I have a B18C1 in mt car with P30 pistons, lightened flywheel and 2.5 in exhaust on my civic. recently the car have been bogging and responding really slowly. 2 days ago on my way home i started to over take 2 cars and when i start to the CEL came on, i immediately pulled over and check it, it gave me a code 22.

when i got home i checked it and it was VTEC oil pressure switch.

so i did all the usual checks to see what can result in an oil pressure problem.

the only thing i could find was an oil leak through my drain plug, aparently the washer on the drain plug has be damaged. and oil is coming throught the drain.

Can that oil leak cause the car to be behaving the way it is?
i realise also the car refuses to engage vtec when it is climbing a hill.

Lastly i am having a backfiring/popping from my exhaust . it is not loud but it is there. What could this be ?

 

Lack of oil can cause low pressure, but bearing leaks/poor oil pump flow can cause low oil pressure too. It would be wise to have an oil pressure gauge, simply to rule stuff like that out.

Does it do that on deceleration? If it does your injectors are supposed to turn completely off, if the ECU sees a throttle plate slightly open, it will continue to squirt fuel on decel, causing afterburn. (Backfire is when the flame goes up the intake manifold, afterburn is when it flames out the exhaust.)

Your timing could also do this, does it have a low pitch rumble at idle, like a faint popping sound? You may want to check your timing, make sure to jump the SCS after a full warm idle before setting base timing, otherwise the PCM will adjust to the changes you are making.

 

ok.... the car had a faint whining noise as well. sounds kindda like a power steering pump low on fluid, but i dont have power steering.

Could this be the oil pump going bad ?

 

I would look at your timing and the oil pump!! How many miles are on the engine? also backfire can also be from a leak in your exhuast and it sucks in air , burning the air and causing the back fire pop.

 

I put that motor in in April. with band new water pump, con rod bearings, main bearings, all the seals and rings. never changed the oil pump though.

 

Check your iac plug(that plug that goes into the back of the intake manifold to the litte valve). I had the same problem with my gsr.

 

what does the iac motor have anything to do with his problem??? low oil pressure will allow vtec not to engage, so i would get an oil pressure gauge just to make sure your oil pump is working fine..

 

im having the same problem with the backfiring on my gsr. when im decelerating itll start poping (which i think sounds kinda cool), but ill check it out when i decide to get off my lazy ***... the car doesnt pop at idle, just when im slowing down, so i dont think itll be the timing. itll probably be injectors like u said.

 

You should have at least clearanced the pump before you installed it, most oil pumps will see little or no wear, but its better to know, than not to know. Just a tip for next time.

 

the plug is pluged in correctly, i got a new drain plug today i will put it in when i get home.

I put in 2 quarts of oil yesterday and didnt seem to have the problem. i was wondering if it is really a low oil problem.

how much oil should my motor take? because i put in 4 or 5 quarts and check the dip stick and is still reads below the lowest dot on the stick. when i put in the extra 2 quarts the car hasnt bogged yet and the oil is now reading between the 2 dots. this is the dipstick i got with the motor when it came from Japan. it is shaped like all the other honda dipsticks i seen .... so i know for sure it is honda. is it possible it could be too short.

also the oil warning light in the dash works , but i havent had any sign of the light while i am driving. so i figure that the car's oil pump is working somewhat and that the car isnt totally out of oil or oil starving that much. but i do know it is leaking

 

I'm thinking that dipstick may be the wrong one. Your motor should take maybe alittle over 4 qts. to be at the proper level. So if you put in 5 and then added 2 more it's got way too much oil in it.

 

i also realised that i running 10-30 full synthetic oil....i am wondering if that is too light and if the car is burning it way too quickly.

when i added oil b4 i would used 20-50 oil. the car never bogged or gave the vtec prob.

is 10-30 way too light?

 

ok i, ran full diagnostics as the manual says on all sensors that can be my problem.

All the sensors have the correct voltage/continuity at all terminals and such.
I cleaned all with electric contact cleaned.
I replaced the drain plug in the oil pan and filled up with new 20-50 oil 5 quarts. Check the dipstick and the dipstick is reading oil in the motor.
I redid my timing as well and checked all the plugs. Timing is at 16 degrees (for daily driving due to engine compression and poor gas )

but i realised 2 things, the first the fuel pressure is a hair low. the car is running 44psi at idle. i am assuming my fuel filter is shot. or maybe my fuel pump??

And the other is that when i connected my jumper wire to my diag. port under the passenger dash, and switched on the ignition the CEL just remained on. If i am not mistaken it is supposed to flash on for a sec ( if there are no codes ) then go off and remain off once the ignition is on. and if there are codes then it would continue to flash the code. Is this correct?


None the less, if there was a fuel prob the car shouldnt be throwing a code 22.

 

well so far so good. the car hasnt bogged yet. VTEC seems to be engaging at 4500/4800 (something around there.) loud and sweet.

i am hearing still hearing a whining noise still but i am assuming that it is maybe my AC or Alternator belt. no idea what else it could be.