Variable Valve Timing Solenoid Failure: A Common Problem with Unusual Symptoms

When it comes to car troubles, few things are more frustrating than dealing with mysterious symptoms that don't seem to add up to a clear diagnosis. Such was the case when 'variable valve timing solenoid failure' began to manifest itself in my vehicle.

At first, I thought I had a failing head gasket, but as I dug deeper, it became apparent that there were more complex issues at play. The white smoke wasn't visible while cruising on flat surfaces, but only appeared when I was driving uphill and the RPMs exceeded 2200. This led me to suspect that the problem was related to the engine's variable valve timing system.

Driving under hard acceleration produced even more smoke, along with a strange pinging and rattling noise accompanied by high-tone tapping sounds. It didn't sound like a sticking fuel injector, so I knew I had to investigate further.

After some research, I replaced the OEM Hitachi camshaft position sensors with new ones from Autozone. This seemed to improve the engine's performance, but there were still some lingering issues that needed to be addressed.

Unfortunately, my efforts to resolve the problem were short-lived, as I soon discovered that the variable timing valves themselves were failing. To access the bank 1 VVT solenoid, you'll need to remove the cowl and carefully torque the three 10mm bolts to the recommended specification of 87-112 inch-pounds.

After installing new VVT solenoids from Partgeeks, which came as a kit with gaskets for just $87 plus shipping, I thought that my troubles were behind me. However, it wasn't long before I started experiencing the same sluggish starting and difficulty accelerating up hills, accompanied by excessive oil consumption and thick smoke pouring out of the tailpipes.

To make matters worse, I was getting code P0011 a few times a day, indicating a problem with bank 2's VVT solenoid. In desperation, I tried mixing Marvel Mystery Oil and Lestoil with Mobil 1 oil and then tapping the valve housings with a plastic hammer while the engine was running.

While these efforts seemed to provide short-term relief, it wasn't until I threw code P0021 (bank 1) and later code P0011 (bank 2) that I realized just how serious the problem had become. In this article, we'll explore the common symptoms of 'variable valve timing solenoid failure' and what you can do to diagnose and repair it.

Variable valve timing solenoid failure