i just swapped a newer b18c to as my older b18c was burning oil. now vtec is engaging in the wrong rpms. i even cleaned/swapped the whole solenoid/piston unit my from old head to make sure it works. oil level is ok.

whichever rpm i set it at, it only wants to engage around 5500rpm. at idle, i hooked up 12v to solenoid and it clicks on but i couldnt hear it switching to high cam, if i rev it a little, it does sound like its trying to switch over to high cam. im thinking it maybe low oil pressure to the head. but im not really sure where in the head.

set up is turbo b18c, tuned by crome.

 

you have a cel?

 

no cel.
im not familiar where the oil passages in the head are. im thinking maybe there's a blockage somewhere. thats why i could only engage it in higher rpms as oil pressure would be higher.

 

i looked around a little online, didn't find too much.

did you tear down the motor before you put it in to check things out? did you replace everything, do a full swap?

a blockage in the head enough to not switch to the high cam wouldn't just effect vtec (someone correct me if i'm wrong).

did you try to set vtec at a higher engagement, or do you think that it wouldn't even matter where you set it, it would only engage about 5500?

maybe its something with the ecu not reading your tune right?

 

yeah couldnt find anything as well.
i just changed valve seals. although if im missing something, pretty sure vtec wouldnt engage at all.

well my vtec light shows that the ecu is activating vtec on the rpm i set it at. but it would only engage at 5500. as i could hear/feel it on that rpm. i tried to set vtec at 5500 but it actually engages close to 6k.