How often do these things go out and how are they to install myself...
The dealer here in MD wants a nice piece of change for a $31.00 part.


Does anyone in the MD/DC area know of a really good/HONEST mechanic?

 

Are you SURE it's the solonoid?? Check your oil level first. And once you add/change your oil, clear the code. They don't go out too often. VTEC wont engage with low oil. It won't build the pressure, then throw a code for VTEC System Malfunction.

 

Speaking of low oil and VTEC, how exactly do you know when VTEC is engaging? I've got a '99 Accord EX, it seems like around 3-4K RPM the engine really takes off, sort of like a turbo but not quite as beefy. Is that the VTEC kicking in?

 

I have 99 Accord, EX with VTEC. Mine kicks in around 4k RPM. Yea its feels like turbo.

 

Ok, VTEC on the 6th Gen Accords kick in around 2500rpm at the latest. We have economy based engines. I agree that our motors tend to start to pull around 3k-3.5k. Our VTEC feels NOTHING like boost. Once you've driven a boosted car, you'll know what I mean.

 

I drove a 91 Eclipse with the 5-speed and the 2.0 turbo, man, that was a fun car til my brother crashed it. Yeah, the VTEC is not nearly as "bat out of hell" as that eclipse but you definately feel it more so than the old non-VTEC honda engines, or at least I seem to. My previous car was a '93 Accord (non-VTEC of course) and the difference is pretty pronounced, but that could be due to the age of the old accord too.

Someone told me on a previous post that the engaging VTEC can sometimes consume oil. Is this true? I check the oil at each fillup, about every week and a half and haven't noticed low oil. But I don't slam the engine much either. The previous owner claimed it was consuming oil so he put 10W-30 in it instead of 5W-30 to see if it would make a difference. Is this wise? I'm tempted to put 5W-30 back into it when I change it next just because honda recommends it, even if it does consume a little. Thoughts?

 

VTEC does comsume some oil. Not enough to really be considered "consuming" oil.