I have a jdm b16 with a p73 ecu and my vtec is not kicking in.

 

Are you sure your phone is plugged in?

All kidding aside...

More info is needed. What chassis? Was this a swap? Did you have to run a VTEC wire? Did it work before?

 

Yes, a whole ton more info is needed. Like does the V-Tech have a built in answering machine or not.

1. Is the P73 JDM or USDM?
2. What year and trim level is your car?
3. Has VTEC ever worked on you car (If it's an EX, HX, Si, or VX)
4. Is the Check Engine Light on? If so, what are the codes? If you are not sure, check the FAQ section here and retrieve the engine codes.
5. Is the oil full?
6. If you have a USDM ECU, do you have a VTEC pressure switch and a CKF sensor hooked up?

There are tons more questions but answering those will help us a lot.

Ryan

 

First off, look at these. make sure you notice the difference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTEC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTech

On Topic now, VTEC in the OEM configuration needs these parameters to engage.
1.) Vehicle speed (VSS, aka speedo sensor working, i believe it was 13 MPH minimum)
2.) Oil Pressure (You have enough oil in the engine, and oil pressure switch is sending signal to the ecm)
3.) Engine RPM (ECU can read output from coil, if your tach is working, this is okay)

Obviously check to make sure the VTEC solenoid wires are hooked up correctly, testing continuity from sensor wire to ecu pin.

Good luck!

 

Beside what the other guys mention, the ECU also could be the cause.
I have repair 2 honda ecu which the vtec only kicks in for once.
After that you will need to reset, then vtec still kick in once only.

If that is the case i could give you the pointers of what to look for in the ecu.

 

okay i put a p28 ecu and didnt work either but i found out what was the problem the wire to the solenoid was torn inside. thanks