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Variocam Solenoid replacement


TwoHeadsTas

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Am considering replacement of one of my Variocam solenoids in my 3.6 due to an ongoing niggling problem.  Question - would you normally replace both at once or only the problematic one?  Looks to be a slightly expensive exercise...

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Is this a DIY or a take-it-to-a-garage job?  What do they recommend?

I'd just do one side - if its not broke, don't break it!

From memory the replacement in the 3.6 engine is relatively simple (compared with the 3.4 where the cam cover has to come off) so may not be much efficiency gain in doing them together,   

 

 

 

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@TwoHeadsTas please don’t laugh at me but there was an episode I think it was in wheeler dealers that this exact job was undertaken. Time consuming but relatively simple. Give me a bit of time I’ll see if I can find the episode.

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52 minutes ago, Avon said:

Is this a DIY or a take-it-to-a-garage job?  What do they recommend?

I'd just do one side - if its not broke, don't break it!

From memory the replacement in the 3.6 engine is relatively simple (compared with the 3.4 where the cam cover has to come off) so may not be much efficiency gain in doing them together,   

 

 

 

Probably get done by (friendly) workshop, or possibly DIY with his supervision..

 

50 minutes ago, JB said:

@TwoHeadsTas please don’t laugh at me but there was an episode I think it was in wheeler dealers that this exact job was undertaken. Time consuming but relatively simple. Give me a bit of time I’ll see if I can find the episode.

Excellent, thanks JB

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Dan, had lots of problems initially with the CEL light coming on fairly regularly, usually after a longer run when you slow down to 60km etc.  Error codes basically came down to one bank, and it appears RP Tech swapped the solenoids over for a prior owner which temporarily cured (hid?) the problem.  Basically for several years the car had been driven in Sydney traffic, and whilst the oil would have got hot enough, the engine was rarely revved above 3000rpm (car usually driven in full Tip mode).  Autohaus reported that they have seen a trend in Tips experiencing similar problems which they tracked down to valves & solenoids being gummed up with oil sludge, of which not being revved hard was seen as large contributing factor (hot oil wasn't reaching all parts of the engine regularly).  Their recommendation to our mechanic was to run an oil flush through, change the oil and for me to go out and drive it like I stole it!!

So, oil was changed (after only about 1500kms since last change) and the oil that came out looked as if it had done 15000kms according to my mechanic.  I got out and drove it fairly hard for next 5000kms and did another oil change - same result, so there must have been a lot of sludge in there.  CEL coming on much less regularly during that next phase.  After another 5000kms did another flush and oil, just after we got back from Hunter Valley trip.  Had basically no issues since the prior oil change, but after a good run up the Hume we hit Sydney Friday afternoon traffic, and as soon as we slowed to a crawl the CEL light came on again.  It went off again soon after, but I attended the AH water-cooled night a few days later, and they reset the fault codes (same ones) and my experience was discussed at the night as being relatively common.  CEL came on again coming into Melbourne before the trip back on the boat.  The subsequent flush and oil change showed quite clean oil, so we thought we had got most of the sludge out before.

Since then the CEL has come on very intermittently, and always shows the same fault code on the same bank, so I'm thinking there may be a minor residual problem with the solenoid.  Perhaps I could swap the 2 banks over to see if the fault then starts appearing on the other bank, but if I replace it then I'll know that there's one less cause for the CEL to come on that has been eliminated, and perhaps the next CEL might show another real problem.  I must admit I've tended to ignore the CEL when it comes on now until I get a chance to check it with the code reader, and this is probably not the smartest of things to be doing.....

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52 minutes ago, dan_189 said:

Interesting, have read that the solenoid can be replaced with the engine in the car so hopefully not a very difficult job but I'd say not a DIY.

There is a Youtube clip.........(of course)......

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4 minutes ago, TwoHeadsTas said:

There is a Youtube clip.........(of course)......

One of my favourite things about the 996!!

Looking into a 957 Cayenne and i'm hoping there is the same amount of technical info but I don't think there is.

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14 hours ago, TwoHeadsTas said:

Probably get done by (friendly) workshop, or possibly DIY with his supervision..

 

Excellent, thanks JB

Wheeler Dealers season 11 episode 2

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