RKV

any1 ever change out a vtec solenoid or vtec pressure switch? any tips for me? honda dealer sold me what they called a spool valve, and said the part had BOTH the vtec solenoid and the vtec oil pressure switch 2gther. is that right, that both parts can be located on this same spool valve? and is the vtec pressure switch aka the vtec "OIL" pressure switch this guy said. my friend who is very knowledgable is going to do the job for me... he's done engine swaps, FI installs, etc. ive used him b4 to change out my rotors, brake pads, sway bar/endlink install, helix throttle body spacer, catalytic converter install, header installation etc.

btw, i have a 1998 honda accord coupe 4 cylinder EX

98CoupeV6

Did you take it off and clean the filter out first?

RKV

honda dealer told me to get an oil change, cuz i was due for one (im bad at getting oil changes on time), still had a CEL afterwards, then they told me to get a oil flush, but i said, oil change should be same (flush contaminents, get oil level up). THEN they told me to clean the vtec solenoid shield cuz it gets gunked up, and they cleaned the vtec shield. so the answer is yes, we took it out and got the filter cleaned (hope thats the same thing) and car still feels gutless and runs like shi*, takes forever to accelerate. btw, i had a BAD EVAP canister cel b4, fixed it, and bad catalytic converter for 5 yrs, fixed that this yr also. hope that didnt cause the vtec problem.

JimBlake

Spool valve is inside the box labeled #9.

The VTEC oil pressure switch sticks out from the side, #12. The VTEC solenoid is the round thing on top, bolted down with a triangle flange.

Maybe your problem was really a dirty gunked-up screen (#11).

98CoupeV6

Yeah that's what I said, it's a very common problem with the solenoid if you get gunk in your oil (or run seafoam and dont change your oil immediately). I've heard of at least 3 or 4 people who just had a dirty filter.

RKV

well, like i said, i got it cleaned and it didnt fix the job, so how could it be that ??? and it was a Honda technician who did the job, not one of the porter boys at honda or something (under the table, after work hours so it was cheaper). will this vtec spool come with a new vtec solenoid shield? im telling u, my car runs REALLLLY BAD! like it hard to accelerate to 60 mph, its been getting worse slowly. i already changed the catalytic converter, no more code 67, and i changed out BOTH the o2 sensors with genuine OEM ones.

98CoupeV6

That sounds more like EGR. You're not explainiong why you're even changing the VTEC solenoid...when it goes you'll get a DTC.

JimBlake

Well, it looks like you can buy the VTEC oil pressure switch by itself, but not the solenoid valve. If they ordered the spool valve assembly for you, it's supposed to come with everything pictured inside #9. Some years/cars you can buy the solenoid separately, but I guess not here??

I suppose you got a P1257 error code(?), otherwise you're just throwing random parts at it.

I guess I should have read more carefully where you said you cleaned the screen. I just thought I'd post the picture of that screen 98Coupe was talking about.

98CoupeV6

Well he said he had cleaned the filter off and then asked for help changing the solenoid so I assumed that he'd cleaned the wrong thing.

RKV

EXACTLY! i did get the VTEC malfunction code CEL. so im not throwing away random parts at it, thus 98COupeV6, I do NOT have a EGR problem, i do not think at least cuz i have a VTEC CEL. yea, the v6 98-02 accords you can buy the solenoid and the pressure switch separate but on the i4 like mines u cannot. its cheaper to buy it all in 1, spool valve.