Laggy VTEC Engagement

[timot_one]

Check your oil first.  That's one of the signs when your oil level is low.

[06RockHead]

Do any of these filters apply to the J?

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

I've come up with a theory that could maybe explain what is happening and why (I currently have no validity to this theory until I replace the VTEC solenoid and see what happens). Anyways, my car is still sluggish as hell, and I basically have no torque produced when under 3,000rpm (a slight exaggeration ). That means that if I ever want to get up to speed after coasting for a little bit, I basically have to force the car to downshift twice (from fifth to third) in order to acquire a desirable amount of torque. Besides that, I pretty much constantly have to keep my car above 3,00rpm when doing any accelerating. At stop lights for example, if I keep the car under 3,000rpm, people fly by me, and I get tailgated like I'm an old man. This car definitely was not that much of a slouch when I first got it. It currently shifts from 1st to 2nd at around 15mph, and then from 2nd to 3rd at around 28mph when shifting at 3,000rpm (if that even matters).

So on to my theory. I've also noticed that my car has been running rich. My old spark plugs had relatively dark tips, and my exhaust pipe constantly gets covered in black carbon whatever stuff. My theory is that the VTEC solenoid is possibly faulty, causing an undesirable delay in VTEC engagement while the car continues to add more fuel. Well, if the intake valves aren't opening as quickly or opening as widely as it should, then it would result in the A/F mixture running rich. That's the only thing that I could think of at the time, and it would explain the general sluggishness and obvious delay in engagement. The car literally jerks at 2,200rpm, and once it hits that rpm, the tachometer stops climbing for a split second, as if I very quickly let off the gas.

Tim, I know you told me you have a spare VTEC solenoid somewhere, so I may eventually see about getting that from you and replacing it when I have time. I think that'll probably be my best course of action for now.

[Asim]

I think I have the same problem as you Jeff. Car is relatively new and not driven hard. Have noticed the same things in exhaust, intake manifold, the lag.

I have done only typical maintenance and nothing special.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

Yeah I've given up for now considering I have absolutely no time to work on it. Now the car's started acting like it's about to stall when I come to a complete stop. Maybe it's a vacuum leak? It's pretty much a guessing game until I either give in and take it to a mechanic or spend a lot of time figuring it out myself. Otherwise the car runs just fine.

[Asim]

That sounds more like a vacuum leak, I think I just got one too after installing the TSX IM.

What I used to experience was on slight uphill inclines, light gas, low rpm, low speed sometime's you feel the car loses its life and its about to kick the can, but its a split second thing. Gives me fears because my car before this was a Civic which lost its 2nd gear and 3rd gear and would feel similarly before those gears wouldn't shift anymore .

I will try to diagnose and solve the apparent vacuum leak around the IM today