GS430/300 — NEW FEATURES 41

VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) System

1) General

The VVT-i system is designed to control the intake camshaft within a wide range of 45° (of crankshaft
angle) to provide a valve timing that is optimally suited to the engine condition, thus realizing improved
torque in all the speed ranges and fuel economy, and reduce exhaust emissions.

VVT Sensors
Mass Air
Camshaft Timing Flow Meter
Oil Control Valve ECM
Throttle
Engine Coolant Position Sensor
Temp. Sensor

VVT-i
Contollers

Oil Pump

Crankshaft
Position Sensor 188EG47

ECM

Crankshaft Position Sensor Target Valve Timing Camshaft Timing

Oil Control Valves

Mass Air Flow Meter

Feedback
Duty Control
Throttle Position Sensor

Engine Coolant Temp. Sensor Correction

VVT Sensors Actual Valve Timing

157EG23
42 GS430/300 — NEW FEATURES

2) Construction and Operation

a. VVT-i Controller

The VVT-i controller comprises the outer gear that is driven by the timing belt, the inner gear that
1
is affixed to the camshaft and a movable piston that is placed between the outer gear and inner gear.
Having helical splines (twisted, vertical grooves) on its inner and outer periphery, the piston moves
in the axial direction to shift the phase of the outer gear and inner gear, thus causing the valve timing
to change continuously.
The VVT tube drives the exhaust camshaft via the scissors gear that is installed on the back.

VVT-i Controller
VVT Tube

Piston
Intake Camshaft

Inner Gear

Exhaust Camshaft
Outer Gear

Scissors Gear
151EG29

b. Camshaft Timing Oil Control Valve

The camshaft timing oil control valve controls
To VVT-i To VVT-i
the spool valve position in accordance with the Controller Controller
duty control from the ECM thus allocating the (Advance Side) (Retard Side)
hydraulic pressure that is applied to the VVT-i
controller to the advance and the retard side. Coil
When the engine is stopped, the camshaft timing Spring
oil control valve is in the most retarded state.

Drain Drain Plunger

Spool
Spring Valve
Oil Pressure

165EG34
 GS430/300 — NEW FEATURES 43

3) Operation

 The camshaft timing oil control valve selects the path to the VVT-i controller according to the advance,
retard or hold signal from the ECM. The VVT-i controller rotates the intake camshaft in the timing
advance or retard position or holds it according to the position where the oil pressure is applied.
Camshaft Timing Oil
Operation Control Valve Drive Signal
Description

Camshaft Timing
Piston Oil Control Valve When the camshaft timing oil
Advance Signal
control valve is positioned as
illustrated in accordance with
Advance

the advance signal from the

ECM, the oil pressure is ap-
plied to the chamber at the ad-
vance side. Then, the twist of
Intake the helical spline causes the
Camshaft Drain
Oil Pressure camshaft to rotate in the direc-
Duty Ratio
Timing Pulley 157EG35 tion of timing advance.
188EG48

When the camshaft timing oil

Retard Signal control valve is positioned as
illustrated in accordance with
the retard signal from the
Retard

ECM, the oil pressure is ap-

plied to the chamber at the re-
tard side. Then, the twist of
157EG36
the helical spline causes the
Drain Duty Ratio camshaft to rotate in the direc-
Oil Pressure tion of timing retard.
188EG49
The ECM calculates the target
timing angle according to the
Hold Signal
traveling state to perform con-
trol as described above. After
setting at the target timing, the
valve timing is held by keeping
the camshaft timing oil control
Hold

valve in the neutral position

unless the traveling state
Duty Ratio
changes.
This adjusts the valve timing at
the desired target position and
157EG37 prevents the engine oil from
188EG50 running out when it is unneces-
sary.
44 GS430/300 — NEW FEATURES

 In proportion to the engine speed, intake air volume, throttle position and water temperature, the ECM
calculates an optimal valve timing under each driving condition and control the camshaft timing oil
control valve. In addition, ECM uses signal from the VVT sensors and the crankshaft position sensor
to detect the actual valve timing, thus performing feed back control to achieve the target valve timing. 1

Operation During Various Driving Condition (Conceptual Diagram) 

Full Load Performance

Range 4

Range 5

Engine Load

Range 3

Range 1, 2
150EG34
Engine Speed

Operation State Range Valve Timing Objective Effect

TDC
Latest Timing

Stabilized
Eliminating overlap to reduce idling rpm
During Idling 1 EX IN
blow back to the intake side Better fuel
economy

BDC 188EG51

To Retard Side

Ensured
Decreasing overlap to elimi- engine
At Light Load 2 EX IN nate blow back to the intake stability
side

188EG64

To Advance Side

Better fuel
Increasing overlap to increase economy
At Medium EX IN
3 internal EGR for pumping loss Improved
load
elimination emission
control
188EG65

(Continued)
 GS430/300 — NEW FEATURES 45

Operation State Range Valve Timing Objective Effect

TDC

Improved
In Low to
Advancing the intake valve torque in
Medium Speed EX IN
4 close timing for volumetric ef- low to me-
Range with
ficiency improvement dium speed
Heavy Load
To Advance
range
Side
BDC 188EG66

In High Speed Retarding the intake valve

EX IN Improved
Range with 5 close timing for volumetric ef-
output
Heavy Load ficiency improvement

To Retard
Side 188EG67

Latest Timing

Eliminating overlap to prevent Stabilized

blow back to the intake side fast idle rpm
At Low EX IN
— leads to the lean burning con-
Temperatures Better fuel
dition, and stabilizes the idling
speed at fast idling. economy
188EG52

Latest Timing

Upon Starting/ Eliminating overlap to mini-

Improved
Stopping the — EX IN mize blow back to the intake
startability
Engine side

188EG53