I had to do one this summer but it was just a return spring that failed. Sounds like you have the helical style actuator? You may consider upgrading to the vane style.

 

2012 2.9L I4. sprocket changed at about 38k under warrantee, went to pick up truck and the code popped up before leaving parking lot. paperwork indicates faulty new sprocket, so it was changed again, code was cleared but start up rattle still present.

"33738 exhaust cam actuator not latching code P0017 4065090 + ET 2.5 7.10 started unit cold & had rattle noise & setting code P0017. Removed valve cover, front cover & engine pan to check proper camshaft timing asper SI. Timing was correct. called TAC and was advised to snapshot of actuator data when cold start. Timing indicated 51* off commanded position which set code & rattle. replaced exhaust camshaft actuator. ET was used to verify correct cam chain timing"

 

What oil are you running in the engine? I have heard that these trucks have this issue sometimes when running thicker oils, or when using motor oils like Quaker State and Pensoil as these oils have some paraffin mixed in causing more sludge in smaller oil passages.

 

it would be interesting to hear what type of oil/filter the OP is using ... I've used the following oils ...

Pennzoil Ultra full synthetic with a Fram XG-3506
Pennzoil Gold with Fram XG-3506 filter
Pennzoil Gold and MMO Fram XG-3506 filter
Castrol Titanium with Fram XG-3506.
Acdelco 5w-30 Blend with PF46e
combo of Acdelco 3qt 5w-30 and 1qt 0w-20 acdelco PF46e
Castrol Magnatec 5w-30 acdelco PF46e
combo of Castrol Magnatec 3qt 5w-30 and 1qt 0w-20 acdelco PF46e
Mobile 1 0w-40 with PF46e filter
Mobile 1 0w-40 with Fram XG-3506 filter

 

Hey all,
I have been using Chevron Supreme 5W-30 since the head was installed, prior i tried synthetic oil but think i read somewhere here on the forum that it wasn't necessarly better for these engines. Btw mine is an 3.5 from a 2005 truck. Filter is a fram this time but napa gold before. As far as replacing the actuator with a different style, that could be interesting. I just found the one on gm parts direct will do some research to see what else is available. thanks for ideas

 

Is the actuator that sensitive to thicker oils? I have 272,400 miles on the clock and was getting the "low oil pressure light" and at the suggestion of a mechanic friend I switched to 15W40 + Lucas hi-mileage oil stabilizer. Well no more "low oil pressure" lights but I keep getting the P0014 code no even tho I changed the solenoid (found no missing screens and didn't see any blockages). Think its the thicker oil?

 

Yes. I think it's probably a combination of what appears to be the oil pump becoming worn out and that combined with the thicker oil. You have small passages to activate these parts, and you now have decreased oil pressure combined with thicker oil. One other symptom would be the timing chain rattle lasting a little longer on start up. Our timing chain tensioners use oil pressure to put tension on the timing chain. If oil pressure is decreased, it will take longer to build pressure and the timing chain will have slack in it for a longer period of time. Have you noticed a rattle at start up that lasts a few seconds, or lasts longer than did before changing to thicker oil? Might be time to replace oil pump. That's a major job, but certainly worth it if the truck is in good condition otherwise.

 

I've been chasing this as well. My next move is making sure the oil pickup screen is not clogged up, pulling the oil pressure low.

 

I don't believe I have noticed any chain rattle (could be partly deaf). Getting into an oil pump change on a 4x4 (argh!) at this point (really trying to sell it cuz I got a 2010 Colorado LTZ (about 200,000 less miles) to replace it. I hoping that the oil viscosity change didn't damage the actuator. I have been trying to find a replacement for it but every place is out of stock or discontinued. Can the '06-on-up vane style actuator be installed on my '05 engine? Wasn't sure if anything else got changed or just the actuator itself. Gonna try going back to 5W and some Lucas to see if that works. Just gotta get it to drive far enough to get the emissions stuff reset to "GREEN" so I can get the sniff test done and then sell it. I must admit that this truck owes me nothing and has been a great runner for 275,000 miles. Shouldn't have let it sit for two years not being used and out in the weather.

 

Can the '06-on-up vane style actuator be installed on my '05 engine? Wasn't sure if anything else got changed or just the actuator itself.

I'd love an answer to that question - the vane style is significantly cheaper as well.

I don't think you'll damage the actuator, but I don't think it will fix it either. It's highly likely its got sludge in it and that's keeping it from moving properly - letting it sit definitely didn't help. (I'm currently unscrewing my 99 S10 that I let sit for 2 years...) This might be a "roll of the dice" but I'm seriously considering doing an engine flush with ATF or diesel, just to see if it will clean things up. If the P0017 is really about low oil pressure (to the point where the factory manual cites using the wrong oil filter can cause the problem), then sludge can definitely be a wrench in the works. I recently watched one video where a guy with a similar problem filled his new oil filter up with ATF (along with a 4:1 oil/ATF mixture in the pan), so that straight ATF went directly into the cam phaser. The whole procedure did fix the low pressure and phaser problem, but there's no guarantee there.

 

Just another observation on this: I frequently can start the truck for the first time in the day and drive for quite awhile without getting the P0017 code. But if I turn it off for a short period of time and restart it, I'll get it almost immediately. The difference is the higher oil pressure on the initial start because the oil is cold. Once the oil is warm and thinned out, it doesn't generate enough pressure in the system to either get the actuator moving properly, and/or put enough tension on the timing chain to take up the slack.