MADDOG09!

My girlfriend has been having problems with the valve assy, she owns a '04 accord ex with the 4cyl. It now has about 180K miles on it, it is driven about 125 miles a day round trip mostly highway. The oil was changed within manufactures specs. The problem started last year with 129K on the car. The Honda Dealer told her that she had sludge build up and they cleaned the pick-up screen and replaced the valve assy. In May this year she had to replace the assy again with 173K miles. They are telling her she needs to rebuild the engine to clean out the sludge, what caused the sludge build up? are they telling her the truth? any help wuold be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Maddog

MSchu

The Vtec assembly DOES have fliter screens, in fact two of them in some cases/old assemblies. The issue here is it is very easy to clean the assembly out for a mechanical person.

You said the problem started at 129... what problem was that?

MADDOG09!

The problem then was also sludge build up, and Honda replaced the valve assy and cleaned out the screen. How do you clean the screens? Is this something that I can do everything 10K or so? What caused the sludge build up? How do I clean the sludge out of the engine, do I have to rebuild the engine? Lots of questions... huh.

Thanks for the help,

Maddog.

MSchu

I think you may have missed my question. what caused you to take the car in to have the sludge build up cleaned out/assembly replaced?

Did someone at the shop just suggest it? the reason I ask is because a clogged filter assembly unit will manifest itself distinctly.

I am not sure on your particular generation Vtec Assembly(I have had other years and other models) but usually if you remove he unit, there is an o ring and filter (one combined part) that you simply remove and replace.... bolt the Vtec actuator back to the head and drive off.

Part number 5 in this schematic... which is your car




As far as build up goes, I am doubting that mechanic comment... but I guess it is possible. if it is happening and not just a mechanic trying to pad his pocket, you are using inferior petrol and oil products

MADDOG09!

The engine light came on and the car would not get over 4Krpm. They replaced the VTEC assy. thats when they found sludge in the oil system.

MSchu

If there happens to be something other than oil in the system then yes... she might indeed need to have the engine torn apart and cleaned out. I have seen circumstances where oil was put in the radiator or someone poured a foreign substance in the oil filler out of hate.

one thing I don't think i have seen is a Honda engine that was running normally go bad with an oil/slug clogged system at 125k miles. To the contrary, the engines will look almost brand new at that mileage...

MADDOG09!

SURPRISED US ALSO!!! She maintained the car, put Chevron fuel in it. There wasn't anything put into the cars engine out of the norm..no one had access. Can the VTEC ASSY be removed and cleaned and reinstalled?

MSchu

in most cases yes...

Targa250R

What oil are you using and what is the oil change interval? Is the filter being replaced with every oil change?

I already know what Honda's recommendations are for oil changes, and I firmly believe that they are wrong.

MADDOG09!

what ever oil the Honda dealer used. She quit using them because everytime she had her oil changed it became a $200/300 bill for BS. She started using Goodyear and REQUESTED Castrol. The interval was around every 5K miles.

MADDOG09!

also the filter was changed everytime.