Hi Guys,

The "Service Engine Soon" Light is on and I'm getting a P1111 Code. Not sure if the two are related.

Have also got intermittent issue with many dash warning lights coming on sometimes. Seems like a ground issue there, again not sure if related to P1111 code.

Would like to test voltage & ground at the Intake Valve Timing Control Solenoid connector to start.....just wanted to make sure this was the connector and solenoid pictured here with the dark green connector shown. Passenger side.



Any other thoughts welcome, and thanks in advance.

 

Yes, that's the VTC solenoid. There's one per cylinder bank for standard DEs.
Note: This code can sometimes indicate a crank position sensor or cam position sensor issue as well.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Thanks!

Will report back-may be a few days.

 

My daughter is asking if it's OK to drive until we get it fixed. She's saying it feels sluggish once it gets to 4-5000 RPM. Like it doesn't want to go any higher. But she says she might just be making it up in her head. Could that be a symptom of the P1111 issue? Thanks again.

 

Yes, anytime there's a valve timing control issue, or cam/crank correlation problem, the computer will pull back fuel/air/timing and sometimes even put the engine in limp mode to protect itself.
-Icer

 

And if it's the camshaft sensor, would the P1111 code also indicate that would be the passenger side one? It looks like the crankshaft sensor there is only one, correct?

 

The code itself specifically references Bank - 1, which is the passenger side. However, when it comes to these sensors, it's usually best practice to replace them ALL and only use OEM quality sensors. There should be two cam position sensors (back of each cylinder head) and one crank position sensor (at the driver's side of the transmission and engine, where bell housing mates to the block).

Didn't you recently replace these sensors? How many miles are on the Z again?
Cheers!
-Icer

 

OK, good to know. I have not replace any of these. It has about 140,000 on it.

 

Ok, this is about the time when those sensors start to fail. I would do the full package replacement, both cam sensors and the crank. Go with OEM, expensive yes, but it's worth the peace of mind considering these typically last 15-20 years while aftermarkets might only work for a few months to a few years before they start showing problems, many aftermarkets don't even work right out of the box.

CAM Driver Side Nissan P/N: 23731-AL61D
CAM Passenger Nissan P/N: 23731-6J90D
Crankshaft Nissan P/N: 23731-AL60E > 23731-AL60C > 23731-AL60D

Expect around $300 for all 3 sensors if you go OEM.

Some suppliers have Black Friday discounts rolling already (conceptZperformance & Z1motorsports).
Cheers!
-Icer

 

So do those before even messing with the VTC Solenoid?

 

No, I would still do some basic voltage, ground, short, and resistance checks at the VTC solenoid before purchasing anything, this code is specifically referring to a "circuit" issue. Which suggests a wiring fault or failed VTC solenoid. I don't like firing the parts canon without doing proper diagnostics 1st. This a simple 2-wire connector. You should be getting battery voltage on one of the wires. I would also check resistance at the solenoid (load) side.
Note: If you remove the solenoid, there's a special gasket you need to replace (one time use).

I did some digging in the FSM and found the full diag procedure and wiring diagrams. I have pasted them below. To summarize, you should be getting Batt voltage on pin 2 of the harness connector (White/Blue-stripe) with ignition on, engine off. If you have good voltage, then odds are continuity exists on the harness. Skipping ahead, you can quickly determine if you have a bad Solenoid by checking resistance on the solenoid pins. It should be between 7.0 - 7.5 Ohms. Also you can check between the solenoid pins and a ground source on the engine block. If you have a reading other than out of range or "no continuity" then you have a shorted/failed solenoid and need to replace it.

This is where I would start. Check resistance on the Solenoid itself. If it's out of spec, then odds are you just have a bad part and need to replace it (Done, simple).
BUT, If the resistance is in spec and the terminals are not shorted to ground, then you might have a wiring fault in the harness somewhere, follow the FSM procedure + wiring diagram to find the fault. It could be a damaged wire (short), loose connector/pin, corrosion, poor ground, etc...

I hope this helps.
Good Luck!
-Icer


DTC explanation

Wiring Diagram for Bank 1

Voltage Readings

Diagnostic steps

Diagnostic steps continued

VTC solenoid check

 

Thinking about this some more, this is what I think is triggering the fault.
The VTC solenoid is pulsed by the ECM to control intake valve timing, depending on the engine duty cycle (2000+RPM).
If the monitored voltage level is outside of expected norms, then the DTC will set.

Aside from wiring faults, low voltage levels can be caused by a faulty/failing solenoid coil. This is a low current circuit controlled directly by the ECM. If the resistance level on the coil is high, that will cause sluggish actuation of the solenoid, no actuation at all, and possibly voltage drop issues.

Another possibility is that the mechanical inner workings of the plunger are gummed up with carbon buildup and varnish. This usually happens from poor maintenance (lack of oil changes). If the resistance level checks out good, but the plunger is not actuating quickly/smoothly, you might be able to pull out the plunger assembly and give it a good cleaning (no parts required fix). This is not guaranteed to work, but might be worth a try. Personally I don't like gambling and having to do the job twice, so I would just buy a new OEM unit if you can confirm the original is defective.

Cheers!
-Icer

 

Thanks again, Icer. I admit anytime I get into testing voltage & resistance or anything electrical, I'm moving out of my comfort zone, but I do have a good multimeter and a guy's gotta take the plunge at some point. Will report back, might be after Thanksgiving.

 

I totally get it. There are some really good youtube automotive channels out there that teach by example. I really like Ivan from "Pine Hollow Auto" on YT. Spend some time watching how the pro's do electrical troubleshooting and it will remove a lot of the mystery.

In your case with the VTC solenoid, you just need to disconnect the harness and check resistance between the two pins. If it's outside of the 7.0 - 7.5 range, then the part is bad and needs to be replaced. If the resistance is good, that's when things start to get a little more complicated. I doubt you have a wiring fault since the vehicle has been in use for a while now and this issue just popped up. Based on the age and mileage I think it's a pretty safe bet to simply replace the part. But as I've stated before, I like to follow the facts and verify the fault before purchasing parts.

I also stand by my recommendation about the cam(x2) and crank(x1) sensors. Although you don't have any active issue with them at the moment, you're at that mileage point where replacement would be a good preventative maintenance measure (peace of mind). Also, with black friday sales running, it's not a bad time to stock up. I'm shocked how much prices have been going up these past few years.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Ok, finally had the time and a nice day to address this. Here's what we did:
Disconnected battery negative, turned on lights and pushed horn button to assure discharge.
Oil & filter change
Cleaned the throttle body. Just cursory clean, did not remove from the car.
Replaced crank sensor
Replaced both cam sensors
Replaced both VTC solenoids
Replaced PCV valve
All Nissan OEM Parts from Z-1

The SES Light is gone. I forgot to scan and see if the P1111 code is gone, I assume it is, will scan tomorrow and clear if needed.
The car runs great, started right up, no problems, no rough idle, it runs better than it ever has since we bought it 2 years ago.

Pretty easy fixes. The driver's side cam sensor was a bit tough. We actually came at it from the passenger side. My daughter basically laid across the engine and was able to get to the bolt and connector from that angle.
Happy dad, happy daughter, happy car.

Thanks again ICER! Always appreciate the help!

 

Well, unfortunately I declared victory too soon. The SES light has returned and the P1111 Code after being cleared, has also returned. I tested the connector to the passenger VTC solenoid. I have voltage on the positive side but not on the negative side. This is with the ignition on, engine not running. The wiring diagrams are helpful, but after spending countless hours chasing down a parasitic draw with only partial success, I admit I'm pretty burned out on messing with wiring. The car intermittently does other weird things like all the dash lights come on and it wants to bog down or stall, which sounds like it could be a bad ground somewhere. I don't regret firing the parts cannon, as those were all parts/sensors that probably could use replacing due to mileage anyway, and the car definitely runs better with the new parts.

Unless there is a fairly simple way to track this down, I'll probably just take it to our mad scientist mechanic and let him figure it out.

Dammit!

 

Dang! Good work getting all that done. At the very least, you've ruled out those components. Sounds like you may have an electrical fault somewhere. Could be a bad ground, but could also be a damaged wiring harness pin/connector somewhere, making intermittent contact. Given the other symptoms mentioned, I suspect this is the more likely cause and will take an experienced pro to trace it down.

Hope you're mechanic buddy will be able to track this one down.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

I know it has been a few months since update on this. I tested the connector to the solenoid a while back and found no voltage on the ground side. As stated above, was tired of chasing wires so did take it to our mad scientist mechanic. He quickly found a broken wire upstream a ways and repaired it. Car now runs great, and the SES light is out and has not come back, at least for now. He also figured out the parasitic draw issue, I'll update that thread as well, interesting diagnosis.

 

Awesome news! Thanks for following-up!
-Icer