Thread: Not your typical cam switch question

Basically, I didn't think my intake cam was switching. Unplugged exhaust solenoid and couldn't here the intake switch. Pulled solenoid, dunked it in cleaner, applied 12v source on and off to get the inside cleaned.

Then I hooked up a toggle to each solenoid, activated each solenoid individually low rpm, high load. I could hear the exhaust NOTICEABLY, but the intake was very very faint. Not really louder, just deeper, more "growl". Tried the intake switching back and forth at high rpm and could hardly notice change in tone or power.

I have seen other motors with variable valve timing/lift that have a problem where only some of the rockers/rollers will lock to the big lobe on one cam and some wont. It's been a long time since I have looked at the VE head, so I cant remember if this is even possible with the VE.

Has anyone had this problem, or can you tell me if it is possible? I am going to pull the shafts that the rockers pivot on sometime this week and clean them out and see what happens.


Cliff notes- Is it possible for some rockers on the intake side to lock to the big lobe and some stay on the small lobe when the solenoid is switched?

I guess if the ports in the head that lock the rockers are clogged up it could be an issue... but that is wierd!

Switching the intake cam anywhere close to idle will cause a very very lopey idle and the car will want to die. Even more so if you have large cams in there!

It is possible for some rockers not to switch, but again, it would be a clogged oil port or something like that. The rockers are not getting oil?

Are you sure the solenoid isn't having issues actually moving the valve to let oil in?

Judging by the pics in Greg's spring/retainer how-to, it can happen. I'll see how it goes when I find the time to pull the shafts out and clean them.

Edit-Coheed, my idle is too high right now to hear a difference at idle, tried it. I did physically watch the valve move when I took the solenoid out and gave it power, it was working just fine. I forgot to mention N1 cams are in there so the intake note should be very noticeable like it used to.

Another possibility if using custom (Franklin) ground cams is I found that if your valve clearance (lash) is too tight the large lobe clearance is generally tighter and it could mean that the "switch" can't engage the large lobe rocker. I haven't compared with stock cams so not sure if it is the cam base circle or the rocker itself.

Instead of switching it while the car is running to determine if its switching. Why not just try jumping it w the car off so you can hear it click on and off...? Have you already tried this

Yea thats the first thing I tried, it does click.

I know I've seen one ve car that I was trying to figure out that was very hard to tell aswell, I jumped them and they were so faint. We rewired them to ensure it was getting good connections, and idk all was well.

Yea, I know it's switching, I just remember the intake being louder and there being a bigger power difference. Guess the filter could need replacing, or the motor is tired after 5 years and over 120,000 miles.

Sometime this week or this weekend Im just gonna pull the valve cover set the cams low and run the motor so I can visually check to make sure all rockers are locking. Gonna be a mess

If you get to do this, take some pics and make a clean up thread ala spoon-feed-us-all to see the effect of dirty or clogged up VVL oil tubes, etc...

I just slapped my VVL on with just a motor flush and I'm wondering now.

So your intake note used to be louder than it is now with the same N1 cams?