There may be nothing you can do... P0016

[mm3846]

I did an entire timing belt service on my old Subaru because of a bad OEM cam sensor right out of the box.

Start with the cheapest/easiest fix first.

 

[Al Pizzica]

Update:
The code came on right after an oil change and my wife was driving (she has bad luck with anything electrical, as did my father, anyone else know someone like this?)
We parked it for a week (3rd car) as I was travelling. When I moved it behind the shed the light and code were gone.
Now its been gone since OP and about 100+ miles.

Does anyone know the definitive chain through the oil fill test. If I push down there is NO play. If I pull up and kind of on a 45degree angle there is 1/2" play. There is NO chain noise on startup.

Am I completely paranoid? Was this a spurious code? The Indy LR tech I talked to said oil being low or high can sometimes throw this code. Could it have been a recent oil change code? These things are SO sensitive.

I kind of want to drive it until I hear chain noise and then get the work done. Thoughts?

 

[ftillier]

I believe the chains will give you a lot of warning (via noise) before you skip a tooth, so you're probably fine waiting. Unlike coolant system that can fail catastrophically without warning.

 

[ttforcefed]

Update:
The code came on right after an oil change and my wife was driving (she has bad luck with anything electrical, as did my father, anyone else know someone like this?)
We parked it for a week (3rd car) as I was travelling. When I moved it behind the shed the light and code were gone.
Now its been gone since OP and about 100+ miles.

Does anyone know the definitive chain through the oil fill test. If I push down there is NO play. If I pull up and kind of on a 45degree angle there is 1/2" play. There is NO chain noise on startup.

Am I completely paranoid? Was this a spurious code? The Indy LR tech I talked to said oil being low or high can sometimes throw this code. Could it have been a recent oil change code? These things are SO sensitive.

I kind of want to drive it until I hear chain noise and then get the work done. Thoughts?

Just not worth the potential agita and money. I was in the same spot and ultimately just did the job.

 

[mm3846]

I’d never jump to a $5000 timing chain job if this truck popped a code once… not relying on Rover electronics for that. I’ll wait til I hear the slap or get a consistent cam/crank correlation code.