Subaru baja Turbo -Can the Oil Control Valve be related to burnt valves?

Question

Hello I have a 2006 Subaru Baja Turbo.  Needed a valve job at 89k.  Dealership could not tell me why this may have happened other then ask what I may have done. Did I not change sparkplugs, regular gas use instead of premium, racing the car, infrequent oil changes.  The answer across the boards is no.

So I get a solid check engine light one day and I think, OK I should take this to the shop.  A few days go by and the light goes off.  I keep driving.  A week or so later I get another solid check engine light and it turns off again.  I call and make an appointment with my regular mechanic.  Then get a solid check engine light and an intermtant flashing check engine.  My regular mechanic takes a look, plugs, checks coil and tells me he has feeling this may be valve related and suggests I go to the dealer.

He is right and $4,500 later I have all new valves and machined valve guides. SO...  after 600 miles on the new valves, I get a check engine light and the idle is SUPER rough.  No flashing.  I go down to the dealership and they pull a code on the handy code checker.  I do not know what the code was, but they mention that it is related to OCV and that it is unusual to see, they say a piece if debris may have passed through it and that the oil filter will get it, they clear it and tell me to leave. 

I am not off the lot and the code it back again.  Now they hookk up to the diagnostic computer and dive deeper.  The OCV selenoid is not moving there is a dead short.  After testing using another selnoid/OCV, they determine that needs to be replaced, order the correct one and 2 days later it is installed.  They did me a solid and only charged me for the part at $125. 

3000k miles later, last Friday, I take it in for an oil change.  All looks good, but over the weekend, I get a solid check engine light.  Monday morning I bring it in. They pull the code and they tell me at is related to the rear O2 sensor (post cat) and it may be nothing, or a bad or dirty sensor. (or what he didn't say is that there is a problem with the cat) So I am writing the code down which I thought was 0029, service manger says no I think it was a 0297.    He says, if you get another check engine light , we will make an appointment. They clear the code and send me on my way.

So when I get home I look up 0297 and appears there is no such code.  I enter 0029 which what I thought it was and this relates to OCV and selenoid.  Now I am nervous.  Today 3 days later, I get another solid check engine light, so I have to called in the AM and make an appointment.   I borrow code reader and it is actually P2097 which is related to rear O2.  (with another code pending)  Not sure if I should br relieved yet.

Can this faulty OCV/selenoid or related circuit have caused my intial valve problem?  And anything to be concerned with this O2 sensor such a short time later. I am not a mechanic or an engineer, but seems these things are fairly related to each other.  Have I been driving for 3000+ miles damaging my shiney new valves. I still do not know what caused my intial valve problems, but I am becoming suspicious.  Any experts have any thoughts here? 

Unlucky Dan

Answer 1

try this website "Bad oil control valve vs burnt valves. "

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1839749

and

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/help-p0021-intake-camshaft-position-timing-over-advanced-18887.html?s=2888af95663cbac98ca7afdf88506c20&t=18887&highlight=OCV