Greetings all,

I want to first start off by thanking everyone who has posted pictures of their cam phasers, was a big help in attempting this fix.

3 days ago i bought a 2011 g37x off face book market place, stuck in limp mode throwing p0011, said he had a shop change the timing chain (Later verified on carfax report). It was such a good deal I couldn't pass it up. I limped the car home, hitting the limp mode rev limiter at 2500 rpm. Next day i go look at the VVT Solenoids, they're new, but after further investigating, they're cheap knock off, throw some genuine ones from my Other G in... No fix. So I start looking toward the cam angle sensor, also brand new. I had no confirmation that the gallery gasket had been done, but taking the bank 2 cam cover off, it saw it was evident the timing had been done, so unless the shop was dumb, I had to operate under the assumption the gallery gasket had been done. The next day, I get on the forums and start reading all the possibilities it could have been, and went all in on that cam phaser sprocket having slipped in bank one.

Next I watch This video: of disassembly

Not wanting to take the entire front of the car off, I came to the conclusion that if it slipped out of place, then why couldn't it slip back in place. So I looked around to see if anyone had done it while it was still on the car, nothing, cant even find any evidence that anyone has made it go back to the correct position. Now Im in a unique position, where I know the timing chain was brand new, and had to assume the gallery gasket had been done, along with all new sensors. So in all likely hood, it had to be the phaser. I took the bank one cam cover off, all but confirmed the gallery gasket had been done, as someone attempted to use a No. 2 Phillips on the No. 3 screw, leaving some slight marring. I see the cam phaser sprocket aligned with the 4th took on the cam gear... Bingo

After triple checking everything, and mentally preparing for disaster, I slowly pryed the sprocket up, maybe about 2-3 mm, then used a brass punch and mallet to tap it back to the correct position, aligning with the 5th tooth on the cam gear. After ensuring it was aligned properly, I used a brass mallet to "press" the sprocket back into place. I considered a small tac weld to the cam gear but decided against it. Threw the car back together, took it for a test drive. It worked.

TLDR:If you find yourself in the position where the cam phaser sprocket having slipped is the most likely cause of P0011/P0021. You can tap the sprocket back in to place while it is still on the car, and even do it through the cam covers. Even if it slips back in a few weeks, I'll get a new sprocket and do it the correct way, but this allowed me to sleep at night knowing there is not some gremlin that cant be fixed in the car. As for preventative measures, Oil cooler is going on the car, as well as fresh oil change, filter, Etc.

I wish I had taken pictures, but too damn hot out yesterday

Anyway, hope this helps someone out there.

 

MY MAN. A shout out would have been nice but this was the intention of my thread. I was confident that you can tap that ring back in place but I am so happy you did as it confirms my theory.
I've been dealing with a p0011 for 1+ years and was just about to fix it this summer and was going to attempt to fix the gear when I came across this thread.

I might have to still pull the whole thing out being that my VTC has been "clacking" for the past year.

 

Yea that’s on me i tried to throw every key word i could remember from yesterday because i couldn’t recall your user name and had scoured all forums involving HR motors, im glad you found this quick, but your hypothesis is what sold me on doing this, thought i was missing something with everybody just throwing in cam phasers when in all actuality the only thing that needs to happen is the phaser slipping back into place.

Took it for a couple trips around the block today. Still good after probably 6 solid minutes of driving it like i stole it, amazon oil cooler kept oil temps low, now i just gotta deal with this sawzall muffler delete that’s been done on it and it’ll be good to go

 

how long did it last for. I did the same exact thing, found a 07 g37 journey black black clean body clean interior no rust, 106k for 2200. Was listed as needed timing chain replaced. But I could see new vvt on bank 1, new camshaft p sensor bank one, could see fresh nissan rtv and clean aluminum so I assumed someone did galkery gasket as well. Confirmed via car fox care care app and saw tons
of regular maintenance from a one owner car. So I assumed with
the p0011 code I saw, and the 10 degrees advanced, it's the phase sprocket bank 1. I just got it, and I'm pulling the cover off here today, but was curious how long this lasted for ya, or if it slipped back shortly after. This is a clean all
orginal all stock, un molested in any way g37 coupe journey pack, so I'm excited to get it back up and running as it should. Thanks

Edit, so as u did, after lowering fans, power steering bracket, tensioner bracket, pulleys, intakes, belt, etc i opened the cover up. It was slightly advanced, counting the teeth with the dot it was on the 6ish tooth. I lightly tapped the ring thats press fit on, outwards a couple mills. I marked the 5th tooth on the sprocket itself, and then gently tapped the ring to line up back with the 5th tooth. ReAssembled, and went for a drive. So far so good. I don't expect this to be a long term fix but I can tell you if you go to the 4th tooth, it won't start. Ask how I know. So technically that lobe can be rotated. I as well don't see why it wouldn't be or couldn't be tacked onto the sprocket itself. It wouldn't take much to do so, and gently file off excess tack weld if a guy was worried about adding extra weight to it. All oil screens were clean on both sides, nothing looked off accept the lobes alignment. I as well could tell it had a gallery done recently, new rtv and clean surfaces around the main cover, and slight marring on one Phillips skrew from being taken off. So, one would assume water pump etc was completed. I don't expect this to last forever, but it's wild how just that press fit lobe on that sprockets can cause that. Anyways, hoping it lasts until spring, but who knows. I have bad luck, so we will see. Next uo, is to fix the rattling from the passanger cats interior honey comb that's bouncing around at idle, and all the tinging heat shields that are rusted. Weird as the rest of the car is really clean and rust free. Just the exhaust is rusted. But for another day. Glad I found this thread, would not have bought that car without seeing it.

 

This information really came clutch !. I took off bank 2 cam cover and turn the engine to tdc and guess what?. It's off by almost 2 teeth!. It's supposed to be at tooth #7 CCW from dot but It was at tooth #9. I used a socket and knocked it back 2 teeth. It's a temporary fix ....but now I know for sure this is the issue. I might take it to a shop and get the signal plate weld right onto the cam lip where it's pressed onto.


Black line on left is where it was at tooth#9. Black line on right is where its supposed to be at tooth#7

 

Did the adjustment work for you?

 

I'm excited this is starting to work for people. I hope more and more keep checking and trying the method.

If manual adjustment doesn't work you can at least identify if you need a whole VTC since some folks prefer purchasing a VTC assembly.

It does show that the overheating of the oil + failing gallery gaskets + few harsh shifts while at WOT at this temperature can shift the ring retarded. The ring cannot shift unless is under a harsh instant load.

Great **** guys👏🏽

 

Yes!. Starts right up now with both cam sensors plugged in. Check engine light went off as well. But im afraid it will slip again until i can figure out a permanent solution.

 

Just made an account to say thank you! This fixed my P0011.

Similar situation - stole a 2012 G37x for 2k, and had a P0011 code and in limp mode even though the timing chain/gallery gaskets was done by the Nissan dealership a year ago.

Opened up the Bank 1 cam cover and low and behold... the phaser was one tooth out (was on the 4th tooth, when it was supposed to be on the 5th).

Put everything back together after adjusting the phaser, and it was all good.... until I got a CEL, in which I realized I forgot to tighten my intake hoses

Thanks again! Even if it slips back eventually, we know it's the phaser!

 

still working too this day

 

good to know i pioneered a fix, that cars still running perfectly, been recently (re)building my 07 m35 i’ve had for for 6 years don’t really pay any mind to the g bc it’s my sister in laws car now but i haven’t had any issue w it