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Recent EP3 purchase

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97
Hi all, I'm fairly new on here so thought I'd post a hello message. Ignore the title - it's wrong and I can't change it!

I have a 2003 EP3 that I purchased in 2005 when it only had 18,000 miles on it. Over the years it has been my reliable, fun workhorse daily motor. Plenty of miles on it now, but it has a problem that I just can't understand.

It has 189,000 miles on but it doesn't want to rev over 5000rpm in any gear, but that's probably down to age and mileage. There's no engine management lights on and I have tried to give it the beans, but it feels restricted and gets very loud and boomy behind the dashboard if I try to rev it any further.

Any help with why it won't rev up to VTEC would be helpful.

Thanks. Mark.
 
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Bulb hasn't been removed as it lights up with ignition turned on, as all the other dash indicators do. Have to try and find a garage with a code reader then.
 
Sounds simple but check the oil level. That will cut off vtec and when mine has run a little low the engine gets boomy like you described.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I dont know much about the EP3's but on the s2000 that sort of stuff happens when the gauze on the VTEC solenoid part gets clogged up with crap. Running along the lines of what Ste666 said it's like it's not getting enough oil/pressure etc. I only found out about this through good old Mike Brewer and Edd China. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gb2p64a8KE Well worth a watch.
 
I watched that YouTube thingy. Very informative, but it doesn't really relate to my ep3. Firstly, I can't even see where the VTEC solenoid is let alone take it off and take it apart. Much more importantly, I now have a really hot rear wheel on the passenger side after five to ten miles of driving. I jacked it up, took the wheel off and let the brakes cool down overnight. The next morning I can turn the hub manually but can also hear the brake pads scraping the disc. Tried to undo the caliper but the bolts are well tight and won't budge. I'd rather clean the caliper than buy a new one.
 
I watched that YouTube thingy. Very informative, but it doesn't really relate to my ep3. Firstly, I can't even see where the VTEC solenoid is let alone take it off and take it apart. Much more importantly, I now have a really hot rear wheel on the passenger side after five to ten miles of driving. I jacked it up, took the wheel off and let the brakes cool down overnight. The next morning I can turn the hub manually but can also hear the brake pads scraping the disc. Tried to undo the caliper but the bolts are well tight and won't budge. I'd rather clean the caliper than buy a new one.

Its just above the oil filter
http://honda-tech.com/acura-rsx-dc5-honda-civic-ep3-32/vtec-solenoid-valve-service-2860754/
 
Thanks Hamza. That is round the back of the engine then. There's not a lot of room round there and the engine won't be coming out.
 
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Thanks Hamza. That is round the back of the engine then. There's not a lot of room round there and the engine won't be coming out.


Thats correct mate
Yeah does look tight space,I'm not sure what would be the best method for it,was thinking taking of the rocker cover that way get more space?
Like Jizzy said can be done by using the correct tools
 
If you remove the rocker cover watch you dont snap the air assist valve , (they break very easly)
Use 1/4 drive socket set with engine cold (so you dont burn your arms) its easly done with rocker box on
 
Do have to disconnect the negative terminal first and remove the solenoid 2 electrical connectors
And reconnect connectors and then the battery?
 
Haven't had time to do this yet. Had a look and I can't see enough room to my hand in there let alone a 1/4 ratchet.
 
Haven't had time to do this yet. Had a look and I can't see enough room to my hand in there let alone a 1/4 ratchet.

lol it's easy to get 1/4 ratchet and 10mm socket I managed to get 3 bolts off and 1 on the side and the the only thing I was struggling on was 1 of the connectors and all the cables and are tied up on cable ties and on to the shield
I need some sort of long noise cutters to cut the ties very carefully and that way I can free the cables of the shield
 
Still to do the VTEC solenoid gasket. I've managed to get the socket onto two of the three bolts but the bottom one is a right pain. At least the other two did undo without much fuss.

More importantly though is the near side rear caliper, which has seized up again. Exactly a month after having it seen to, cleaned out and new pads installed, the damn thing got stuck on the 25 mile drive home from work a couple of weeks ago. I guess it's now time to replace both with the new ones that I bought from Cox's. Oh yeah, new discs too!!

EDIT: I think this could turn into a 'repair' blog.....
 
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Most certainly a repair blog now...

Had all the rear braking system replaced two weeks ago to get through the MOT. Both rear discs & original calipers only fit for the bin. Braking system also fully bled with new fluid.

As I was driving it out of the bay at the garage, it sprang an oil leak from the filter. Mechanic could barely get it off so the seal must have gone inside it. He had to resort to the old school way of removing it with a big screwdriver and hammer.

This was all rather lucky really as I was about to take the car for a test drive to see how the brakes felt. It was then a case of drive it back in and get the jack out again to change the oil & filter. Luckily, the fresh oil and filter had been sitting in the boot for about 4 months as I'd been trying to find the time to change them. The sump plug washer had been crushed to about half a millimetre by Guy the Gorilla that did the previous oil change.

The following day, whilst out for a test drive to see if there were any oil leaks and to test the brakes, the centre section of exhaust decided it didn't want to play any more, so I had to get that replaced aswell.

At least it passed the MOT. YEAH!!

Just got that bloody VTEC solenoid gasket to change now.

I've been having a good think over the last week or so about what else could prevent the engine from engaging VTEC? Is it purely a mechanical thing that the cams have to have oil flowing to them to lift?

Engine has brand new oil in it to the correct level, and yet it doesn't engage. There are no EML lights on, no noises or rattles, and no fault codes on the diagnostics to suggest chain stretch. But the engine still really struggles to get to 5000rpm and push the car along beyond 75mph in 6th. Starting to think that it could be a long and potentially expensive process but I don't know what to tackle first. Where is the cheapest place to start...the VTEC solenoid?

Mark
 
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Engine now coming out of car. Various winter issues have raised their heads so may as well do all the jobs with the engine out. It's easier with more room.

EDIT: 29 MAY 2017

Engine still in car.... it has been running just ok without doing anything to it, however power is now starting to fall off. 60mph is tops now combined with very slow acceleration even when warmed up. Will it make it to 200K miles? only 880 miles to go. I'll keep driving it until it fails because I don't know any better. I'm past the age of crawling around on the floor trying to access things that are hard to reach.

Mark
 
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