H22 Vtec Problem??

[VtecFreak]

Hey what's up guys? I'm having a little problem with my vtec staying engaged on my H22. I was getting the CEL code 21 for bad vtec solenoid, so today I got a new solenoid and changed it out. Well as it turns out that wasn't the problem and I'm still getting the same CEL code. I've been told to check my grounds but I didn't do the wiring on this so I have no idea what grounds to check and where. If anyone here could help shed some light on this so I can get this problem taking care I would appreciate it because I'm really starting to get pissed

[BustedLX]

Well the Vtec solonoid is grounded threw it's body so there is no ground for you to check there. Maybe the ground for the VTM is acting shitty.

Have you tried a different ECU? Can you get the person that did your wiring back into your car to check that everything is ok and no wires have been pinched, rubbed threw, cut, etc.

You're sure the problem isn't in the head right?

[VtecFreak]

The wiring has been checked a few times just to make sure that it's ok. And I haven't tried a different ecu yet because I would have to save and get a new one, so hopefully that's not the problem. As far as problems in the head go, what exactly could go wrougn there?

[BustedLX]

Well if the head had a blocked oil passage and was not feeding oil to the Vtec solonoid you would get a Vtec pressure sensor code and/or irractic non-functioning Vtec.

So you mean the car gets into Vtec and then jumps out? You feel a huge power loss as the low cams come back on?

What I would do if I where you is run a wire directly from the Vtec solonoid into the car then drive the car at lets say 4K rpm and then inside the car give the Vtec solonoid 12v and see if you can feel the cams switch. Keep it there and see if it stays in the high cam the whole time, do not drop below 3k rpm with the high cam as there is no sprak or fuel map below 3k rpm for the high cam.

If it stays switched with the solonoid manually on then your problem is not oil but electrical.

[VtecFreak]

Well I went and reset the ecu to see if that was maybe the problem but it wasn't. Unfortunate for me I live in an apartment and it's pissing outside so I can't really do everything in one day. So tomorrow I'm going to try what you suggested to at least narrow it down to oil or electrical. What did you use as a 12v power source for the soleniod wire inside the car?

[BustedLX]

Originally posted by VtecFreak
Well I went and reset the ecu to see if that was maybe the problem but it wasn't. Unfortunate for me I live in an apartment and it's pissing outside so I can't really do everything in one day. So tomorrow I'm going to try what you suggested to at least narrow it down to oil or electrical. What did you use as a 12v power source for the soleniod wire inside the car?
You could really use anything accessible, Like the center of the cig lighter, maybe an amplifier positive. Any positive you can find easily. Maybe if you can get someone to go with you to make it easier for you to keep your eyes on the road while they energize the wire.

[VtecFreak]

Busted you're a genius:boink: Well I did what you told me to and ran a wire into the car. And as soon as I got up to around 4200 I plug the wire into the lighter and it sang to me, finally:D So I guessing now that my problem is a bad connection between the ecu and the vtec solenoid. I wonder if a junkyard would have the complete wire from the ecu to the plug?? Anyway I'm stoked as hell and I hope to have this fixed this weekend when I have time to go through the wiring. Hey if it could be anything other then the bad wire let me know so I can maybe toubleshoot some more. Thanks for the help Busted you kick ass:bang:

[BustedLX]

No problem dude, Don't bother yourself with going to a junk yard unless you really have to.

To make it easier on yourself just get 18-2 speaker wire connect one to the vtec solonoid and the other to the pressure sensors output then just run that into the car. Make sure you have to extra pins (probably from the junkyard) in order to mate into the stock ECU plug. Allot of people mess up here and try to jerry rig the wire in but that never works. Just get the correct pins.

[VtecFreak]

Well I rewired the solenoid and ran it. It's not stalling out at the vtec crossover like it was and it sounds like it's staying, but I'm still getting the code 21. I did forget the reset the ecu however so I'm going to do that and see what happens, but there is deffinitly a difference there. I'm going to try again in an hour or so and see if that fixes it.

[VtecFreak]

:wtf: It's still doing it! last night when I ran the wire into the lighter it didn't have a problem so I thought it was just a connection problem, but I rewired it again and I know that can't be the problem. It actually just dawned on me, the the oil pressure switch on the back of the block isn't hooked up, but would that effect the vtec engagment? Is it possible that this is an ecu issue, because I'm using a chipped P28 so I don't know if there is something wrong with it. Anyway get back at me and tell me what you think.:idiots:

[BustedLX]

The oil pressure sender not connected shouldn't affect Vtec but you never know. It could be an ECU issue. Do you have another your could swap in to compare?

I don't know what else it could be if the solonoid is new, works right when hardwired, wiring good, and a good connection then the only thing left is the ECU.