okay first off this is my first post... and you will be able to tell....

I have a '91 CRX-Si with a b16 swap in it, running the PW0 ECU. i bought it from a guy and the wiring was a disaster and im still trying to get everything smooth and going good before i re-wire everything.

I am throwing codes 21 & 23.

My car will only go til around 5k rpm's and it will just sit there like it cant go anymore no matter what, so i tried to hook the vtec solenoid and oil pressure switch up to each other, and to a wire ran to the battery that was hooked up to an on and off switch.... after i did this and turned it on i heard the click on the solenoid.. so i took it for a test drive..... i went to 5k rpm's and sluggish again then it kind of went to 5500 sluggish then bounced around from 5500-6200 around about. but never feeling vtec fully kick in or even given enough time or rev limit to?

I just wanted to see if that did anything, im not quite sure if it was a good idea or not..

What i am thinking about doing now is wiring from A8 to b5 and running it to the solenoid, to see if I can get vtec to engage regardless of throwing the codes? does that make sense? any idea if that will work or if its a good idea?

Also if you can help with any other ideas about what might be causing my car to have these problems, please throw them out there. i am trying anything and everything, but want to work things out before i just go buy tons of new parts.

Any help with be appreciated, im not afraid to work things, but i am not a master mechanic as you can tell.

 

Well 21 is obviously VTEC solenoid because you don't have it wired to the ECU and the same for the Pressure solenoid. Is it sluggish up to 5k or does it get sluggish at 5k rpm? I would check the timing as well. I got a b16 that revved like tractor, but sat and idles okish and come to find out the motor was completely 180 deg out of time. VTEC will not work if fuel related codes are thrown ( o2, etc). Also stock VTEC for a b16 I believe is 5500. For VTEC to engauge the car must be up to operating temperature as well as proper amount of oil in the oil pan. Code 23 is a Knock sensor code. It will be on the back of the motor around cyl 1 and 2 if not mistaken it has a round base with 2 connectors sticking out of it. If that is not plugged in then it will trip a code unless your ECU is chipped with knock sensor turned off. Take out the plugs and see what they look like also. Hope some of this helps.

 

it it sometimes sluggish to 5k but the MAIN is at 5k rpms. I believe my timing is on but i will check it again, it does have some idling problems somtimes but the timing may be off. tomorrow i will do what i said i was going to bout re-routing A8 and B5, and also check what you said about the knock sensor, i will report what i conclude tomorrow.
Thanks for your help!!

 

bump for other help?

 

Okay i just went out and hooked up b19( knock sensor ) b5 ( oil pressure valve ) and a8 ( spool solenoid ) up all together using wire and then ran another wire from them to the spool solenoid...

i started up the car.... had no CEL.... no error codes....

so i took it out for a test drive, one my rpms got up the CEL came on and the ECU threw a code of 24 i believe with the last one staying solid.

I came back shut the car off... turned it on again.... NO CEL... but throwing the codes.... and then the CEL comes on when i get driving with the rpms up.


Any ideas to help this or any helpful info at all?

 

good idea to check the vtec solenoid screen/gasket for metal shavings once the vtec is setup correctly.

 

i already went through the solenoid... all of the gaskets were good and everything seemed good. but im thinking now that the solenoid is just bad and i should buy a new one. i hooked it up to the battery and thought i heard it click... but i checked continuity and i dont believe im getting the 14-30 ohms.