Heres my setup first:

Fully built/sleeved/bored Ls block
95 gsr head
chipped p28 vtec solenoid w/no oil pressure sensor
motor has 10k

First vtec works intermittently, checked voltage to solenoid with a meter while driving, has voltage but no kick. Sometimes vtec does hit its 50/50.

yes it has oil, engine is at operating temp.
Also on a cold start there is a ticking noise from the head, its not my rod slap. Ticking goes away after 5 minutes.

So I clean my vtec solenoid screen and theres metal shavings! hmmm I open up the valve cover and see these jagged holes inside the head on each side





Any thoughts on these holes doesnt look factory?
Also about the vtec, could my LMA's be going out?
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks

 

its just rough casting around the oil return holes ..not a big deal as most honda heads have these //the oil returning to the crank isnt really under pressure so flow isnt a big concern here

as far as no vtec..are you getting codes at all

do the metal shavings come back after its clead out ..if so theres a problem

 

no CEL's
I'm kind of ruling out the ecu, Something happens at the vtec engagement point all the time, sometimes it pulls, and sometimes it doesnt pull

I searched on bad lost motion assemblies

 

sounds like you may have damaged your rod, or main bearings, what color are the shavings?

 

silver shavings, but what does the holes and the vtec have to do with my rods and bearings?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Demented &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">silver shavings, but what does the holes and the vtec have to do with my rods and bearings?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Its about where the shavings came from,not the casting flash on the drain holes.
Glenn

 

so are those holes normal?

 

yes

 

Drop the pan and look for damage in the bottom end. If a rod or main bearing is going, oil pressure will drop and vtec wont engage.

 

those holes are perfectly normal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1320JDMGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">those holes are perfectly normal. </TD></TR></TABLE>

wow..really? to me seems like fuked..lol

 

haha thanks

 

I dont have a vtec oil pressure switch, so even though my pressure was low, vtec would still work.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Demented &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont have a vtec oil pressure switch, so even though my pressure was low, vtec would still work.</TD></TR></TABLE>

it takes oil pressure to lock in the vtec rockers. so if you do not have enough oil pressure in the head and the solenoid kicks open, vtec may not work.

hook up an oil pressure gauge

 

what should oil pressure be at before vtec? and in vtec?

 

should be atleast at 60 psi to engage