Running a VVTi motor with VVTi "off"

[JustenGT8]

Has anyone run a 1UZ or 3UZ VVTi (any of the toyota VVTi engines i guess?) with the VVTi disconnected? I am currently trying to sort mine (Autronic ECU) and the VVTi is unpowered just at present. The valve train makes the most god aweful racket i'm in fear something is being damaged?

I can't believe toyota would have a system like this that went to complete shit if it lost power, so i suspect something else is actually amiss (it's a fully rebuilt grunter engine)? But figured i'd check this might be normal, or it could occur and toyota have some failsafe systems that would prevent the car from starting, shut it down, or whatever?

Thoughts? It sounds like a bunch on Smurfs with hammers going at in in both heads....passenger head is slightly noisier with maybe 20% more hammers

[maccac__1590]

vvti advances yeah? so one would hope when its not on the solenoid would be off and there would be no oil to the actuator thingo and it would just be a normal cam timing? stupid question time but timing all good? its not that funny springloaded gear thing that drives the 2nd cam out of wack?

[JustenGT8]

I haven't checked the scissor gear preload yet...not even sure the UZ VVTi has this as i can't find an online manual...will whip the cam cover off to check but supposedly this engine was running fine previously and only thing that has really changed is i'm not activating the VVTi yet

[maj]

In scooby land the VVT advance does a lot, but what's more important is that both banks of VVT solenoids are working in sync, any lag between the two causes more issues than it solves. clogged oil baskets on the actuators are usually the case, which is why their new engines are full leccy solenoids. Usually if VVT fails the thing goes into limp home mode, since you can't guarantee the solenoid might not be stuck on VVT close. You'd think Toyota should do the same since they're probably very similarly designed Denso units.

Doesn't really help your issue, but just food for thought.

[Cuts]

My best mate has a 570 rwkw rb2530 r34, we had the same issue with his head (rb25 neo) with vct on the exhaust side. Even powered up at idle with large cams it couldn't be made stable, it rattled around no end. So we fitted 26 cams and covers (no vct on 26) and it's all sweet now.