Lip

Posting to keep everyones brain working. A non honda-tech but vtec mini owner wrote....

I was driving the Mini a few days ago, no problems, running to redline quite a few times, everything working normally. Today when I started it, it was ticking pretty loudly, valvetrain noise. Like an old V8 with bad lifters. I don't know why it would be worse on a cold startup since the valvetrain is all mechanical, but anyway it seemed to get better, I drove around for a bit, and the noise was very faint, I ran it hard a time or two and noticed the VTEC didn't engage. I had no check engine light, it was just a dog up high. I tried again and paid closer attention and noticed the VTEC did engage, but it wasn't the usual distict crisp change, it was much more subtle, and actually once engaged, it was a bit doggy almost like it was running way rich, still running smoothly but not pulling real clean, like I had let off the throttle and was just barely accelerating at 7K, (which I would never do, If I'm at 7k, it's wide open Smile ) So anyway, I put two and two together, it's making loud valvetrain noises, and the VTEC isn't working properly, so I'd say the two are related, any ideas before I tear into it? I've only put about 500 miles on it since I replaced the timing belt and adjusted the valves.

alterdcreations

maybe a bent valve or bad oil pump, clogged vtec screen,
or maybe he is low on oil