In my understanding the VVT Allows the OEM's to use a smaller camshaft
(lower duration) which is basically what they've always used. So that's why
us hotrodders always went with "bigger" cams for more power... With the expense
being poor idle/low rpm behavior which the OE's can't do due to lots of reasons.
Our Gen IV engines can only "retard" the cams position in relation to the crank...
Which makes it "ACT" like a larger camshaft but when/where/how it gets retarded
is now controllable by the smart ecms.
To me there isn't really a downside to our VVT except it does add a something else
that can wrong as stated above...
That being said, if the VVT components were to get "stuck" in a certain position it
would be in the ZERO position which is default - which means no retard...
So you'd basically loose the benefits in the upper rpms.
The other benefit is that in high vacuum situation like highway driving it can retard
the cam slightly (along with fuel, timing) to lower the vacuum reversion happening
in the intake manifold. This results in better MPG at these certain conditions.
I know some of us have really looked into the actual settings via HPTuners and
understand this more than others.
Hence the need to limit the VVT actuation when installing a larger camshaft...
I'm pretty old school, but it is nice that you can have a 400HP+ engine that
idles at 600 rpm , gets good MPG AND pulls like a train to 6500 rpm !!!!
All thanks to very complicated engine management systems that are expensive
and hard to diagnose and work on though