Hi,

I'm starting my VTC repair and I guess I didn't notice it before, but the left bank VTC solinoid is actually leaking from the top. The oil is oozing out from where the connector plugs onto the solinoid. Anyone see this before? I'm kinda wondering if this is what my problem is from, as opposed to a problem inside the actual sprocket. Do those o-rings on the solinoid keep the oil from coming up through the solinoid.. or only from coming out of the engine. I'm trying to figure out if I can just change the two o-rings or do I have to buy a whole new VTC solinoid?

Thanks in advance,
Joseph

 

If the solenoid has a leak, it needs to be replaced. That leak has nothing to do with the actual problem inside the VTC.

 

so you don't think a leaking solenoid could lead to a tick?? I don't know what the efficiency of the solenoids drops to when oil starts squirting out of them

thanks

 

Sorry I dont. But the electrical connection needs to be good and if there were oil on the connectors that would defintily cause trouble. But the tick is definitley the vtc malfunction.

 

i see i'm not the only one with that problem, i meant to post a thread about it but didn't have the time....popped my hood tha other day and noticed there was a lil oil bit of oil on the VTC assembly too....what baffles me is, mine are grounded....or at least i think they are...no ticking..but i have one that is leaking too, so you're not alone!!!

 

well here's my update:
I got my friend to come over with his 92se who had his VTCs all replaced out over the summer, I screwed in his solenoid from his car to replace the one that was leaking and the tick went away. I let it idle for over an hour and still not one single tick... then I went out and flogged the heck out of her.... not one single tick... then let her idle some more... not one tick. I could never let her idle more then 1-2 mins w/o her starting to go tick crazy!!

Of course I still haven't tested it enough, but if you have a leaking part, it's probably a good excuse to replace it... I called Courtesy, and they wanted $47 for a new one, not too too bad... I'd reconnect your VTCs with a non-leaking solenoid and see if your ticking goes away... apparently that new solenoid has had some effect...

for eric93se:
The solenoid's job is to hold back the oil until it gets a current, so I could imagine that if the solenoid was going bad and allowing oil pressure to leak out of it, that could cause some misconduct with the VTC system... I don't know, but it sorta seems logical.

Thanks

 

Don't let your car idle for such drastic amounts of time.

 

I guess I shouldn't have left the garage door closed either?

 

I bought new solenoids for both of my VTC's after I pulled them both and discovered oil on them. The new ones (which were $100 each from Courtesy ) fixed the problem for about a month, but now the VTCs are ticking constantly. So....take that for what its worth.

 

I see what your are saying, but its just not common with the known vtc issue. And that is a good price you got for the new solenoids

 

well I've got the rebuild kits sitting right here... the engine bay is so torn apart... so I'm ready for the tick

of course it'll tick once I put everything back together.... boy that manifold is a job to take off.