Any tips about removing this VTC actuator….. tried heat, breaker bar…. No luck……difficult to hold cam with wrench… next step I will unbolt cam and take to a machine shop

 

What are you doing to it? You can just replace the spring inside the actuator.

 

I finally got it. Used an adjustable crescent when the open end wrench failed. Was actually easy with wrench …….

 

all the kings horses, and all Kings men couldn’t put that vtc actuator back again…… the timing belt was stretched, and it jumped one tooth timing due to a bad vtc actuator that went bad because of a bad oil control solenoid…… The guy changed his oil religiously not a drop of sludge in this engine.

 

I get the feeling there's several questions that Honda doesn't want answered about this engine's timing system.

 

it’s a pain for sure. New Vtc actuator received in the locked position too ….. wonder how many folks don’t unlock them ….

 

[img alt="The Honda Dealer doesnt look so bad now,

Does it?"]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fitfreak.net-vbulletin/446x498/img_20260225_111028_5532653cc377e3f7cfc82e3d4d970f 0b1c6be958.gif[/img]
The Honda Dealer doesnt look so bad now, Does it?

 

Already have the new VTC actuator , guides , cam gears and chain on…… the pic above is the new one…….. dealer looking good….. no not really ….

 

The actuator unlocks itself when oil pressure gets applied to the... timing advance side of the actuator?. Then locks itself when moved all the way back to the resting position. Or at least it's supposed to - the spring pushes the plunger into the lock position as long as there's no oil pressure in the pin bore counteracting the spring. The whole VTC rattle problem comes from the actuator not locking itself at engine shut-down.

Actually, installing the chain with the actuator unlocked could result in the intake cam being off a few teeth.
edit: I take that back. As long as you set the timing based on the cam gear marks rather than relying on the camshaft locking pins, it should come out all right. Though it will rattle on the first startup if the actuator isn't locked.

 

? you put the unlocked VTC actuator on the camshaft and torque it to spec. Then you rotate it to lock it in…. Then place timing chain ,etc. if you torque a locked VTC actuator you can sheer the pin…….

 

The service bulletin covering VTC replacement (A16-088) makes no mention of unlocking the actuator. It expects you to remove the camshaft for actuator removal and installation, and warns against using an impact wrench. Nothing about unlocking the actuator.

 

Honda charged my son $2,500 to do that!

 

Seems like you let that rattle go for a long time.

 

It was in the Chilton manual. I suspect the Mexican plant was installing them and torquing them in locked which damaged the weak spring…….VTC actuators are torqued unlocked ……

 

check out this link on a different Honda engine …… about unlocking actuator
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...87883-2280.pdf

 

I didn’t …. lol .. previous owner

 

Was that the price to replace just the VTC actuator?

 

But it was cheaper for Honda to have them assembled in Mexico, and that's all that really matters.

 

what is the milage on the car?

 

168k ….. oil pan looked clean no sludge