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[LaxeyStu]

Hello,
I have had my 2.2 auto petrol for some time - has been ok and reliable.  However it has an issue which I would like to sort, but several garages don't know, but it may be a specialist but common issue.  Sorry its a long email, but its a bit of a mystery (so far at least). Thanks.
The most obvious symptom is that it sometimes delays shifting from 1st to 2nd, you have to rev up to 3500 before it goes.  After this its OK. It can do that once or more per journey but not every change up. Garages have checked the common sensors and the gearbox but its not these. There are ECU fault codes, cam sensor and transmission fault code, and transmission fault codes, but these items are mechanically OK, and the cars drives OK apart from the symptoms. The other symptoms are the car doesnt start very reliably, and I've always thought it is down on power- it doesnt pull well up hills, and I think it uses more fuel than it should. The faulty shifting is believed to be because it runs down on power at idle, upsetting the schedules. What things can I ask the garage to look at?

Thanks
Stuart.

[Steve B]

You need to get all them codes cleared first.. Then if the cam sensor code p0340 appears again, Then you are going to need a new cam sensor from the main dealer for starters... 

[LaxeyStu]

Thanks for this - the ECU codes I know of we're there, but then we did erase them and they didn't return straight away. The transmission codes pointed to I think a speed sensor, but a gearbox specialist thought it an electrical problem on the car not the gearbox.
Could the cam sensor upset the power levels and/or gearbox speed scheduling?
I think the garage who have the car now changed the cam sensor, and it didn't fix the problem so they changed it back to save the charge.

Thanks again.

[05omegav6]

Cam sensor causes all sorts of funny quirks on the 2.2 autos...

A quid bets ten that the garage didn't fit a genuine sensor that they genuinely had to collect, in person, from an actual, genuine Vauxhall dealer.

This would be my first port of call

[Andy H]

For some reason a faulty cam sensor can trigger all sorts of unrelated fault codes in a 4 cylinder Omega ECU. The ECU also seems to be extremely fussy about the manufacturer of the cam sensor. Only a genuine cam sensor (bought from a Vauxhall/Opel franchise dealer - not mail order in plain packaging) seems to do the job.

The engine and gearbox ECUs use the cam sensor as the 'speed sensor' for engine rpm. Unless you actually sourced a genuine cam sensor yourself it is probable that the one that was tried in your car was not genuine (especially as Vauxhall will only refund for a sensor if a main dealer can prove it is faulty).

[LaxeyStu]

Thanks for this info. I have replaced the cam sensor, and this has improved the starting and possibly the shifting. However the original issue about delayed shifting remains.
It seems to only affect 1st to 2nd, though I find it hard to tell if it's shifting up and down the higher gears as it should. The issue seems to affect the change just after you have climbed a hill and then stopped. Something sticking inside the box like one of the solenoids? Or a different sensor input to the box?
The car is generally driving pretty well, and I am aware auto gearbox issues can be tricky to solve.
Thanks.

[Migalot]

Oddly enough, in addition to my coolant leak issues, I've had this problem and it seems to be getting worse. It most often happens when I have been coasting (e.g. downhill) or feathering the throttle in slow traffic then, when I accelerate, it doesn't want to change up - or if it does, it is accompanied by a kick and, occasionally a limp-home mode light (which is cleared as soon as you restart the engine). 

I've been thinking it may be a faulty throttle potentiometer..and I now have one in stock (from eBay) so I'll try it when I get a moment.

[omegod]

Had severe issues like this on my 2.2, solenoids were the issue, not bad to change but I used scrap yard ones that didn't last long really. Maybe a known good used set would be better. Code reader we can't mention showed clearly they were the issue