Hey guys I don't come on here much but I'm having some major issue with this prelude here, it's an 01 prelude. The car is having a rev limiter @ 5500rpm, I tryed changing out everything possible but still having this dumb problem, here is what I've change

tps
ecu (two of them, all reprogrammed by honda dealer to work with car)
ics
vtec sensor
plugs
wires
coil
dis cap
dis rotor
map sensor
and all the little sensors around it

the car drives good, everything works like it should, no engine codes(the light is not busted) no nothing, also the car's factory tach is off too, I'm thinking what ever is wrong with this car it has something to do with the tach also, And vtec does not work, even with the vafc vtec set @ 4k vtec still does not work, I mean you can't hear it. this car was modded before I got it so I don't know what the hell the other guy did or messed up. That's why i'm here asking to see if you guys can give me some advice on this one.

I've also installed an obd1 vtec prelude ecu and it only bumps it up to 6500rpm, I mean it's better but not what it should be, any advice will help. THANKS ALOT GUYS. oH BTW some guy told me it might be in limp mode??? but then again he says it should have a code, and I don't have any codes, unless I make the car have some like pull the tps or something. Thanks again.

 

Have you tried a new/different distributor itself? I had the same problem on my 2001 a while back. I know what your talking about and tried replacing a bunch of parts as well. Good luck Check your PM's my buddy has one for sale.


Modified by menu at 8:23 PM 7/23/2007

 

yeah, did you check the ICM in the distributor?

 

hey, thanks. BUT how can that cause it to hit rev limit?? can you please explain to me please. also what the hell is a ICM in a distributor??? Thanks guys and lets see what we can fugure out here.

 

i cant lie, im no wiring genius, and i dont know everything, but from what i understand, if the distributor timing is too far off, the ECU will basically say "fck you" and go into limp mode.

the ICM is the igntion control module. you can get that tested out. its just one of the easier things to start with.

 

you can't even adjust the timing on this thing, it has one bolt that holds it into place so you can't turn it. SUCKS.....ANYTHING ELSE I MIGHT NEED TO KNOW GUYS???

 

check the timing of the car. put it at TDC and see if the cams are in time. If it had the timing belt changed it could have been put a tooth out.

 

CHANGED THE DIST, STILL SAME THING???

 

This in depth thread from FAQ on Vtec not engaging may give you a few things you should check out, such as your VSS amongst others.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=830163

Did the guy who modded it mess with the tacho, say by fitting different glow dials ? He may have damaged the tach, that could cause this problem.

 

fck, yea they did have the gauge cluster pulled off and installed some other **** gauges, (glow dial ****). the tach being off can cause a rev limit?? hummm more info on that would be great man. i'll change some more things out tomorrow but if you guys have anything else let me know. Thanks again.

 

also if it helps the car is also a supercharge (jackson racing)

 

no touching the tach wont mess up rev limit but thats the reason ur tach is off if you touch the needle and get it off calibrated it wont read right. so now the question is are you using a different device to tell where your redlining at since ur tach has been tempered with?

 

fu$%$% i'm still having this same problem, yea the car does have a aftermarket tach, also afc reads rpm's also. guys i'm so dang stuck with this car, I will pay someone to get this car to run right. Gezzz I hate picking up after someones work....

 

btw Vtec is working too.

 

I can build 500hp hondas but can't figure out this crap. wTf.....

 

i would start looking at all the sensors on the car, then i would troubleshoot the whole ignition system. there no doubt that its ignition related and its cutting your timing so you dont blow the motor. you just have to figure out why. the ICM in the distributor controls the tach readout, so work your way back from there.

 

has the car always had this problem or it just happened? Also is the vafc hooked up right? It kinda sounds like the vtm wire is not hooked up right or not hooked up at all.

 

the car came to me like this, I've check the afc wires and it all checked out fine, also I don't think this prelude has the vtm wire, I could be wrong, but looking at the ecu pinouts from apexi it doesn't show a vtm wire for this year ecu. and like I said the distributor was also changed out too, and all was put back to stock, I even removed the afc just to see if it was that, still nothing.

YOU GUYS THINK A HONDATA WILL SLOVE MY PROBLEM??? Thanks guys

 

Hi,

Noone said anything about ECT (engine coolant temp) sensor yet? That is where ecu knows when engine is warmed enough and it allows higher (above 5500) rpm... I think?
Or is that too obvious... uups sorry

 

isnt like 5500rpm rev limit from VTEC not engaging? just to be sure why don't you check all the VTEC criteria like your oil level, vtec solenoid and all that. once u get vtec, u can rule it out and move on if the problem isnt solved.

and since diff ECU gives u diff results, why not get a known-good USDM ecu to try on it. cover all ur basics before the hardstuffs. good luck.

 

huh?? My vtec works just fine, I have vtec, no engine codes, no nothing. tryed three different ecus. the one thing that gets me is that why does an obd1 ecu goes up to 6500rpm and the obd 2 only goes up to 5500??? It can't be the ect sensor because i'm getting good readings in the temp gauge on the dash cluster, also getting good oil levels.

like I said what tricks me out is why the car is running so good without any codes nor engine problems but has a dang rev limit when everything else works as it should.

and again guys, do you think a hondata will get rid of this supit problem since it has no set rev limit I can chose from??? Thanks alot for your time guys. Hopefully I can get this slove soon.

 

the coolant temp sensor for the dash has nothing to do with the one that goes to the ecu.

there should be an ect for the guage cluster, one for the fans, and one for the ecu.

 

Check all ur grounds... especially the ecu ground to make sure they're all tight... So let me get this straight, the car runs perfectly fine except for an early rev limit? It could have something to do with the vafc and being tuned for the supercharger. Also, how are u sure u have Vtec, u can't always tell just be hearing.. if I'm right ur engine shouldn't have a vtec oil pressure switch since it's obd2, so using an obd1 ecu is ganna cause vtec not to engage and just because it's obd1 give u a heck of a lot of problems and CELS. U can check ur vtec solenoid manually by giving it 12V from the battery while the car's off.

 

what ecu are you running first off? nobody has asked that question, what system has it been tuned on (crome, hondata, etc.) definitely check your grounds make sure everything is tight and plugged in good, it's obviously something simple....

you might just be hearing the secondarys opening instead of vtec....

 

it's on the factory stock ecu, none modded. as for vtec I know it's working, forsure it's shows on the dyno chart too, i'm just going to switch over to a p28 and install a hondata to see how that goes, i'm sick of this problems already, I know a hondata should get rid of this. thanks for all ur help guys, but if you have any other thing that I should know just let it out. thanks again.

Steve
VDP MOTORSPORTS