VTEC not engageing, CELL thrown.

[Weq]

Hey guys,
i finally got around to checking the code my ECU was throwing and it appears to be a: 21 VTEC spool solenoid . VTEC defaintly hasnt been engagaing for a while, because i have really felt the loss of power up top! On the highway onramp today i kept second till 5000rpm behind this other car, then went to overtake him and the engine basically just revved out, making hardly anymore power!

So yes, this code started only after i got my exhaust work done/cooler piping installed. I orginally thought it would be a map code caused by the e-manage, but its not. I gave the solenoid a quick looking over today, looked fine with no leaks. I'm gonna fully check out my e-manage wiring/soldering tomorrow a well as take off the solenoid and clean it, but i was just wondering if anyone has had this code before and solved it! Anythig else i should look for? It worked fine after my conversion, the code started 3-4 days later.

[Spoon-Accord]

hey weq.. thats weird..
u should try and find a 12 volt LED from somewhere.. hook it up to ur VTEC solenoid and when u take it for a spin.. see if the light lights up..
should light when VTEC comes into play..

maybe u just gotta replace the actually solenoid which is about 100-200 buxors

cheers

Ken

[bengbear]

hey weq.. thats weird..
u should try and find a 12 volt LED from somewhere.. hook it up to ur VTEC solenoid and when u take it for a spin..

Ken

Thats a waste of time

Give the solenoid 12 volts straight from the battery. If you hear an audible 'click,' then your fine. If not, then clean that solenoid.

[Weq]

So i give the single green wire plug 12v?

[bengbear]

So i give the single green wire plug 12v?

I can't remember the colour off the top of my head, but you can't miss it. Single wire going into the solenoid.

[Weq]

Ok well its fixed now. Apparently i havnt been running VTEC at all since my turbo came, because the e-manage was setup for non-vtec use.. Ahh well, its always fun getting $0 performance gains! :))

[BlakTegra]

Can someone help with mine? I'm not sure if mine is working. I dun know where da hell da "solenoid" is even located or what it looks like!

[Weq]

Are u getting a CELL (check engine light?)
The solenoid is attached to the top rear of the rocker cover area. It has 2 plugs going into it. One is usually green with 2 wires, the other is a single grey plug with a single green wire going into it.

[BlakTegra]

I'm not getting any light at all besides the orange fuel light.

Anyone got a pic of where this "solenoid" is located in a DC2? Or is it the same in all Hondas?

Weq, did you try putting 12V thru it?

[Weq]

Yer i put 12v through it, it clicked as expected. Sorry no pics of the solenoid :)
If u arnt getting a CELL then most likely u are getting VTEC. A CELL will be thrown if if the solenoid is not working, or the oil pressure switch isnt working, so yer, unless ur really low on oil, u should get vtec.

[BlakTegra]

Man, i need a picture of the solenoid...pretty bored and need something to do!!!! I cant tell if my VTEC is engaged or not :( No signs when reving all the way to 8,000 rpm.