I have a98 b18c jdm itr motor running on a p73 jdm type r computer in a 96 cx hatch.

Problem 1: vtech suddenly stops working one day, oil is full which is usually the cause of vtech not hitting. is there ways to check if the solenoid itself is bad, or perhaps a problem with the computer? as far as I know, its just oil and power to the solenoid that make vtech work. Only thing I can think of is if the oil gallery is clogged with some sort of buildup, was going to get a blowgun take off the solenoid and try to flush out the gallery, but figured I should check on HT first in case this has happened to anyone else before.

Prob 2: Car takes like 10-15 seconds of cranking to start, which would lead me to think low fuel pressure ,an injector leak, or weak fuel pump, but I have a fuel pressure guage hooked up and its reading over 60psi soon as I crank it, but if I key on and key off the car a few times, like I would to prime a fuel pump, it starts almost immediately.

Problem 3:Car is cold, when started in morning before I leave for work, idles at around 1000, which is right about where I like it. However, when it warms up to operating temperature, it idles at around 1600-1700. I cleaned the IAC out, and adjusted the idle air screw(forget the technical name for it, gold screw on the throttle body). I also tried adjusting the distributor, which i could get it to idle at 1100 when warm, but idles at 300 when cold, there is no happy medium for the motor it seems like. The craziest part is if I push the shifter towards a gear, almost to where it grinds with the clutch pedal not pushed in, the idle visibly and audibly drops about 300-500 rpms....

Other info: car is throwing code 61: O2 sensor circuit/bad sensor/slow response code, there was at one time a vtec light hooked up to the wiring for the solenoid, but it never worked, and vtec used to work all the time, just hasn't worked since the one day when I left my house.

Any help or ideas would be great, or input of any kind. I'm so lost and fustrated

 

compression check and timing check. i don't mean ignition timing either, check the timing belt. skipping a tooth can cause exactly what you described. obviously check the ignition timing as well but do the compression test and line up your dots. i would not at all be surprised if you jumped a tooth.

btw you didn't do something silly like order a jdm motor and not change the timing belt before you drove it did you?

that one part isn't really that crazy either. if you're making contact in the gear box the drag is whats pulling the engine down.

 

Thanks, that was going to be my next step was to check timing, just gotta get the equipment to do so. Also I didn't do the swap, motor was in the car already, but would that affect it long after the swap was done? wouldn't it be noticable right away if the timing belt was incorrect?

 

no i'm saying it may have jumped while you were driving. like it was fine, then skipped a tooth. other thought is trace for vacuum leaks

 

I gotchya, also, I did check for vaccum leaks, sprayed brakleen all over the vaccum lines and throttle/intake gaskets, no increase in rpm, so I'm confident that it is not a vacuum leak.

 

Make sure you clean the vtec solenoid valve screens as well they can get dirty and stop vtec from working if they are clogged. To be honest if you check your screens and they are dirty it is a sign of much bigger issues.