the dreaded VTC
08-24-2000, 06:19 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 615
Quick, easy questions (hopefully)... I think my '93 SE has a VTC failure. It's not really bad and the slight clicking goes away quickly if it happens at all. I have almost 94K miles.
1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
3) anybody know a dealer in Michigan/Indiana area who'll fix it well for a decent price?
Peace out.
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan
1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
3) anybody know a dealer in Michigan/Indiana area who'll fix it well for a decent price?
Peace out.
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan
08-24-2000, 06:59 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 101
VTC answers...
Originally posted by RosenKen
>>Quick, easy questions (hopefully)... I think my '93 SE has a VTC failure. It's not really bad and the slight clicking goes away quickly if it happens at all. I have almost 94K miles.
>>1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
Nope. What happens is the advanced timing does NOT DISengage when the VTC are bad. So it advances timing at low RPM's. The actual noise ismade form something that I dont' know (I doubt it's "valve clatter" but not sure).
>>2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
Nope! I ran with it for over 10k miles and it isn't a problem -- just an annoyance. Dont' worry about "romping" on it. It should change a thing as far as VTC damage goes. I autcrossed with VTC problems 3 times.
>>3) anybody know a dealer in Michigan/Indiana area who'll fix it well for a decent price?
Well, it costs between $1000 and $1400 to replace them. I recently ALOMST did it. (ordered the parts, had the parts to my mechanic, etc.) But, he remeber a "different" fix that they (people at Nissan) ahve been doing lately. You can ground the solenoid wire PERMENANTLY so that the VTC never engange. This was done on my car for $56. (My Mech. told Criag B that most of that time was having the car hooked to the computer checking that it was successful -- apparently you have to get a REAL good ground and souder it (undoable, but not easy to break). Not ten minutes ago I went out and took pics for Craig and sent them too him. I'm sure he will put them on his web site and/or post them soon.
It does seemed to be "fixed". There is a little noise sometimes at startup (may be a lifter problem) but goes away quickly (30 to 60 secs) and is NOT the same as a VTC noise (I'm REAL familar with that!). My mech swears there is NOT a noticable performance difference (and he's right!). A dyno MAY be able to pick it out. Now I understand this is all a little hard to swallow. It was for me too. I didn't understand why or how this would work, but it seem to and coompletely trust my mechaninc.
Hope that helps, look for more VTC grounding info soon,
Ryan
ryan@fobart.net
>>Peace out.
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan
>>Quick, easy questions (hopefully)... I think my '93 SE has a VTC failure. It's not really bad and the slight clicking goes away quickly if it happens at all. I have almost 94K miles.
>>1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
Nope. What happens is the advanced timing does NOT DISengage when the VTC are bad. So it advances timing at low RPM's. The actual noise ismade form something that I dont' know (I doubt it's "valve clatter" but not sure).
>>2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
Nope! I ran with it for over 10k miles and it isn't a problem -- just an annoyance. Dont' worry about "romping" on it. It should change a thing as far as VTC damage goes. I autcrossed with VTC problems 3 times.
>>3) anybody know a dealer in Michigan/Indiana area who'll fix it well for a decent price?
Well, it costs between $1000 and $1400 to replace them. I recently ALOMST did it. (ordered the parts, had the parts to my mechanic, etc.) But, he remeber a "different" fix that they (people at Nissan) ahve been doing lately. You can ground the solenoid wire PERMENANTLY so that the VTC never engange. This was done on my car for $56. (My Mech. told Criag B that most of that time was having the car hooked to the computer checking that it was successful -- apparently you have to get a REAL good ground and souder it (undoable, but not easy to break). Not ten minutes ago I went out and took pics for Craig and sent them too him. I'm sure he will put them on his web site and/or post them soon.
It does seemed to be "fixed". There is a little noise sometimes at startup (may be a lifter problem) but goes away quickly (30 to 60 secs) and is NOT the same as a VTC noise (I'm REAL familar with that!). My mech swears there is NOT a noticable performance difference (and he's right!). A dyno MAY be able to pick it out. Now I understand this is all a little hard to swallow. It was for me too. I didn't understand why or how this would work, but it seem to and coompletely trust my mechaninc.
Hope that helps, look for more VTC grounding info soon,
Ryan
ryan@fobart.net
>>Peace out.
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan
08-24-2000, 07:50 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 615
Re: VTC answers...
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Killermove
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by RosenKen
[B]>>Quick, easy questions (hopefully)... I think my '93 SE has a VTC failure. It's not really bad and the slight clicking goes away quickly if it happens at all. I have almost 94K miles.
>>1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
Nope. What happens is the advanced timing does NOT DISengage when the VTC are bad. So it advances timing at low RPM's. The actual noise ismade form something that I dont' know (I doubt it's "valve clatter" but not sure).
>>2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
Nope! I ran with it for over 10k miles and it isn't a problem -- just an annoyance. Dont' worry about "romping" on it. It should change a thing as far as VTC damage goes. I autcrossed with VTC problems 3 times.
All good news. So is the clatter noise detonation (pinging?) since the timing is so far advanced? I'm sure I can live with it. It'll just be annoying explaining the noise to everybody new to the car ;-)
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan- soon to make a signature!
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by RosenKen
[B]>>Quick, easy questions (hopefully)... I think my '93 SE has a VTC failure. It's not really bad and the slight clicking goes away quickly if it happens at all. I have almost 94K miles.
>>1) what actually causes the clicking noise? is it loose valve clearances?
Nope. What happens is the advanced timing does NOT DISengage when the VTC are bad. So it advances timing at low RPM's. The actual noise ismade form something that I dont' know (I doubt it's "valve clatter" but not sure).
>>2) does anybody know for sure if it'll damage the car as long as I let it warm up and go away before I romp on it?
Nope! I ran with it for over 10k miles and it isn't a problem -- just an annoyance. Dont' worry about "romping" on it. It should change a thing as far as VTC damage goes. I autcrossed with VTC problems 3 times.
All good news. So is the clatter noise detonation (pinging?) since the timing is so far advanced? I'm sure I can live with it. It'll just be annoying explaining the noise to everybody new to the car ;-)
Ken
'93 black SE 5spd
Michigan- soon to make a signature!
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