I have a 2006 RSX-S. I bought the car with the factory motor, which was all sorts of messed up from the previous owner continuing to run it even though is was overheating. I pulled that motor out, kept some of the bolt-ons, and I scrapped the rest of it.

I found a complete disassembled K20A2 bottom end on Facebook for sale that I ended up buying. I was planning on giving it an overhaul anyways, so the fact that it was already in pieces benefited me. I also ended up finding a K20Z1 head on Facebook for sale that I also purchased.

I had the block hot tanked and I replaced all of the ‘wear’ components with factory OEM components such as rod bearings, main bearings, rod bolts, main bolts, piston rings, head gasket, ARP head studs, etc, etc.

I had the head re-cut and hot tanked. I installed new OEM valve seals and relapped the valves. Once I installed the head onto the block, I adjusted the valves to spec as well. I also bought a new OEM oil pump chain and timing chain. Unfortunately, at this time of the rebuild, I was an idiot and didn’t replace either chain tensioner or guides.

I dropped the motor in and buttoned everything up and I fired it up. Right out of the gate, I threw two P0341 CELs - one was pending and one was an actual code. The motor had a fluctuating idle, idling from about 800 rpms to about 3,000 rpms, back and forth. It would never smooth out. When it hit the 800 rpm mark and right before it went back up to the 3,000 rpm mark, the oil pressure light would come on for a few seconds then go back out. I re-checked the timing and it looked to be right on, but the chain tensioner looked to be fully extended, so I went ahead and bought a new OEM tensioner and installed it. The fluctuating idle still persisted.

At this point, I decided to buy all brand new OEM timing components, including the timing chain, all 3 timing chain guides, an oil pump, oil pump chain, oil pump chain guides and the oil pump chain tensioner. I installed everything, re-timed it, buttoned everything back up and fired it up. The fluctuating idle was gone - it finally idled pretty good, but the P0341 still existed. If I rev the car up, when it falls back to idle, the oil pressure light still flashes.

I rechecked the timing yet again, and it is definitely in time, so I figured that I’d move onto swapping out sensors. I bought a brand new OEM CKP sensor - the P0341 still existed. I bought a brand new OEM VTC oil control solenoid sensor - the P0341 still existed. There were brand new CMP sensors (RockAuto brand, unfortunately) that came with the head when I bought it - I tried flipping these 2 sensors around to see if the code would possibly follow the potentially ‘bad’ sensor, which it did not - the P0341 still existed. I tested the oil pressure switch today, and it seemed to be functioning properly. I’m also getting a pretty nasty (grinding?) noise coming from what sounds to be underneath of the valve cover - this only occurs at certain RPMs though, not at idle. Grinding is probably the best way that I can describe the noise.

And now this is the point where I’m at, and I’m lost on what to do next. It sucks to continuously throw money at parts that don’t fix the problem, but if I have to play the guess and check game, then so be it. I just want the car to run and drive nicely so that I can finally start to daily it.

The only 3 other things that I can think of to do is to change out the CMP sensors with brand new OEM sensors, change out the VTC actuator with a brand new OEM actuator, and check for power at each of the connectors that pertain to the P0341 code.

I’m seeking help and wondering which way to turn. Maybe somebody else has been through this process before and could relay some useful information to me on what to do or try next. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

- DJ

Hmm, never thought of that. That’ll be something that I look into in the morning. Good thought!

I know for certain that the crankshaft pulser plate is installed correctly, but I’m definitely gonna look into the plates on the camshafts tomorrow.

Well both plates on each cam are installed correctly. I checked my VTC actuator and I couldn’t get it to unlock with compressed air, so I’m assuming that it’s bad. I just ordered a new OEM actuator and new OEM CMP sensors. Hopefully this will solve my issues.