P1531 code

I was hoping we had a success on this_- assuming the solenoid admits oil to the variator, this alters the relationship of the cam to crankshaft. I would think the oil pressure operates in 1 direction only to move the cam shaft in the opposite direction to its running direction. When the oil pressure is released the pull on the cam belts would push the oil out of the variator and the cam would go back to its original position. It might have intermediate positions, but I think not as it would need some form of feedback to work.
You might think about taking the plugs out and marking the exposed part of the cam shafts ( assuming it is possible) with a drop of paint and a reference mark on the engine. Turn the engine using the crank bolt and see if the 2 reference marks move the same when you move the crank in both directions. ie compare 1 bank to the other.
Either the Variator is seized or it is worn internally so that the oil being admitted to it , is just passing the vanes and not adjusting the cam timing.
If the movement of the 2 cams as seen by the paint marks is not the same then you know it is a variator problem.
I have a drawing for you but cannot work out how to send it yet.

 

What are the engine parameters? Put your SD2 in "Connect to PC" mode and select parameters. Look at cam timing and then compare that reading to the other bank. When you replaced the solenoid, do you reset the learned values with the SD diagnostic menu command?

 

Do you know if the cam has just 2 positions ?

 

Did you measure the resistance value of the new solenoid? You might want to do that before doing anything else, just to make sure that it's not 47 ohms again. If it is, something else is causing the solenoid to burn up.

 

The variable timing system is not very exotic...Kia/Hyundai had the same system and it only moves the exhaust side 20 degrees. The ECM takes inputs from various sensors and them moves the solenoid by Pulse Width grounding in the ECM to move the shuttle valve in the solenoid. The shuttle valve then ports oil into the variator (other manufacturers call it a phaser) to either advance or retard the cam in relation to the cam sprocket. There is a three wire sensor that reports back to the ECM how much the variator moved. If the response was not what the command was, a DTC code is stored. First I would confirm you are getting source voltage to the solenoid (circuit loaded) and the ground wire to the ECM is good. Then I would confirm the three wire cam signal has good power and ground. Then I would compare the two signal wire voltages as you go from idle to snap throttle. They should track together. This is what the SD2/3
is reading, its just converted data by the ECM. I would suspect your variator is bad since you replaced the solenoid. It can only be the solenoid, variator, wiring or ECM. Just a caution, sometimes a bad solenoid will take out an ECM.

 

Check the Harness wire down along the Valve cover wires or connector could be melted there close to the headers and alot of heat, check for any plastic melted