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1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

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Old Feb 13, 2012 | 09:53 PM
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Default 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

while driving what indications should i get to show that my VTEC is kicking in with w/o doing all the testing, Is there a light that comes on to indicate you are now in VTEC mode? I conducted a road test took it up to 6,000 rpm and Hold that engine speed for at least two seconds. but i didnt seen like nothing happened guess I expected to go into warp speed, I currently have a bad knock sensor with a malfunction Indicator Lamp (MlL) but nothing else help anyone
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Old Feb 13, 2012 | 11:03 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

If you have a bad knock sensor, you're VTEC WILL NOT engage
Fix that, and once you get around 5500 RPMS (and above about 30 mph) you should be able to hear the engine pitch go a little higher (much more noticeable with a cold air or short ram air intake because the stock intake box is designed to muffle the noise)
But it's a single cam, not a fire-breathing double cam engine, so don't expect "warp speed"
XD;
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 03:00 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by rafe850
I expected to go into warp speed
OMG to this. At least you admitted it.
If you can get it past 500RPMs as stated you are working to spec.
VTEC on a single cam is nothing to write home about.

Last edited by grumblemarc; Feb 14, 2012 at 05:59 AM.
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 05:57 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

[QUOTE=rafe850;46857818] but i guess I expected to go into warp speed,


I was on the floor when i read that part lol......but yea when you fix all that stuff go to a nice clear open road with no cars of course.....and have a intake installed and go from third gear to 5500rpms and try to hear the corssover its bearly hearble but you noticed and yea ...vtec really wont make you go nowhere but reach a higher rev quick with no speed lol
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 06:21 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

[QUOTE=flmzero13;46858731][QUOTE=rafe850;46857818] but i guess I expected to go into warp speed,

you'll go from rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... to BWAHHHHHHHHH once the you hit the crossover lol but as stated, a knock code means vtec will no worky worky :-(
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 06:33 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

hey guys, so i got a y8 also. And my code is on P0325 which is knock sensor. So i have some malfunction there... and my vtec works just like it should. At 5500 rpms the engine pitch changes like it should. i have a short ram intake so its a little easier to hear.
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 06:40 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by MTracing
hey guys, so i got a y8 also. And my code is on P0325 which is knock sensor. So i have some malfunction there... and my vtec works just like it should. At 5500 rpms the engine pitch changes like it should. i have a short ram intake so its a little easier to hear.
are you running a chipped ecu??? because with my swap (b16a2) my pr4 wouldn't engage vtec because I didn't even wire the knock sensor... my friend gave me his chipped p28 tuned on crome and had knock and secondary 02 disable and it's a screaming beast lol
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 06:54 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

no im running all stock, except for i and e. the stock p2p ecu
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 06:57 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by MTracing
no im running all stock, except for i and e. the stock p2p ecu
I'd test it with a known good ecu.. still sounds like an ecu problem
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:00 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

oh hey, thats a good point there. havent tried that yet! but i did just buy a new knock senor and put it in...just hanging loosely and my light is still on, so it could be wiring or ecu?
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:01 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by Civic2Fast
I'd test it with a known good ecu.. still sounds like an ecu problem
how is it a problem if everything wokrs
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:05 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by Wrona
how is it a problem if everything wokrs
A friend had a similar problem... running a stock ecu on an obd1 car with an obd2 motor... I put my chipped p28 in his and it ran perfectly fine an hit vtec at 4800 (because of the programmed crossover point on the chip)
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:06 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by MTracing
oh hey, thats a good point there. havent tried that yet! but i did just buy a new knock senor and put it in...just hanging loosely and my light is still on, so it could be wiring or ecu?
If your wiring all looks good it could be a fried spot on your ecu board... which is why I'm still calling the ecu...
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:08 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by MTracing
oh hey, thats a good point there. havent tried that yet! but i did just buy a new knock senor and put it in...just hanging loosely and my light is still on, so it could be wiring or ecu?
what do you mean hanging loosely??? the knock sensor needs to be in the block to get an accurate reading...
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 07:12 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

i mean i bought the car, and it was spitting the code. So i bought a new knock sensor and i put it in, and what do you think a few days later the light came on. So i said screw it, and didnt bother with it no more. Now i decided to fix it again. So i went to a mechanic which is a buddy of mine, and he said i should just plug in the knock sensor and let it just hang on the plug to see if the light comes on.... to tell whether it is or isnt the sensor itself. So i did as he said and the light still came on.
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 08:33 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Urgh, cuz it needs to be in the block to read the vibrations of the engine/detect knock
XP
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 08:40 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

ok, well then i will put it in here in the next days! when i have time..... but thanks you guys.
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 09:28 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

No problem!
Hrm, I wonder if the OP figured out VTEC yet
^^;
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Old Feb 14, 2012 | 10:25 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

well i thought my vtec didnt work either at first, cuz i was expecting a little pull cuz of my friends b20v that i am used to. But i got no pull... so i tried fixing the problem...which there was no problem! but it was a head ache... then i decided to disconnect the intake hose from the air filter box... and that was when i heard it cross over! so maybe try that??
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Old Feb 15, 2012 | 09:19 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

You should never run a engine without an air filter on it. Thats a quick easy way to suck garbage in the engine and trash it.... just saying.
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Old Feb 15, 2012 | 09:37 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

I have a 4 door with a z6 with I/H and you cant tell any crossover whatsoever! Now when my GSR crosses over you can definately hear and feel the crossover!

Have you checked your oil level? Sounds remedial, but the VTEC solenoid requires proper oil level to activate!
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Old Feb 15, 2012 | 09:37 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Ouch.. Sorry for the typos, my phones keyboard is whack lol
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Old Feb 15, 2012 | 10:23 AM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

Originally Posted by 912fourtysx
You should never run a engine without an air filter on it. Thats a quick easy way to suck garbage in the engine and trash it.... just saying.
That is true! but i just wanted to see if it crossed over, so i went up to 7k rpm and then pulled over and put it on.
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Old Mar 2, 2012 | 01:37 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

I also have the p0325 knock sensor code for my 1997 Civic along with the following codes:

P1259 VTEC System Malfunction
P1336 Engine Speed (RPM) Fluctuation Sensor Intermittent Interruption (*I think this is a crankshaft sensor)
P1337 Engine Speed (RPM) Fluctuation Sensor No Signal

I already know that the VTEC solenoid is leaking but I am wondering if any of these are related to the same problem.

Any ideas or advice?
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Old Mar 2, 2012 | 02:29 PM
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Default Re: 1998 d16y8 civic ex, how do I know if the VTEC is kicking in

I think these threads are just for making your signature.
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