Are VTC solenoids really that sensitive to oil viscosity?

[solaire]

So there's a story behind this and I have a theory but read the story first please.
I worked at a Nissan store for 5 years and I work at a local chrysler store now (falling out kidn of deal) so I'm no genious but I'm not completely lost under the hood. A guy down the street brought me a 91 300zx NA to do valve cover gaskets on. Not a bad job. Went pretty smoothly. Had to replace all his injector and IAC valve connectors also but went smoothly. Stripped, crimped the wires then soldered over and heat shrinked. Should be no issue with the repair I did. He brought me oil to put in the car to change that while I had it. No big deal. I never drove the car cold only warmed up once before doing the work and it ran ok. Had a bit of a rough idle but had some vacuum hoses bad that I replaced. Also did PCV valves, they were stuck shut. Here's where it gets tricky.

I got it together yesterday, it ran rough at first, didnt want to stay running but it smoothed out after a minute. I figured no biggie, maybe chemicals or something in the intake from cleaning it out. It ran great after it warmed up, drove good, pulled hard, very strong. Seemed to have a sputter at idle but the guy said in the 13 years he's owned the car it's had that so I told him I wanted to keep it overnight to see how it runs cold to make sure it's ok then I'll change the oil.

Cranked it up this morning. Ran beutifully and smoothly just like my 90.. for about 10 seconds then the oil psi shot up to around 70/80 and it started to idle down sputtering barely staying running. Oil psi was around 45-60 at idle aruond 1000rpm running very badly. Not a misfire, almost like timing was off. When you rev up and let off gas you can hear a slapping from the belt in the timing cover between the 2 heads. If you rev to about 2000-2500 the oil psi would get very close to 120. Checked the oil, level was fine but it was dirty. I changed it and noticed something on the 4th quart putting into his car. .. He brought me 30w oil. I'm wondering if he's been running 30w oil in this car and it's damaged the timing solenoids on the intake cams. He said someone had to replace them a few years ago with the timing belt.

My 90 will when cold first cranking shoot to 60psi then drop down to about 30 and before I reach the end of the driveway it's down to 10-15, even lower at idle (which the book says is normal) but I've never seen my car reach 60psi even at 2500 cruising it's about 35-40 and it's got 85k, garage kept, was well maintained (i have records) and has no engine issues whatsoever.

Could it be that the thick oil cant reach the 10 viscosity (10w30) required to turn the timing sprockets freaking out the engine. It seems to smooth out over 2000RPM. So my theory is the higher oil psi is because the sprockets can't take in the thicker oil or either there's a blockage in the block/head causing the solenoids to go dry. Mainly because the engine ran great for about 10 seconds but then the oil would thin out a bit and it started acting up.

[solaire]

Here's some videos if that helps. Couldnt keep the car running to get out and do it under the hood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-wW4SpDOs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zgzeWLwJMM

[z32loverboy]

Well with my new oil pump from my build I'm running about 75-80 psi oil pressure cold and then warm at idle I'm running 20 psi. Shoot a timing light on it and see what the timing is set at. There's no reason you should hear the timing belt slapping about under there. If you do I would say it's probably idler pullys or the idler pully studs. 30 weight might be too thick, but I ran 15w40 diesel oil on my first start up and my oil pressure didn't shoot high, it shot low. Cold idle psi was like 40 or so and war it was like 10-15.

I listened to the videos and it sounds like the timing is off or it's knocking or something. Timing light it and see what that brings back.

[solaire]

I put some ATF in it and ran for about 30 mins and it cleared up some, at least enough to stay running. I then changed the oil and filter and put back 10w30. Didnt seem to make much of a difference but it doesnt do the timing belt slapping anymore or the top end tapping. I pulled plugs and found some soaked in gas so I'm looking into the CAS and it's connector. If i so much as touch that connector the car will die.

[z32loverboy]

Yeah sounds like you have a short there or some bad corrosion in there

[solaire]

Pins were spread on it. I closed em up and the connector fits much better. It stays running now but still misfires. I'm gradually chasing it down, got corrosion in the PTU connectors also since boot on back of the connector was dryrotted.