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Did I not emphasize "SOME" enough? A lot of the sludge is nylon from the upper chain guide.
It is a FACT that VVT codes turn the TCM off causing hard shifting. GMs way of making the unaware driver notice.
Unlearned crankshaft sensors don't cause a problem, until they do.
There doesn't appear to.be any open path to them. The filtered oil leaves the filter and travels in a tube along the side of the lower block feeding pressure to the mains and rods and then passes (still enclosed) up to the top of the engine into the bottom of the VVT housing. They need filtered and presurized oil to operate the VVTs cam bearings, lifters, etc. metal from the chain,guides, etc. falls into the pan and gets circulated through the filter to provide the clean oil, unless the filter bypasses. The center intake screen that collects the glittery metal and guide plastic is further protecting the VVT solenoids and sprockets oil supply so trash doesn't get to them. The other two screens of each VVT Solenoid are the output ports. I haven't been able to see glitter show up inside them yet, but I haven't fully opened one to examine it. If the input screen stops up hard shifting will occur. I believe that is because the oil pressure drops to the VVT allowing it to lock. I have removed VVTs that only have tiny perfectly round carbon looking balls that were stopping up the screen with noglitter or glob of plastic.
No. The hard shifting (auto trans.only),is because of the CEL or trouble codes that are present. Certain Power train codes trigger the hard shifts. It’s a programming fault to get your attention.
Not because of faulty VVT solenoids but the codes they set.
You are right that the filter screens in the VVT are the last safety net to catch anything that is about to get used to pressurize the VVTs, but it isn't protection from a nearby splash path because from the filter to the VVT solenoid the path is pressurized. The pressure inside the sealed area is higher than the drain and splash pressure outside the sealed area. High pressure and clean fluid is required for the VVTs to operate. There can be some chemical precipitation, for instance, due to temperature and pressure changes within the path, but that won't lilely precipitate metal shavings. The oil filter's purpose is to trap particles such as glitter and crud so they don't get into the pressurized channel. It the filter bypasses then the trash in the filter can get into the pressurized path. metal shavings generated along the pressurizef path, such as from bearing surfaces, should escape with the oil to the unpressurized oil in the pan to be picked up and recirculated through thre filtered path. I hypothesize that any metal inside the cam and lifter oiling path most probably comes from the oil filter bypassing whether through the bypass valve or faulty filter media. Some can even fall in just from changing the filter on the ecotech engine. It should be lifted carefully.
Why are there screens on the VVT valves? Serious question. Maybe because some litter is expected?
Yes. "Fault tolerance." A little grit or gunk, regardless of source, could jam the spool valve. Seems the arrangement will stop particles from entering the valve, as well as leaving it and moving on to the phaser.
P0016/17 "correlation" codes could be clogged solenoid valves, but always best to assume a jumped chain until proved otherwise.
I did pull a VVT solenoid and find curled metal cuttings at the screen once. They were like those that are generated by milling machines. To me that indicated cuttings from the manufacturing process that accidentally got left in the pressurized oil path during initial engine assembly. They were not interfering with engine operation. I doubt they got there by passing through the filter.
I haven't found anything I prefer to travel in, and I travel a lot. For my 5'10" build the seats are very comfortable. The driveline is reliablen efficient, and easy to work on. I lost 3rd and 4th gear at about 310K with a solenoid code. Unfastened the crankcase in the car, reached in and replaced three $20 solenoids, buttoned it up, topped off the fluid, and drove it to 348K. Left it in Montana with a friend to use two years ago and drove off in a wheelchair accessible Chrysler T&C to deliver to a client in Las Vegas. Still planning to pick it up and bring it home someday, mostly because it has a Blue OX hitch and some factory wheels I customized on it.
