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vtec tries but fails

L

lockstock

Messages
10
Hello all. Newbie here, i have owned hondas for many years including an h22a eg6 and a k20 em1 which i currently own.

im having an issue with the vtec on my k20 coupe, the car had been parked at my mums for the last 4 months and worked flawlessly beforehand. However, i went to pick it up yesterday and the
car refuses to engage the vtec.

it worked the first time i tried it (althought there was a slight judder when it engaged) but now just as its about to
engage, the car will sound and behave like its hitting some kind of limiter. After some more driving the eml will light up and the car goes into safe mode.

Im running a k100 ecu so diagnostic isnt really possible.

ive trawled google for hours but cant find anyone else who has had this issue.

any help will be greatly appriciated.
 
Spool valve gasket arrived today. I set about removing the vtec solenoid and found that it had been leaking somewhat but mesh insert and solenoid itself appeared to be pretty clean so I'm not sure a gasket will fix my issue.
Gonna take it to my place of work and have it tested to make sure the pin moves freely.
 
Car still has eml problems. Ive replaced the spool valve gasket, new hamp filter and oil plus the radiator fan as that wasnt working.
both oil pressure and vtec sensors check out ok.
light won't come on if you leave it running idle but if you take it out for a drive it come on after about 2 mins.
it still shakes the Car when trying to changeover to vtec. Wits end now.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Could be the lambda too, but that's a guess based on a Wheeler Dealers episode with an S2000.
 
thanks for the replys guys. Just tried another vtec spool valve and had the same result :(

I've now noticed that the exhaust pops under deceleration. Never used to do that.
 
Check the timing, maybe the chain has jumped. New genuine Honda chain and tensioner if it has.
 
Loxy said:
Check the timing, maybe the chain has jumped. New genuine Honda chain and tensioner if it has.
Click to expand...

Would the car still run and drive perfectly fine if that was the case?
You wouldn't know anything was wrong with it until You tried using vtec.
 
conaghy said:
Any possibility of a video of this? Interested to see what exactly is happening.
Click to expand...

No video im afraid. All i can say is it won't rev past 5k. Even if you dip the clutch and put it in first.

Definitely not a vtec issue. Speedo works ok so probably won't be the vss. I dont wanna replace every sensor on it, im close to breaking the damn thing.
 
Have you put a code reader on it, just in case the EML isn't coming on for whatever reason?

Checked the timing yet?
 
Loxy said:
Have you put a code reader on it, just in case the EML isn't coming on for whatever reason?

Checked the timing yet?
Click to expand...

Eml does come on after about 2 mins of driving but ive no way of checking it as my loom doesn't have a dlc connector.

Would it really be the timing? That car runs and drives absolutely spot on.
 
lockstock said:
Eml does come on after about 2 mins of driving but ive no way of checking it as my loom doesn't have a dlc connector.
Click to expand...

Something you aren't telling us here. Why doesn't it have an obd port?

lockstock said:
Would it really be the timing? That car runs and drives absolutely spot on.
Click to expand...

To be fair, it doesn't.

It won't rev over 5k which indicates that it is in limp mode and the reason you don't have VTEC right now, is that the ECU is stopping it revving higher to protect the engine. Reading the code will tell you what is wrong.
 
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