring loaded tensioner or oil fed??

Thanks

[pickles]

 it could be the adjuster / timing chain, cam timing out? ie cambelt not fitted correctly, also check the oil pressure as low pressure can cause the adjuster to fail i hear.

your camshaft sensor is on the left handside of the engine as you look at it,take timing cover off and to the right of the big exhaust pulley theres a little alloy cap held on with 2 10mm bolts, sensors under there.

im sure the ecu will adjust timing n stuff but dont quote me on that .

[markymarkg]

I can get the timing checked but i doubt it has jumped a tooth and no body has been near it and the car still pulls as well as it always has. Do you think if i changed the sensor it would loose the error code.

Do you know how the timing chain that links the 2 cams works.......is it spring loaded??