nate6631

Tomorrow I'll be fixing the VTEC gasket leak after I run by the stealership. I didn't think too much about pulling codes from my car until tonight. When I did I got code number 17 which is the Vehicle Speed Sensor, I did some research and these things are quite a bit of money. The cruise control definitely isn't working and the speedometer sporadically works with a few bangs on the glass, not the most practical thing to do, but it works temporarily. What my concerns are could this be the problem that after my car warms up to operating temperature and I go up a hill it seems to lose power even when pressing the pedal down more, the rpm's don't seem to increase until I get over the hill.

Would the loss of power, especially after shifting uphill be from the Vehicle Speed Sensor? The hills that I'm talking about I used to be able to go up without a problem.

Just for fun

Syndacate

It should run fine without the VSS.

Are you roaring up this hill? I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that VTEC won't engage unless the car is moving over a certain speed. Without the VSS, VTEC may not engage.

Or is this more of a "I downshifted so I can simply make it up this hill" and the car is acting like a slow turd?

jbpnoman

If the CEL is throwing a VSS code, VTEC will not engage. Start off by checking the VSS connector itself - it's not uncommon for them to become corroded. If that's the case, you just need to clip and repin. After that, there's a diagnostic test that involves a voltmeter.

nate6631

Noo I'm only driving probably 10-15mph then it switches to 2nd usually and I haven't made it up the hill yet so I push the gas further down and there's no difference unless I keep going and floor it. I'm not worried about VTEC kicking in, just getting up the hill. It almost feels like once I get to the hill the gas pedal seems to have an unresponsive range.

nate6631

Today I will find a DIY to clean it out, hopefully that's the case. I heard the VSS can control many functions of the car like timing and fuel/air ratio.

Syndacate

Oh, sounds like you have an automatic transmission, and it's up-shifting early for some reason and isn't down-shifting.

I can't really help you there, man, I know nothing of the automagics :-\. Though usually it happens the other way, where they don't want to up-shift, lol.

I'm assuming if you pull the selector down to '1' it should make it up no problems, but that's obviously a hack.

nate6631

Yeah I mean it'll go up the hills eventually that way. I just drove it with the new gaskets in, I'm pretty sure there isn't any oil leaks. I changed vss, speedo seems to be better in a way, it still reads 0mph at times maybe I should reset the ecu memory?

Syndacate

So even if oil is leaking, it'd just affect how long the engine will last before it pops, wouldn't affect the trans, I don't think (unless oil or coolant is leaking from the trans, possibly - i don't know much about auto stuff).

The ECU shouldn't interfere with the VSS if it's working right, but hey, it's a free option, take off the negative battery terminal for 5-10 minutes and put it back on. That should clear the ECU memory.

I'd verify that the trans is up to where it should be in terms of ATF (oil). Just make sure the car is on level ground, and fill it through the fill hole until it can't be filled anymore.

Then verify that the vehicle's not low on coolant - those automatic transmissions borrowed coolant off the radiator, so make sure your coolant level isn't low, and if it is, look for leaks.

If the ATF and the coolant are where they should be, then I'm not sure what else to try as far as the transmission not downshifting when it should. Perhaps, if it's anything like a lot of newer cars, there's a TCU (transmission control unit), you can try resetting that. It may be ran by the ECU though, so a battery pull should fix that unless something's bad...

If not, you may be looking at a sticky valve in the transmission, and there's not much you can do except pull the trans and fix it.

Sorry, I'm kind of out of ideas on that one. Not a whole lot except possibly a TCU outside the transmission which would make it not want to downshift.

Just for clarification sake, if you hold the transmission in 1st via the gear selector (ie. pull it back all the way), it pulls up the hill just fine, right? Also, what happens if you put it into 2nd via the gear selector, then when the car starts slowing down on the hill, you put it into 1st (you can do this while rolling). See if it downshifts okay if you initiate the shifts.

nate6631

All is fixed, except valve cove bolt that popped but it's on order and I have a plug in there temporarily.

Went to Honda today:
Got VTEC gaskets, replaced them- Oil leak fixed
Took out VSS sensor and showed it to them, the screws were stripped beyond repair and it had an awful burnt electronic smell to it, bought new one- fixed speedometer not reading speed.

At home:
Started car up and still had that darn acceleration problem. What I did to fix it was I saw the dizzy bein more retarded than advanced so I advanced it in 3 increments- power was regained normal shifting and response to pedal.
ATF fluid checked- good to go, full
Oil checked- needs a change in 1-2k but still looks good
Air filter replaced- old one was bloated due to water, etc
Antifreeze/coolant levels checked- topped off just in case.

Syndacate

Did you '0' the distributor (use the base timing mark)? Or did you advance it beyond that?

Also, what year car do you have, my '97 has circle holes, you can't adjust the dizzy like that. I thought the 5th gens were like that too?

nate6631

I rotated the distributor it's got, well, crescent shaped holes for it to rotate on. I didn't advance it past what it was supposed to be set on, just to the correct timing. I guess you can't trust when people say they already checked it before I did.

Syndacate

Yeah, on cars with adjustable distributors, it's always something that should be checked.

I'm surprised it randomly popped out, though (as you said it didn't have these problems before). They don't typically wiggle around. Make sure those bolts are snugged down quite well.

Didn't know 5th gens had adjustable distributors. Learn something new every day!

nate6631

I'm surprised too, I'm thinking that because I live out in the boonies, I hit a big pot hole (there are many, many out here.)

Off post topic: When I find a new job, my plan is to buy a project Honda. I'm thinking somewhere ~$1k just to get started on it.

civicguy395

you have that wrong vtec goes by engine speed in rpm and is computer control ed by the pickups in the dizzy or they also work by how much oil pressure when oil pressure reaches the proper pressure it will also in gauge

Syndacate

You're right, but there's a bit more to it than you think. Speed *is* one of those factors.

While yes, the VTEC engagement *IS* determined by RPM and the oil pressure must be sufficient, VTEC will not engage until a certain speed requirement is met.

If the VSS is broken, it's not reporting the speed to the computer. VTEC won't work without the VSS because of this.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-prelude-4/official-%22why-vtec-doesnt-engage%22-thread-830163/

Go argue with that thread if you think I'm wrong (it's the 2nd bullet). I just googled 'VTEC engagement requirements' and that was the first link, ironically.