2000 Toyota Avalon xls.. I just replaced both valve cover gaskets. and had test drove after replacing the front one (bank 2).. after about a hour of driving my check engine light came on. had orielys check err code and is was p1394 variable timing solenoid error. I had previously replaced this about 7 months ago but don't think I could have done anything to damage it while replacing valve cover gasket.. any ideas ?

tks Pat :wtf:

Not sure I understand your post. You said you just replaced both valve cover gaskets, but your next sentence says you test drove after replacing the front one. Did you replace both or just bank 2?

When you had the valve cover(s) off, was there any sludge buildup whatsoever under the cover(s), on top of the head(s)?

P1394 is a VVT-I bank 1 (firewall side of engine) problem, FYI.

 

oops sorry,,, it was bank 2 that I did first cause it was earier.. after completing bank two, I took car for test drive ( that is when the check engine light came on) figured I had left a hose or connection off somewhere so when I got back I looked and looked for a wire or hose off. then went ahead and did bank 1

 

When you had the valve covers off, was there any sludge buildup whatsoever under the covers, on top of the heads?

Have you owned this car for a long time? If so, what kind of oil do you use, and what is your change interval?

 

I just replaced the variable cam solenoid for bank 2 and that cleared the problem.... Note: I had replaced same part about 7 months ago: don't know if I caused the problem this time when I replaced the valve cover gaskets or if it just went bad again
I ran engine cleaner thru it 7 months ago when this 1394 error 1st occurred and then replaced the solenoid.. I use pensoil high mileage oil..

 

Good information. But I really want you to answer the question...when you had the valve covers off, was there any sign of sludge anywhere?

I won't go into why I'm asking that right now, until you respond, but this is a very pertinent question with this code. If you absolutely saw nothing and it was absolutely perfectly clean, no use writing up an article.

 

It looked pretty clean. but I did wipe the bottom of valve covers with brake cleaner when I had them off and just kinda looked at the inside. might of been a little "yellowish" but did not see any loose crud.

 

It looked pretty clean. but I did wipe the bottom of valve covers with brake cleaner when I had them off and just kinda looked at the inside. might of been a little "yellowish" but did not see any loose crud.

Sludge is not "loose crud". It is not yellowish. It can be a very dark gell material that with a rag and elbow grease can be partially removed. Most often, if it has had time to settle, it will dry out and harden into a very hard solid coating. The fact that you felt you needed to remove something from the underside of your valve covers suggests your engine has and/or was producing sludge. If so, sludge is everywhere in the engine (it is just more pronounced, observable in certain areas, like the top of the head or the bottom of the oil pan). It will also be in the oil gallies, after the oil filter. When you said you ran an engine cleaner through it, you may have weakened the bond the sludge had with the oil gallies, and it may have gone into your oil control valve filters, which would reduce oil flow/pressure to your oil control valves, throwing this code. So if you find your 7 month old oil control valve filter is partially plugged, that could be your reason for the problem now. Could also be your oil pickup screen in the pan is partially blocked, so your overall engine oil flow/pressure is lower than it should be due to the sludge. Not uncommon on this engine. The yellowish description you brought up is concerning. Does your coolant level stay nice and steady (never had a need to add any coolant between coolant changes)? Coolant leaks into the oil can cause light brown to yellowish residuals.

 

Did you replace the cam adjust solenoid with an OE part?