Its a laundry list....

[irax]

So I had a laundry list of CEL codes that came up
P0021
P0024
P0014
P0011
P0420
P0018
P0016
P000B
P000D

So after looking into it and going down the rabbit hole I switched the VVT solenoid around and it turns out I had 3/4 bad solenoids. Following what I have read on the forms and other sites I order 4/4 solenoids with new rings. If it goes away then it was all just bad VVT solenoids. Considering I was running 5W30 per turbo kit recommendation but also in very cold climate it seemed like that was going to be it. I install them and do an oil change clear the code and drive it around a little bit.
Then the codes come up
P0016
P219A

I check the wiring to see if I can find heat damage or breakage and I don't see anything. I drive it around again and the code changes to just P0011
I can switch the vvts around again but this time they are all brand new.

Or should I take the full engine harness out and go through it more thoroughly ? Is it possible to get a cam position reading without a subaru dealership level scan tool ? Or is my best bet after checking the harness to manually reset the timing ? From what I read that some people have replaced harness/engines and it is an issue. Some even replace the ECU and its still a problem.

Now its a turbo kit that sits by the battery/firewall but I have pretty good heat shielding around all the wiring, the up pipe/down pipe, turbo blanket, the battery, wiring going to fused box, wiring going to high pressure injector controller and starter. I even have some extra heat shielding on that as well.

[RZNT4R]

P0011 is a "mechanical" code, not an "electrical" code.

It is mechanical in that the diagnostic test can only run if the monitor for the electrical circuit passes.

TYPICAL ENABLING CONDITIONS
All

Monitor runs whenever following DTCs not stored

P0112 (Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Low Bank 1)
P0113 (Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit High Bank 1)
P0111 (Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Range/Performance Bank 1)
P0117 (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Low)
P0118 (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit High)
P0125 (Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Closed Loop Fuel Control)
P0116 (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Range/Performance)
P0128 (Coolant Thermostat (Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature))
P0197 (Engine Oil Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Low)
P0198 (Engine Oil Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit High)
P0196 (Engine Oil Temperature Sensor "A" Range/Performance)
P0340 (Camshaft Position Sensor "A" Circuit Bank 1 or Single Sensor)
P0345 (Camshaft Position Sensor "A" Circuit Bank 2)
P0365 (Camshaft Position Sensor "B" Circuit Bank 1)
P0390 (Camshaft Position Sensor "B" Circuit Bank 2)
P0010 ("A" Camshaft Position Actuator Control Circuit/Open Bank 1)
P0020 ("A" Camshaft Position Actuator Control Circuit/Open Bank 2)
P0013 ("B" Camshaft Position Actuator Control Circuit/Open Bank 1)
P0023 ("B" Camshaft Position Actuator Control Circuit/Open Bank 2)

An electrical fault is not outright impossible but it's very very unlikely, so don't pull the harness just yet, and don't throw an ECU at the problem. Consider the following:

MONITOR DESCRIPTION
The ECM optimizes the intake valve timing using the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) system to control the intake camshaft. The VVT system includes the ECM, the camshaft timing oil control valve and the VVT controller (camshaft timing gear assembly). The ECM sends a target duty-cycle control signal to the camshaft timing oil control valve. This control signal regulates the oil pressure supplied to the VVT controller. The VVT controller can advance or retard the intake camshaft.
If the difference between the target and actual intake valve timings is large, and changes in the actual intake valve timing are small, the ECM interprets this as the VVT controller stuck malfunction and stores a DTC.

These DTCs indicate that the VVT controller cannot operate properly due to camshaft timing oil control valve malfunctions or the presence of foreign objects in the camshaft timing oil control valve.

Note that the components you changed weren't the oil control valves but the oil control vale solenoids, the valves themselves are inside the cam sprockets. You may have a failed camshaft sprocket, a clogged oil control valve filter (sandwiched between the cam carrier and the head) or jumped timing. There is a long list of components to check, but the easiest and least intrusive test you can do (if you don't have a proper scan tool to actuate the OCV solenoids) is to try and clean the lubrication system (this is actually step 7 in the diag chart lol). The shop manual calls for an oil change, running the engine for 5 mins, and doing another oil change. I would instead do an oil change, add an engine crankcase detergent to the oil, run the engine for a lot more than 5 mins, like until the fans come on, and then do a final oil change.

Chances are, if that doesn't fix it, you'll have to break the seal on that engine and go look inside.

[irax]

When I changed the oil I used a bottle of engine flush is that different ? Should I have used seafoam or ATF ? I also noticed that the spring ball valve in the middle was kind of crusty when I pushed in a couple of times on 3 of them and 1 was a lot more difficult. That was the pass intake cam. The cam that is throwing the code now iiuc.

[RZNT4R]

Engine flush is the right thing, so it's safe to assume that step is taken care of.

If you've got an obvious difference in the oil control valves and the different one is the same that's throwing the code, it's not far fetched to assume you've got a failed sprocket.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by RZNT4R

Engine flush is the right thing, so it's safe to assume that step is taken care of.

If you've got an obvious difference in the oil control valves and the different one is the same that's throwing the code, it's not far fetched to assume you've got a failed sprocket.

Yeah that P0016 and P0018 is concerning.

To monitor the correlation of the intake camshaft position and crankshaft position, the ECM checks the VVT neutral position against the VVT learning value while coasting. If the VVT neutral position is out of the specified VVT learning value range in driving cycles, the ECM illuminates the MIL and stores DTC P0016 (bank 1) or P0018 (bank 2).

[irax]

So.... the CEL went away before I could order the new cam sprocket and timing chain. It's now on full power again. And all I did was let it sit and then idle it. Maybe the solenoids I replaced was the fix and that I didnt let it idle long enough to clear out the oil. I'm going to baby it and keep an eye on it. I really appreciate the help!

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by irax

So.... the CEL went away before I could order the new cam sprocket and timing chain. It's now on full power again. And all I did was let it sit and then idle it. Maybe the solenoids I replaced was the fix and that I didnt let it idle long enough to clear out the oil. I'm going to baby it and keep an eye on it. I really appreciate the help!

I too have replaced all four of those oil control solenoids with the updated parts on my FR-S due to the seals leaking, (you did make sure Subaru sold you the updated parts mentioned in the technical service bulletin, right?)
See this link here:
https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...01#post3367301

And If I were in your situation, I would now run it for a few hundred miles and then pull those solenoids back off to check those valve mechanisms for "springy-ness" again and to make sure the crusty build up is gone, then I would change the oil one more time using Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 ILSAC GF-6A made from natural gas. And since you're boosted, change the oil and filter at least every 2,500 miles from here on. There's nothing worse for modern engines than failure to properly change the oil, which is what causes that crusty buildup that you're experiencing, and when you add boost to an engine that wasn't originally designed for boost, always double the frequency of oil changes.

I hope that solves your issues permanently. Keep us posted.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by irax

So.... the CEL went away before I could order the new cam sprocket and timing chain. It's now on full power again. And all I did was let it sit and then idle it. Maybe the solenoids I replaced was the fix and that I didnt let it idle long enough to clear out the oil. I'm going to baby it and keep an eye on it. I really appreciate the help!

the last time i've seen that many oddball codes pop up, it had everything to do with either a voltage or grounding issue to the sensors.

[irax]

So new development. When the car is cold it is still acting like vvt sensor is failing but not throwing a code. It still has power and is willing to rev but when I come to a stop is dies. But if the car is FULLY warmed up (mid point) it's perfectly fine. Still no code but maybe the cam sprocket is still bad?

[irax]

So final update: I have rod knock after everything finally was good. Just fml

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by irax

So final update: I have rod knock after everything finally was good. Just fml

Sorry to hear. Do not bother rebuilding this one. Get a used longblock. Trust me please

[NoHaveMSG]

Damn that sucks.

[irax]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

Sorry to hear. Do not bother rebuilding this one. Get a used longblock. Trust me please

That's exactly what I'm trying to do but finding a good used engine is fucking hard. Everyone wants like 4k. Then I see GCH Long Block https://www.gchlongblockracing.com/p...-1-long-blocks

Half off... so I might as well. At least i can get financing lol.

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by irax

That's exactly what I'm trying to do but finding a good used engine is fucking hard. Everyone wants like 4k. Then I see GCH Long Block https://www.gchlongblockracing.com/p...-1-long-blocks

Half off... so I might as well. At least i can get financing lol.

The advantage of a used engine is that nobody has taken it apart, and it's tested/proven, to a degree.

I've looked at GCH before. They seemed a little too backyard for me to spend so much. They might be good, but something felt off when I was considering them