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Pro Tip: Chevrolet Cruze Knock Sensor Codes

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6 years 1 month ago #17562 by Tyler
Just another heads up for the hard working folks around here. :cheer: This particular problem wasn't mentioned anywhere in SI, Identifix, or TSB's/PIP's. One obscure reference in the iATN TechHelp archive. Was this a one-off problem, or something more common? Dunno, but I feel like there's the opportunity for misdiagnosis here, thus the post.

2012 Cruze has a complaint of engine noise, no power, and the check engine light. They got their codes read at The Zone/Advance/O'Reilly/wherever, and they looked like this:



P00B7 is almost always caused by low coolant, so I skip that for now. Start the engine, and something's definitely ticking away under the hood. :dry: Doesn't sound like a rod is gonna try to escape or anything, but it doesn't sound good. I check the available scan data for anything useful, and I'm surprised to find this:



Not only is there the usual Knock Retard data that we find on GM's, but it's also got PIDs for cylinder specific knock. :huh: The data seems pretty confident that cylinder #1 is the problem, so I remember that for later. Is this accurate? Who knows. :silly: For giggles, I run through a power balance test to see if there's any weak cylinders, or if the noise goes away/gets worse. All cylinders are contributing, and the noise never goes away.

I poke around with the stethoscope for a bit, and decide that I'm getting the worst of it from the valve cover, above cylinder #4. Definitely in the upper end. This kinda flies in the face of the scan data I saw earlier. :unsure: Whatever, stethoscope don't lie, so the valve cover comes off.



Not my image, just providing a lay of the land for anyone unfamiliar. I poke at the rocker arms, and find both intake lifters for #4 and one intake lifter for #2 are not pumped up at all. :blink: That'd be our noise. But why? Could just be a case of bad lifters. Before I move on, I shake the timing chain between the cam actuators, and find the upper guide is finger loose. :ohmy: The bolts are loose, too.



That's the one. But why does that matter? Look underneath.



There we go. :cheer: A oil pressure leak in the upper end could definitely cause lifter issues. Tightening the bolts made everything quiet, no codes returned.

FYI, reason for the oil passage beneath the guide is because the guide also has a small port to lube the chain as it goes by:



I don't know the service history on this one, so I can't say if the loose bolts were the result of a previous repair or not. The cylinder specific knock PIDs were cool, but ultimately not that accurate, so I'll pass on those for now. I can easily see someone throwing a set of lifters, a knock sensor, a module, and who knows what else at this one.
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6 years 1 month ago #17581 by bruce.oliver
Awesome diag, good job
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6 years 1 month ago #17614 by Noah
Awesome man! Great tip, too bad it wasn't something more serious. Then they could junk that load, lol!

"Ground cannot be checked with a 10mm socket"
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6 years 1 month ago #17729 by Dylan
Damn good find Tyler. Haven't seen a guide with an oil passage.
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6 years 1 month ago - 6 years 1 month ago #17732 by Tyler

Dylan wrote: Damn good find Tyler. Haven't seen a guide with an oil passage.


Me neither! :lol: That small passage makes me wonder what happens if/when it plugs with sludge. Is that the chains only lube source? I dunno.

Noah wrote: Awesome man! Great tip, too bad it wasn't something more serious. Then they could junk that load, lol!


Seriously, whenever I read about the future of automotive repair , I just remind myself that these engines are still being produced. :cheer:
Last edit: 6 years 1 month ago by Tyler.
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4 years 9 months ago #30199 by AlSteelHead
Thanks Tyler, you just saved my daughter $1,600. She took the car to two different Chevy Dealers and got two different diagnoses. She was about to take it in for a new set of lifters. Her boyfriend fixed it in 20 minutes! Glad I read your post first!
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4 years 9 months ago #30200 by Tyler
Nice! :cheer: Glad to hear it. So one dealer suggested lifters, what did the other suggest?

For my info, what led you to this post, specifically?
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4 years 9 months ago #30208 by AlSteelHead
The other dealer said the turbo needed replacement, maybe lifters also. I was pretty sure that it wasn't the turbo. Since she lives 500 miles away, I wasn't able to actually listen to the tapping noise; maybe it really was knock. I thought of all kinds of different scenarios that might cause excessive knock, but they all should have set other OBD codes. She had the knock sensor replaced, no help. However, if it was lifter noise, I wondered why it was intermittent. In my experience, if it was a stuck lifter, it would tap all of the time. This tap would come and go; mostly at idle, but sometimes down the road. I was struggling to find the root cause, so I searched the internet using "2014 Chevy Cruze, low power, codes P0324 P0325". After reading several posts that didn't make any sense, your post came up. All of the symptoms matched. I sent my daughter the link and told her that I was 95% confident this was the fix. When her boyfriend took off the valve cover, the timing chain guard bolts were loose, and after tightening them, the car is running like a champ again! (140k miles)
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4 years 9 months ago #30829 by forumoto
I have same chevy with same engine, having this engine knock sound of bearing sound when car is put under load, when you accelerate it won’t give first fly acceleration, even when you flood the accelerator, the noise become more as the engine heat up but only when you accelerate.

Error code is P0324 - Knock sensor module performance

None of the camshaft sensor also give fault code whereby I would say may be timing issue..

Spark plug has been changed, MaF has also being changed by other mec before car came...

I need help .

No scope, have digital meter, stethoscope, launch pro scanner... and others

Christ De Way Maker
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4 years 9 months ago #30920 by Tyler
Any of the cylinder specific knock PIDs available on your scanner? Can the stethoscope narrow down where the knock is coming from?

If upper end, I'd say it's worth pulling the valve cover off to investigate lifters and timing components. If lower end, then the engine may not be long for this world. ;) :lol:
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4 years 9 months ago #30925 by forumoto
The knock sound is not coming from the top and there is no lift noise but rather it is coming from the engine block inside, we have removed the base and inspect the piston connecting rod bearings to the crank and all seems fine not wear out.. but yet when the engine get hot it begin to knock...

Christ De Way Maker
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4 years 7 months ago #33130 by KNE
Tyler,
This is awesome that you were able to figure this one out—must be more common than any of us knows. My 2013 Cruze Eco (70K miles) was exhibiting similar symptoms—ticking noise coming from valvetrain (especially after engine warmed up), periodic lack of power, and CEL coming on and off. Higher octane fuel did nothing to stop the faux “knocking”. Finally, I borrowed my friend’s OBD2 scan tool and it showed only one code: P0324. Which lead me to the internet and your diagnosis. You were spot on. As soon as I pulled off the valve cover (BTW, pretty easy peasy on these vehicles), I could see that the timing chain guide and two retaining bolts were loose. Tightened them down, reinstalled cover, ignition coil, and plugs, and she runs goog as new. Thanks much!
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4 years 7 months ago #33133 by Tyler

KNE wrote: This is awesome that you were able to figure this one out—must be more common than any of us knows.


No kidding. :blink: :lol: Wonder if they just don't get torqued correctly at the factory...
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4 years 7 months ago #33143 by KNE
Not really sure what the recommended torque for these bolts is. I set my wrench for about 15 ft-lb (180 in-lb) which is more than twice the torque that I used on the camshaft cover bolts (71 in-lb). Who knows if that's too little torque or too much.
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4 years 7 months ago #33150 by Tyler
I'm OK with that. Better too tight than going loose again!
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4 years 6 months ago #33240 by Chuckles
The scan data was accurate in that it identified the cylinder firing at the time the knock occurred. Remember, those PID's are intended to identify knock from detonation, not mechanical knock. This was a good example of the importance of a good, thorough, basic mechanical inspection. Great work! Thanks.
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4 years 2 months ago #36983 by Noah
You are the man Tyler!
Someone just junked one here after a garage told them it needed an engine. A little Lock Tite and a $15 valve cover gasket and this thing is the nicest car on the lot :)
Looks like I owe you beer this May in PA

"Ground cannot be checked with a 10mm socket"
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3 years 7 months ago #42437 by 2014cruze
The shop wanted 1000 just to tear apart the engine. After finding your post it saved me so much and cost me $30 took less then an hour!! Thank you for posting.
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3 years 7 months ago #42438 by Tyler
Glad it came in handy for you! :cheer:

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3 years 6 months ago #42677 by JKUman
Ok guys, I too have this reoccurring P0325 knock sensor code that keeps coming back. Oil changed, timing chain guide tightened (very loose), new knock sensor, spark plugs checked and tightened, PCV system as had the V3 conversion so don't think it has to do with that.... but this error keeps coming back after I clear it on my scanner. I don't have a fancy scanner to look deeper into the issue. I'm now leaning towards a bad wiring harness. I have not found ANYONE who has either troubleshooted or replaced this harness. I'm so tired of driving this car in limp mode. I've literally replaced 20 components on this car and this one has me completley stumped. Any guidance before I take to dealer is much appreciated. Thanks

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