SurfLifeAway

Alright.. this is gonna be hard to explain.. but here it goes. Long story short, 2000 Civic Si.. motor swap, JDM B18c. Both are OBD2 and I got the JDM ECU with it.. bought the harness for the ECU and the wiring harness. Now, EVERYTHING is plugged up and attached the way it should be... when I first had run the car after the swap the CEL was on and the code was 21 and 6. Okay, so the Coolant Temp Sensor and the Vtec Solenoid need fixing. Replaced the CTS and CEL was still on. Said 21. Okay, VTEC solenoid. I noticed the main green wire to the solenoid was loose and just barely in the clip.. took both clips off and electrical taped the wires together. The CEL is now off.. but everytime Vtec is SUPPOSE to engage it doesnt really. Like.. the Vtec kicks in at 4500 and there really isn't a LOUD change over like my B16 or H22. It's more like a SOHC change over but with no power really. Anyone know why it's doing this with no CEL? I mean it's a GSR so I know it has a pretty good Vtec change over. I have taken the solenoid off and cleaned it and i tested my old B16 solenoid and its the same thing.

SurfLifeAway

anyone?

z6hatchboy

My friend b18c swapped ek kicks at 4800 and its not much louder than my z6. I wouldnt go by sound as to if its working. Its either in or out, and if its working then you're good.

SurfLifeAway

Its just like a slight change but not really power. I know something is wrong I just don't know what... its like as if something is keeping it from opening up I guess even though I know nothing is blocking it. It's really weird.. if you someone were to drive it they would probably ask I thought this motor had vtec kinda thing.

z6hatchboy

might be something to do with the secondaries, im not sure or just something routine maintenance could fix

SurfLifeAway

Yea.. thanks for the reply , i'll try and see whats goin on with it tomorrow

rclark

Thats just the way GSR's are IMO b/c of the secondaries. Then again, I've heard and felt plenty of B16 'vtecs' and never felt this so called power rush you explain *rolls eyes*

SurfLifeAway

Well im not sayin a power "rush" but.. you know you can hear a change over, like a pop.. and yes the rpms do go up a tad bit faster.. but with MY case.. there is a NOISE at 4500 and no gain in RPM.

rclark

Hmm, I'm still guessing secondaries. If you are really desperate to know you could wire up a VTEC light to ensure that the solenoid gets power at the least.

gshatch

take out the secondaries and re-tune if is you really want to notice it.

i think disconnect the vaccum line and that will keep the secondaries open all the time.

i don't think it is worth it though

SurfLifeAway

alright yea, i mean.. idk.. I 'm probably just going to leave it like it is.. but I just thought i'd make a post about it because I've heard GSR motors before and mine just didn't sound like it.

clockwork675

are you getting good power for bottom end? if notyou might wanna check your cam timing, quite a few of my friends have had the same complaint and pull off the covers and there it is, cam or exhaust is off one tooth!! cant say for sure but if you really think there might be something wrong you can check that out!!

B serious

iTrader: (1)

The GSR's VTEC is very quiet. You usually just hear the butterflies at 5700RPM. VTEC is at ~4500RPM. The transition to VTEC on a B18C black top is very subtle. This was done by Honda on purpose. It's a smoother transition than an ITR motor or a B16. It's normal. There's probably nothing wrong with it.

VTEC is just a larger cam lobe operating the valves. It's either on or off since the cam profiles for both lobes are fixed. On. Or off. No "weak" VTEC conditions exist. Unless half your VTEC lobe is shaved off or something.

As far as the CEL goes: You may have your CTS and VTEC plugs switched around. They're the same plug and in the same area. Make sure that the wire colors for each sensor are correct.

However since you said that your CEL turned off and your car isn't running like absolute garbage...the plugs are probably in the right places.

90Rexx

maybe your solenoid is sticking? idk... my bff jill?

SurfLifeAway

Alright, yea I mean bottom end is good.. strong. I hear a SLIGHT change over at 4500, but nothing after that.. and it still pulls.. but. just not really any sound. I have no CEL so I wouldnt think that the plugs were not connected right.. idk.. i've done everything that i could and everything seems fine. I took it to a friend of mine with a Type R and he use to have a GSR and he says something isnt right but he can't figure it out either.. i might just replace the whole solenoid and see what that does.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

The solenoid is not the issue if you can hear something at 4500RPM!!

I'm telling you dude, you sound like you're chasing a ghost. The VTEC crossover in a B18C1 is just very subtle.

Do this. Plug in your B16A ECU and go for a ride. Listen for a louder change at 6k. Since the change comes later combined with slightly leaner conditions, it will be more dramatic and loud.

If that works, just plug your B18C ECU back in and live with the quietness and boring power band of the B18C1.

SurfLifeAway

But it's not a B18c1 its just a B18c. But yea, i switched over ECU's but also switched over my B16 solenoid and I heard Vtec at 5700. It wasn't like my B16 use to be but I could hear a change over. Switched back and nothing. I hear a slight change at 4500 but that's it .. nothing past that.. and it's not a change over really you just feel the motor get faster but its like quiet.. TRUST ME its really hard to explain on here and you probably think i'm nuts.. but yea the solenoid is NOT the problem so im guessing it's gotta be something with the JDM ecu or.. something in the harness.

DoWnfall

aren't there 6k secondaries in us and jdm gsrs?

SurfLifeAway

See thats what idk.. my friend got a JDM Type R motor and put it in his Integra GSR and we heard something at 4300 and something at 5200.. both were very loud change overs.. and well with this one... i just have one at 4500 and its not loud but after 4500.. you dont hear or feel another thing.

shiux

I have a B20VTEC (USDM GSR head, so it's realevent)

VTEC hits at 4200 and later at 5200 or so. It is going to be pretty quiet. I have I/H/E and it's still quiet. If you want a loud crossover, get aftermarket Cams or a new Throttle Body.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

The ITR's ECU allows for VTEC at 5700RPM. The ITR's motor also doesn't have butterflies. You're imagining things.


Again....at 4500RPM, it's absolutely normal for a GSR or SiR-G engine to have a quiet VTEC changeover that you don't really notice.

You should hear the butterflies open up at ~6k. That's very pronounced on the intake side. Obviously, if you have an exhaust, you will drown out the butterfly opening...but the VTEC cross will be slightly louder.

Do you have the butterflies wired in? If you don't, they won't open. The GSR does start making noticeably more power after 6k when the butterflies open.

Again. At 4500RPM, you will hear very little and feel almost nothing happen. It's not meant to be an instant punch like an ITR motor. The GSR's powerband is smoother. It's normal. There's not many more ways to explain that.

ALLxMOTOR EG

agree

SurfLifeAway

Hmm. you know i didnt check that.. like.. im using the 0BD2 Wiring harness and.. for the butterflies to open is that a sensor? or.. is that all part of the engine? The butterfly valve is in there..but i can't tell if it's open or closed.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

it will be closed at idle. It will open when you turn the car off.

Basically, it closes under high vacuum (idle, low throttle).

It only opens under low vacuum (large enough throttle angle) AND the IAB wiring has to be intact. The way it works is when you get to 5700RPM, the IAB wiring exposes the IAB diaphragm to the low Vacuum. That's how it opens.

If the wiring is not good, the IAB will not open.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

In other words, it has mechanical and electrical controls.

If it were only mechanical, the IABs would open every time you crushed the gas pedal...which would kind of defeat their purpose.

There has to be low vacuum....but the IAB diaphragm has to be exposed to it. There's a one way valve that is somehow opened up using the wiring. IIRC, from when I took mine apart to put a different manifold in there, there's a canister that is controlled by a shutter valve or a solenoid.

The canister is in underneath top side of the manifold runners.