Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

Ok guys let me start you off with some background on my car so that you know what I’m going through right now (if you don’t want to hear about it and just want to hear the problem with the car, please skip to the next paragraph!) ) Here goes: I bought the car brand new in July of 1999, drove it for two years problem free with intake, header and exhaust. I felt the itch so I put a Zex kit and gained a nice amount of power (223whp, 210 torque). The car was fast! I set the timing too advanced during the last dyno pull to gain the most power and three months later I blew the motor. Took the head off and it turns out I melted a valve. So I had a local machine shop put Ferrea SS valves, do a mild P&P, etc. Next, I popped the head back on. She runs, but she emits a dark black smoke on startup and during full throttle. Totally disheartened I take the complete motor apart assuming (yea, I know, I know) that when the piece of the valve broke off it scarred the cylinder wall. I then put in Eagle Rods, SRP 9.5:1 pistons and bored out the block to 81.5mm. At this point I was tired with the nitrous so I pieced together a turbo kit when she was to be put back on the road. It was made up mostly of an FMAX kit that I bought off of my brother. (I also bought a Victor X intake manifold) The motor comes out and my buddy Louis (Hybridkoop) builds the motor. It completely done, all we need to do it pop the head on! Next, we put my new intake manifold and look what do we find? We discover some beautiful pools of oil behind the intake valves. Sweet, the machine shop (Eastwoods Machine in Summers, CT) that did my head neglected to put new valve seals in. The bottom end was probably fine; the car was smoking because of the bad valve seals. Awesome! Disappointed, I move on. Everything comes together, she’s running alright and all I need now is a nice tune on my Hondata. Steve Sakai comes to my neck of the woods and tunes my car. The motor goes KABOOM on the dyno. At this point my heart drops to my feet. I can’t describe the magnitude of well … sadness that I felt when my baby was spewing out white smoke out of her heart. I tow her to my good friend Tom’s (tbone) garage. The motor comes apart once again and she had badly cracked sleeves. YEA for me! Completely devastated at this point I say f#$% it to the car and try not to think about it. A month passes by and I finally decide what I’m going to do. Now that we’re in December of 2003 while I’m at school I decide that I am going to buy a temporary motor while I build a beast! I locate a JDM B16 and swap it in. (Spring of 2004). That summer I drive it around until I stumble upon this post . I bought this RS Sleeved B18B1 punched out to 84.5mm with Eagle Rods and Arias 9:1 Pistons (ITR water and oil pump). I swap this monster in along with a newly pieced together turbo kit. (Look at my new setup below) Next, I make an appointment, rent a trailer and tow my baby down to see Jeff Evans (Boosted Hybrid) for a tune. On the ride down (4 hours from Connecticut to Pennsylvania) I can’t believe what I’m going to do! I’m going to fix my car!!!!! At this point it hasn’t ran right in three years! Its funny, the car turned 5 years old the day I went to get her tuned! Sweet irony, right? It’s going to actually work out for once, right? WRONG! The tune is going nicely and Jeff is done with the low cam tune. Next is the high cam (VTEC) tune. No dice. VTEC is not engaging. While at Jeff’s, we try everything we can to get VTEC to work, nothing. The bottom line is that we weren’t getting enough oil pressure to the head. We knew this because we hooked up a pressure gauge to the head and when it hit VTEC, nothing happened. At this point, it’s 10:30PM and I leave with the car back on the trailer. Nice. I drive back home the next day befuddled, angry, sad and well, honestly upset. This car is cursed I tell you. I get home and tbone and I are determined to fix this problem. We’ve been working to fix VTEC on and off since August with no success. This is where I leave you … this is the point that I’m at, please HELP ME! Next I’ll tell you guys what we have tried. Please offer any advice that you can … I’d greatly appreciate it.

Bottom line: VTEC doesn’t work because of a lack of oil pressure in the head. We know this because while logging on Hondata the VTEC Pressure light does not light up. The setup originally consisted of Stan’s (Flamenco-T) distribution block oil feed kit. One feed to the head, one to the turbo. Both feed lines were -4AN so we figured the turbo was taking too much pressure. First, we put a restrictor on the turbo line with no success. Next, we take the valve cover off and check the head to see if the VTEC rockers are locked or malfunctioning in some manner. They’re alright. Next we take the head off and replace all of the little oil passage o-rings and grommets on the head and block so that we’re sure they aren’t any blockages or problems there. Nothing. Next we replace the oil pump. While down there we check the main bearings and they seemed to be alright. (no scuffs or anything) After this, the VTEC Pressure button does light up on the Hondata and we have VTEC for a couple seconds, and then it disappears. That isn’t it. Two weeks ago I ordered the Golden Eagle Oil Sandwich Adaptor from camp1320.com and it came in Christmas Eve. What a Christmas present for me! My luck fails once again and the piece that goes into the oil filter did not come with the kit. I call up immediately and Tom just shipped it out today, I should have it in a week or so. I plan on dedicating that adaptor to VTEC. I’m going to run a -6AN line directly from that to the head. The oil distribution block will be turbo-dedicated. Hopefully this is the solution, if it isn’t … well … I don’t know what else I can do. This is where I am right now; please offer me some insight on what else it could be.

Here’s my setup:
•Block - B18B1
oRS Machines Ductile Iron Sleeves Punched Out to 84.5 mm
oEagle Connecting Rods
oArias 9:1 Compression Pistons
oB18C5 Oil Pump
oB18C5 Water Pump
oB18C1 Oil Pan
oARP Head Studs
oFast-Turbo.com LS/VTEC Oil Line kit with Dowel Pins
oFast-Turbo.com Firewall Oil Supply Distribution Line Kit

•Head - B18C1
oStreet Port and Polish
o3 Angle Valve Job
oHondata Intake Manifold Gasket
oFerrea Stainless Steel Intake Valves
oFerrea Stainless Steel Exhaust Valves (Oversized 0.5 mm)
oPortflow Outer Valvesprings
oB18C5 Inner Valvesprings

•Fuel, Spark & Management
oHondata Stage 2 with Boost
oP61 ECU
oOBD1 – OBD2 Converter Harness
oMSD 8.5MM Ignition Wires
oMSD Digital 6 Plus Ignition Box
oMSD Blaster SS Coil
oMSD Distributer Cap
oWalbro 255 LHP In-Tank Fuel Pump
oEarls Stainless Braided Lines
oAEM Fuel Rail
oAeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator
oAutometer Fuel Pressure Gauge
oPrecision 75 lb. (780 cc) Fuel Injectors

•Turbo Kit
oPrecision SC61 Turbo
oPrecision 600 HP Front Mount Intercooler
oInline-Pro Stainless Steel Turbo Manifold
oTial Polished 35mm Wastegate with .8 bar / 11.6psi Spring
oBlitz Dual Drive Blow-Off Valve
oBlitz Full Auto Turbo Timer DC
oBlitz SBC-ID Boost Controller
oBlitz Power Meter
oB18Flip 2.5” – 3” Custom Flared Downpipe
oB18Flip Custom Wastegate Dump Tube
oFast-Turbo.com Turbo Oil Feed/Return Kit
oCustom Aluminum Plated Intercooler Piping
oCustom Cold Air Intake with 6” K&N Air Filter

•Miscellaneous Performance
oFull-Race Traction Bars
oGator Racing Stage 3 Modified Race Axles (550HP)
oAutometer Instrument Bezel
oAutometer Dual A-Pillar Pod
oAutometer Boost Gauge
oAutometer Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauge
oAutometer Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge
oAutometer Oil Pressure Gauge
oAutometer Voltmeter
oCusco WRX Sti Radiator Cap
oSpoon Sports Reservoir Covers
oPWR Full Sized Race Radiator
oSRR Oil Catch Can
oDC Sports Short Shifter
oAction 2MS Clutch
oRedline Water Wetter
oJG/Edelbrock Victor X Intake Manifold
o3” Dynomax Resonator (Test Pipe)
oKteller 3” Turbo Exhaust with 3" Magnaflow Muffler
oGM 3 Bar Map Sensor


Thanks so much for your time and have a happy, and safe New Year’s!

Anthony


UPDATE
I put on the -6AN line from the Golden Eagle sandwich adaptor to the head and ... WHAMMY! It worked. VTEC is now operational!


Modified by Slick GS-R at 8:13 PM 1/12/2005

GiNuWiNe

Cliff notes

b18bturbo

have you actually tested the pressure that the oil pump is producing at the back of the block it should be reading a good amount of pressure at least 20psi at idle and higher psi as you go up. did you use a new pump in your rebuild or did you use an old pump

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

I used a brand new oil pump from Acura when I replaced it. I don't think that is the problem any more.

b18bturbo

what is the oil pressure that is coming out of the back port it says you have a guage so it should read something

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

I haven't checked that since I put the new oil pump in. I'll go ahead and do that ASAP!

b18bturbo

check it out it should range in the 20-25psi range on idle and higher as you up if it not pumping then most likely the pump is screwed up or there blockage somewhere have you checked your oil for any debris what about cutting open filter to see whats inside

earl

Is your speedometer hooked up? Is your temperature guage/sender working properly? Cannot both those items not allow your vtec to work of does the hondata bypass those items? I've never messed with Hondata so I could be wrong.

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

The speedometer is hooked up. Does the oil temperature sender have to be hooked up in order for VTEC to work? I don't have mine hooked up but the car isn't throwing a code either.

earl

There is a minimum COOLANT temperature required for vtec to activate so that it won't engage before the engine is warmed up

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

Oh, I thought you meant OIL temperature. That's hooked up. Wouldn't the ecu throw a code if it weren't hooked up properly?

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

bump

porsche997dc2

Correct me if I'm wrong. I didn't see you memtion what your oil pressure is.

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

I haven't checked the pressure yet since the new oil pump went in. I'll do that as soon as I can and let you guys know ASAP

G"UNIT

Damn man.. you have bad luck like me. My old sleeved block did that, it ran lean and melted a piston. Ill felt like the world was over. I know the filling. ALL that time and money in your car and it can go away in 1 Min. I am going to try one more time with my 84.5mm block and see if i can make the power i want. Mine is also ls/vtec to so BUMP for this problem incase I run into it. I know this dont help but blah blah.. hows everything look in the head? you said a valve broke in it. Did that valve hurt the head any? I know you ahve new ones but get the machine shop to check it. just a thought

porsche997dc2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Slick GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I haven't checked the pressure yet since the new oil pump went in. I'll do that as soon as I can and let you guys know ASAP</TD></TR></TABLE>

Without knowing the oil pressure, we will not know if the head or block that have problems.

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G"UNIT &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Without knowing the oil pressure, we will not know if the head or block that have problems.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is true, I'll let you know as soon as I find out!

G"UNIT: The head seems to be fine. The motor ran fine this past summer (VTEC worked) with the B16 block in it. As far as I know, the head is alright.

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

TurboLSVtecTeg

Since youve rebuilt the engine. I would the Vtec Spool Valve Filter. Take off the Vtec Solenoid and see if the filter is clogged. If it has to much metal shaving in it. Especially from engine break-in. There will be no oil pressure going to the rocker arm assembly to lock the rocker arms during Vtec engagement.

Sal

Slick GS-R

iTrader: (2)

That was one of the first things I checked ... the filter is clean. Thanks though

porsche997dc2

I'm no vtec head expert. Make sure the rocker arms are put in the right order. The primary and mid rocker arms have pistons in them. I think the primary functions of the pistons are to engage vtec mode at certain oil pressure. Check the helm manual. It tells you how to check the pistons.

TurboLSVtecTeg

From reading your post more indepth. Your running -4AN for the vtec oil line and the turbo feed. Try -6AN for the vtec and -3AN for the turbo feed line. Also have you ran the electrical diagnostics on the vtec solenoid? For checking the solenoid and pressure switch themselves. If not I can post up the info on what kind of reading you shold have with a multimeter.

earl

A -4AN line should be big enough to feed the vtec selonoid if the motor has enough oil pressure. If not, sometimes a -6AN will work as a patch but the real problem is pressure.

tony1

I had this problem on a car with a 1/8" NPT to -4 going to a block on the firewall, with an oil pressure sending unit there, a -4 feed to the head, and a -4 feed to the turbo. The problem is the size of the hole in the block. The oem hole can feed a head (though it's still not really the right size, should be 1/4" NPT and a -6 line), but when the oem hole is using a -4 line, and then it's split to two different things, it can be a problem. The golden eagle adaptor should fix the problem.

Rod.

I am not reading that long story. I am going by what everyone is saying. Your feed line to the head is probably to small. When Tony1 was tuning my car my vtec activated once and died. I had to small of a oil line feeding the head. Got a hold of the GE sandwich adapter...vtec kicks in hard and loud