Thread: VVL Solenoids intermittent

Ive had a couple of cars come to me of late where the solenoids are not switching, or are intermittent.

On both cars the solenoids will click clearly if i trigger them manually with the engine running, and sometimes the clearly engage as the idle note changes. They will also sometimes clearly switch while driving, and other times no noticable change.

Ive read on here about the solenoids failing, where they do not click at all, but havent come across any reference to the actual engagement not working.

I know these engines can get a hard life, the CVT's dont let them cam switch much, so they tend to gum up. Both cars i have removed the whole solenoid assembly and blown the whole assembly out while activating the solenoids to clear all the passages, and not really noticed any large amounts of crud coming out, but the passages in the housing definately change over with the solenoids being triggered.

I hoping its not the case, but im starting to wonder if the passages in the head that carry the oil to the lobe followers are not getting gummed up, and if they are, is there any way to clean these without major dissasembly?

I have tried blowing into the ports of the head with air, and there is clear clicking sounds.

The car i just worked on has a fairly clear sound of cam change at 6k for exhaust, but no noticable change on intake at 4600.

So is this on stock ecu or using any other RPM switch?
Check grounds and clean the VVL solenoid housing with some carb cleaner

Maybe not the solenoids but the device you use to switch them (Greddy MSS, etc) is going bad or has a bad connection.

You said it does click and seem to work when manually activated (direct 12V + direct ground).

No, im triggering the solenoids under the bonnet with the engine running, this is a good test because at idle the cams will go onto high lobe and the idle will get very lumpy and drop off if you leave them on.

There is a clear click at all times, and im using a reprogramed factory sr20ve ecu to switch them, so i know what rpm i have set them to. I can hear the exhaust most times while driving, but the intake doesnt seem to switch at all while driving, as many of you with VE's know the intake noise is very noticable, and there is no change.

The solenoids click, the housing is not blocked up, and there is a lot of oil in the housing when removed, so the only thing i can conclude is the oil galleries from the solenoid housing to the cams inside the head are blocked.

I think the exhaust cam is the loud one.. intake cam isnt that loud.

Im switching the intake at 4800 and exhaust at 6k, and i can def hear the exhaust note change at 6k, but no noticable change in the intake noise at 4800, and the car has a pod filter.

I have seen this problem and it is usually an engine that is low on oil or the selenoid filter has some thing stuck in it.

Ive cleaned the solenoid filter, so im maybe thinking it could be a oil pressure problem. Its got a Nissan filter, 100,000km on the engine, came from a very well looked after car that had been in a minor frontal crash. Engine is very clean inside for 100k.

Im not sure where to go from here, its not my car its a mates, but i want to help him out.

Cheers