VVEL relay diagnostics problems

fritz

VVEL relays (diagnostics may not recognise them, and why.)
Symptoms. (one or all)
Intermittent gas pedal response
Violent diesel noise, conceivable due to arcing “sizzle” of contact points on the relay: (switch it off!)
Sudden complete loss of gas pedal response (real on-the-road danger!!).

R&D Testing: A thin knife down each side of the VVEL relay allows the plastic to unhook itself. Pull out the relay. (Breaking the plastic? No problem…no other maker uses these simple shrouds).
a) Remove the relay. Start engine. Throttle response is gone. Idle and max RPM is at 1200-1300. … (maybe more with a warm motor) Switch off the motor.
b) Remove the PWM relay (next slot) and plug it into the VVEL slot.
c) Start engine. Responses will be OK and the car drives normally. (Now you can recognise a VVEL relay problem in minutes and no “diagnostics b/s”!)
d) This is a standard on/off contact point relay with (normal enough) resistor protection.

Please do NOT trust a Consult3 diagnostics check. It cannot pull the relay code but will hit you with 2 or 3 expensive codes….and the stated “get you home” 3,000-3,500 RPM is confusing. nonsense.** (** Based on tests with two Consult3 diagnostic devices, one private, and one at a dealer.)

History:
Early Infiniti G70 VVEL relays were problems. They included wrong relay positioning in parts and Service manuals and/or on-car: an Infiniti TSB in 2008 supposedly cleared up the confusion. It didn’t.

The 370Z used the same engine, a year later. Problems remained with parts and shop manuals which maybe got the position right on one page but got it wrong on the others.
Who would know?

Fritz (One of two posts. T’other is on general discussions “Nissan steps up to the plate”)