-Whitey-

ok i just got done installing my knock sensor and i took it for a few laps around he neighborhood..right when i hit vtec i got another CEL..so i pull it in the garage pull the codes and it tells me i got a 21 and CEL 21 is short or open vtec solenoid so i swapped one from a d16z6 onto my b16 and took it for another quick test to see if it works and it throws another CEL in my face so now im stuck and i dont know what to do.

do vtec solenoids go bad after sitting for a while and not being used?
should i swap the whole damn thing on the side of the head or just the solenoid on the top?

has anyone else gone through this and care to explain how i might check to see if its the solenoid or maybe the wiring?

RacerXI

check your oil first. My car did the same thing a few months back and it was low on oil. HTH.

-Whitey-

my oil is still golden brown from my oil change 13 miles ago

my buddy had the problem where vtec wouldnt engage because of low oil but it never threw a CEL it just didnt work until he added more oil

what the hell is wrong with my car?
is there a way to make the solenoid work... like a test out of the car?

-Whitey-

i just searched and found a few ways to check to see if its the solenoid on top or the whole thing thats bolted to the side of the head..so im gonna go check that now ....if anyone can add any info/input that would be great..also when i swapped the d16z6 solenoid to the b16a i couldnt use the filter from the b16a on the d16z6 solenoid,could this be causing the problem? i dont think so but you never know

B16b2b

not trying to be a jerk, but did you reset the ecu after you changed out vtec solenoids?

-Whitey-

yes i did reset the ecu before i swapped solenoids...the b16a solenoid dosnt work i know this because i held a wire to the posotive side of my battery and touched the other end of the wire to the inside of the plastic plug and the solenoid clicked so then i thought maybe its the pressure switch so i swapped the whole unit out for the d16z6 one and i also reswapped solenoids..so the complete d16z6 vtec solenoid and bottom end with pressure switch is on my car right now and it still dosnt work when i hit vtec it still throws CEL 21 im gonn have to wait until i can have someone help me check continuity(spelling) in all the plugs ..im gonna use my haynes manual....does it hurt the motor to not be able to have vtec engage or is my motor in safe mode when the CEL comes on? another thing is when im driving and i give it some throttle the light dosnt come on until my rpm is dropping and as soonas it hits 5500 the CEL comes on but if im bringing the rpm up from 1000-7000 the CEL dosnt show up..only when i let off and the rpm drops to 5500 then i get the CEL

B16b2b

hhmmmmmm...check your manual for diagnosing the components you mentioned.

-Whitey-

as i was just searching again i read somthing that might be the cause of the problem..my oil pan is dented pretty bad from shipping when i bought it maybe my oil pan is dented in far enough to cause low oil pressure which would also cause vtec to not engage... hmmmm maybe ill go pound out my oil pan and try it again? man this is turning into a damn hassle lol

poison

The reason you're throwing the code at around 5500 RPM is because that's when the ECU sends a voltage signal to the VTEC solenoid to click over, and when it doesn't receive voltage back signaling that it's functioning, it throws the code for that sensor.

Re-check wiring, if the solenoid clicks, then the solenoid is good. Oil pressure sensor should also be good as well. recheck your wiring to the ECU and make sure there is signal.

One way you can check to see if there is voltage being sent to the VTEC solenoid is to tap a test light to A4 pin-out, and ground the test light of course.

Turn on the motor and rev up past VTEC range. The test light should come on or you should throw the code. You can also take it for a drive and see if the test light comes on.

Another thing as well, is to place a wire from the VTEC solenoid to a toggle switch in the cabin of the car. Take it for a drive and turn on the switch on approx 5500 and see if it comes on.

You will throw the code as the ECU still doesn't see that the VTEC system is functioning (throwing the code means defective or unplugged sensor). But if VTEC comes on, all hardware and solenoids are working properly, and you know where the problem is coming from -- the wiring from the ECU to the VTEC solenoid or the Oil pressure sensor.

If VTEC does NOT come on with a toggle switch, then you have a problem with the solenoid, oil pressure sensor, or oil pressure in itself from not supply enough pressure to the head. Oil pressure needs to be (I believe) 40-45 PSI which the oil pressure sensor detects from the ECU, and the ECU turns it on at the given RPM it's allocated for.

Hope that helps.

-Whitey-

thanks im gonna try the testlite idea...im thinking its my wiring or the dented oil pan..most likely the wiring because i did it my self and im not a good electrician

-Whitey-

damn i hate wires and electronics.. i dont know what the hell im supposed to do..i tried the test lite idea and the light lights up real bright on the solenoid plug and it is really dim on the harness side of the solenoid plug the pressure switch dosnt lite up at all on the solenid side and it lights up real bright on the harness side..so i swapped the pressure switches around and they both dont lite up so im thinking they arent supposed to....i think im gonna give up on this **** and wait till this coming up weekend and just take it to my buddys shop and have him show me what to do i hate having other people work on my car i hate no knowing what to do i hate vtec

poison

The VTEC oil pressure shouldn't light up. It just detects oil pressure and sends very little voltage back to the ECU depending on the oil pressure, it will engage vtec if at the right oil pressure.

Try the toggle switch idea.

-Whitey-

poisin can u take a look at my new thread its called"what does this mean?...vtec related" you are a great help and i could use your help on my next problem