[Dingsky]

Hi,

I recently replaced the valve stem seals in this car, and I'm no longer experiencing any smoke issues. However, I've encountered a problem related to a Valvetronic internal fault.

Here's what's happening: When I start the car while it's cold, everything seems fine. It idles smoothly for about 15-20 minutes with no problems or engine lights coming on. However, I've noticed that the Valvetronic status in the scan tool indicates that limp mode is active.

Now, the real issue arises when I turn off the engine and then restart it. The power is limited, and the engine seems to struggle, almost like it's on the verge of stalling. I also noticed that the Valvetronic motor becomes hot to the touch. It feels like it's trying to move but can't. When I scanned it with the scan tool, it displayed errors such as Valvetronic internal faults, Valvetronic power limitation, servomotor.

I decided to check the motor's resistance between the valvetronic terminals and its chassis, and it measured less than 1K Ohm. Do you think this indicates that the Valvetronic system is failing? Additionally, I noticed that before I got this car, the Valvetronic shaft sensor had oil in the terminal. Have you or anyone else experienced similar symptoms, and if so, what components did you have to replace?

I also attempted to activate the Valvetronic motor using a scan tool, but it didn't respond. I tried measuring the voltage at the terminals, while activating it but I didn't get any voltage reading. Could this possibly be due to a blown fuse?

One more question on my mind: If the Valvetronic system isn't functioning during a cold start, would the engine still be able to run smoothly like what I had?

Note that I can clear the code when I let the engine cool down for a few hours. but the Limp Mode Active comes back when I start the engine again.

Thank you for your assistance, and I appreciate your insights.

Additional info:
I'm pondering the possibility that the motor's heat buildup might be linked to resistance in the eccentric shaft's free rotation. I came across a video where someone replaced the Valvetronic motor and sensor multiple times without resolving the problem. As it turns out, the issue was attributed to the eccentric shaft getting stuck due to plastic components in the bearing.

Has anyone else experienced a similar situation, and would it be feasible for me to remove the torsion spring and attempt to manually rotate the eccentric shaft (with the Valvetronic motor removed) without risking any damage?