So in the last week my car has developed a very slight bog/hesitation while cruising in low rpms, usually in 4th gear between 2000-3500k. If I get in the throttle a little bit it goes away. Also when it's running like this if I press in the clutch and let the rpms fall to idle you can here a weird clicking sound that I can only compare to a live wire touching metal. ****This only happens after reving high enough for vtec. If I stay under 5.5k it will drive fine all day***
Car: 00 civic ex
Engine: B18c r spec w/ stock p73 ecu.

I've checked the harness and connections to all sensors. New cap, rotor, plugs, wires. No CEL's.

Not sure if it's a fuel or spark issue. I know it could be a thousand things but any help pointing me in the right direction to diagnose this problem would be great.

 

Hello,
I have the same issue going on right now with my del sol and I have dealt with it before. It gets bogged down around 2500 rpm and when you put the accelerator down hard to remedy the problem you can hear a sort of clicking. Previously with mine it was a clogged catalytic convertor causing too much back pressure. You can check this by removing the downstream O2 sensor right before the cat. An error will trip, but if your engine runs fine with the sensor off then the cat is clogged. I had to replace mine in 04 and it just started to happen again. The longer you wait to replace it the worse it will get. You can try to find one at a junk yard or get a new one. I lived in an area that didn't have emissions testing so I disconnected the pipe, bored it out with a long drill bit and sucked it up with a vac just so I could drive it until I got a new cat.

 

I'm running a test pipe/cat delete with both o2 sensors. I've already replaced one... maybe ill try the other...

 

It's hard to say what the sound is with out being there. Would you be able to upload a video? Hows the mechanical and ignition timing?

 

I will try to get a video, it's hard because it will only do it while driving and its a very faint sound. Also I have not messed with the timing at all. The motor ran with no problems before I installed it and for almost a month after. It's only developed the problem in the last week.

Any ideas on where I should start?

 

Alright so i can drive the car all day and its fine as long as I stay under 5.5k. However, when I'm driving and I rev high enough for Vtec and then change gears, I will no longer have vtec in the next gear and it will bog a little bit... If I let it drop down to idle for a sec it will run fine again...

I'm pretty sure this all started after I removed my vtec solenoid to clean and paint it. I replaced the gasket and there are no leaks or CEL's.

Did I f&^% something up when i took it off?

Any help troubleshooting this would be great!

2000 honda civic ex
B18c itr w/ p73

 

Pull the CEL codes and post them.

One thread only per topic. Last warning. Related threads merged.

 

I don't have a cel. I am using a jdm ecu though.

 

Does the CEL work? Have you jumped the service connector?

 

It does work for sure. I haven't jumped the scs yet

 

How do you know it works?

 

The light comes on for a sec when I turn the key 2 clicks. I also unclipped the o2 sensor and started it to make sure, and it came on...

 

When you rev the engine over 5.5K rpm while driving, which stops VTEC from engaging thereafter, does the CEL turn on? Have you watched for this?

 

No. Yes, i have driven it a few times specifically looking for it and it never comes on....

 

Check whether the VTEC solenoid screen is clogged with debris.

Have you measured the oil pressure?

When was the last ignition system tune up and fuel filter replacement?

 

Ok I will.

Not yet. I will do that tomorrow as well.

Within the last few weeks I have changed plugs and wires (ngk) and autozone cap and rotor. I swapped the factory cap, rotor, and wires back with the same result.
Fuel filter is about a year old I can change that if you think it would help. I was also considering having my injectors cleaned and flow tested... not sure if it needs it.

 

Ok so now I'm really confused....
So I started by checking continuity between vtec solenoid valve and a ground. I was getting 17 ohms, which is within spec. So I removed it to inspect the screen and it looked great. Checked the spring movement in the valve and it was good too. So before I checked the oil pressure I reinstalled it and took a quick drive to check for leaks and the problems gone... Runs great, vtec works when it should, no bogging, and the clicking sound is gone...

I mean I'm happy the problem is gone but wtf...

 

I'm just gonna assume that I had spool valve installed incorrectly. I'm hoping I didn't harm anything by driving it that way...

 

i had the same issue in my delsol when i ran a p73 ecu. it was a hit and miss until i wired up the knock sensor! it wasnt giving me a code so i never wired it. but it drove horrible...i wired it up and its a beast now so if you dnt have the knock sensor wired i def would do that next!

 

I was under the impression that the jdm ecu doesn't look for one?

 

i thought so also when i bought it but i guess the ukdm itr ecu doesnt look for knock but all jdm ecu look for knocks but i no for fact it doesnt look for vtec oil pressure. i saw you fixed it oready which is good, you should get some dyno charts going to see what its push out i plan to take my gsr soon.

 

That's the plan. I've been out of the game for a while so I gotta find a new tuner in my area. My butt dyno says it runs pretty strong but we'll see. I'm gonna get it done in the next couple weeks and post the results.

 

I had this same problem with my 2000 Acura Integra gsr with 135k.. that's when it was happening. its s funny cause I was trying everything. fuel filter, checked cat, o2 sensors. ect. but I was tapping my distributor with a screw driver. not hard but it would start if you tried enough times. I replaced my igniter control module. got OEM used from ebay for like 50 bucks. I also replaced the cap and rotor and also picked up a OEM coil. so try those out. good luck