Started up the 03 VRS this morning and saw an engine managment light up heard a horrible tapping, like a heat shield vibrating, the frequency of the tapping subsided as the initial choke revs dropped down to a stable idle, they did re appear upon revving to 1k-2k revs.

Error Message was: Camshaft A, retardent, not met preset... etc etc along those lines.

Now i remember getting that message sometimes along with the 'running too lean' messages i got when one of my vac pipes/crankcase breather hose has a hole in it.

After sticking my head inder the bonnet revved the engine a little bit up and down so that the tap was still audible at tick over.... the tapping (which sounded like if i were to tap a screwdriver on a piece of plastic)was coming from the box thing inbetween the Coolant res and the power steering fluid res on the drivers side of the engine bay.

This black box thing (looks like the vaccum hoses run too it) inbetween these 2 has like an electrical plug on the top, and the tapping sounded to be coming directly from this plug, so i unplugged it .. and the tapping stopped.... plugged it in ... it started again, re unplugged and plugged and got it to stop.... but WTF is that about?

Btw i havent been through any large puddles or flood puddles or anything. so i dont see how an electric connector could be shorting or anything.

Is it a coincidence that this camshaft A error message that i got with a VAC leak has mysteriously re appeared when this tapping noise is coming from the box that looks like the vac hoses are going into.

Any help, much appreciated

Its the charcoal canister it does make the noise and is usually normal

I had to check it was normal when I first got my vrs too

It is unusual for the charcoal canister purge valve to operate when the engine is cold through, might indicate that the coolant sensor is bust. I reckon the cam error message is just a coincidence tbh.

Ok so assume the CAM error is a coincidence... its still coming up and goign away again .. then oming up 4 months l8er lol