Has anyone here had to replace the VCT Solenoid in their VQ35DE? I have a friend with a VQ35DE Max, and it started making a knocking sound from the valve covers. I talked to my friend at my local Nissan Parts department, and he said that the VCT Solenoid is a comon problem with the VQ's.

I was wondering if anyone has any info on this repair.

Also Im not 100% sure that the VCT solenoid is the problem. The engine was knocking for a bit when it was cold, now it does it all the time. It also has a sound which sounds like the timing chain rattling, my friend told me that the solenoid can cause that noise too. Anyone have any other ideas on this?

 

You mean VTC.

And the problem seems to be common in that the engine knocks upon startup since the solenoids are oil starved for the 1st few seconds when started up.


Does his car burn any considerable amount of oil?

 

It was a few quarts low, and there is a major oil leak from the oil pan seal. Im gunna have to reseal the pan with some new form-a-gasket.