DTC 11 Intake cam / distribution position error - what does that mean?

[smdixon]

New to the nautique fam! Bought a 2013 super air with z409 engine. Took it out today for the first time. After about an hour of cruising, we filled the ballast and drove around. After try to hitting around twenty the check engine came on. It’s running fine. I searched and searched but can’t find anything. Please help! Any insight would be appreciated!

[NautiqueJeff]

Here's another post about this error, including the cause:
https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...ine-fault-code

Also, there is no such thing as a 2013 Super Sport 230. Your boat is a Super Air Nautique 230.

[smdixon]

Thanks for the clarification! Trying to combine a sport and an air :-).

I looked over that post before I posted mine. My strainer was clean and temp was good so I don’t think mines related to water flow. I will pull the impeller. The commonality is we had our ballast full too.

[jpwhit]

It typically means your CAM retard angle needs to be adjusted. You adjust it by loosening the retaining bolt on the distributor and rotating the distributor. But, to adjust it correctly you need Rhinda Diacom to measure the CAM retard angle while you move the distributor with the engine running.

In older days, this is how timing was adjusted. Now the timing is controlled by the ECU. This setting has to be set correctly to prevent cross firing in the distributor if the rotor isn't lined up closely enough with the correct terminal on the distributor cap over the range that the ECU electronically adjust the timing.

If you don't have Diacom, in theory you should be able set it mechanically manually, but it would be pretty tricky. You would need to manually rotate the engine to 10 degrees before TDC and then set the distributor rotation such that the contact on the rotor button is lined up with the distributor post for number 1 cylinder. There are two reasons it's quite tricky, these engines don't typically have marks on the engine pulley for 10 degree before TDC, and you have to put markings on the distributor with the rotor cap on for the position of that number 1 terminal. And then be able to line those marks up with the rotor button with the cap off. And I say in theory, because I've never tried this ........

It would probably be easier to set it close enough by trial and error. Mark the current position of the distributor. Then rotate it a few degrees one way or the other. If the engine starts misfiring in any way, then that wasn't the right way. If the code stops happening, then you're probably close enough. If the code keeps happening or if it starts happening more frequently, then you also probably went the wrong way. If it says exactly the same, then you maybe need to move it further. If none of this helps or only makes the problem worse, then you likely have another issue such as a faulty sensor.

[smdixon]

Thanks jpwhit - I am pretty sure this engine doesn’t have a distributor. I’ve read lots of stuff. One thing I found this morning is the serpentine belt was missing two ribs and had debris on the alternator and around the engine. I cleaned all that up and replaced the serpentine belt. I can’t clear the codes because I don’t have the software.

Do you think it’s safe to run it?

[jpwhit]

I should have paid more attention to the engine model. You're right, the ZR409 is distributor-less. So it's pretty odd that it's generating that fault code.

[nautiques4life]

Same code on a 2012 san230 343, did you ever find a solution?