1GR-FE Bank 1 VVTi issues P0011 P0012 & P0016

This is an interesting idea, feels counter intuitive to me rather than just pulling them and checking to see if the spring is weakened or not and test the ohm value. Wouldn't this make the truck drive much worse as well? The oil control valves adjust the timing of the truck based on RPM rate right? so if they are unplugged during driving wouldn't that mean the truck would drive worse?

 

I mean unless the are physically sticking or have debris in them (which would most likely set a timing code) there's not much you could tell by looking at them, the PCM monitirs circuit integrity as well so most likely they would ohm out fine.

Cam timing is based on a load/ RPM table, while you wouldn't have full power with them unplugged (cams at base timing) the truck should still run and drive pretty good.

 

Pulling them out to check them can’t hurt, unless they are stuck in there and removing them destroys them. I had read that people had this issue, but wouldn’t have expected it to be very common until it happened to me. At the time, I had no reason to link the transmission shudder with the VVT valves, otherwise I would have done the unplugging test that @Dm93 suggested first.