VTEC Issues

[Karl]

Could even be a faulty oil filter. The anti drain back spring could be stuffed causing a blockage or the anti syphone valve!

[tinkerbell]

block on a line or oil cooler.

a partial blockage would lead to pressure increase, but flow loss...

[Fallenangel]

maybe you broke something at the track because you were running low oil, and now all the metal particles are clogging up your oil system?

(worst case scenario)

maybe you need to detail more of what happened at the track???

Well pretty much started right in the morning. Got there, changed tyres and jumped on the track. 1st warmup lap was normal, once oil temp got to 80º, I started to increase my pace. 2nd lap, car was still running good. At the end of the pit straight was when I felt the problem. In 4th gear it started struggling in vtec, past the kink, went around turn 2, then the car just struggled in vtec. So I backed off vtec til the next lap. put my foot down after turn 10, vtec didn't work. After that I just came into the pits.

Checked the car, oil was just below the bottom dot on the dipstick., so I topped it up and went for the next session. Same thing happened, 1st lap warmup, 2nd lap car was fine, then the 3rd struggled then vtec didn't work at all

[Fallenangel]

After that session, I reset the ecu and checked oil. Went out again and no difference. Basically drove without vtec the rest of the day

[tinkerbell]

and you know for sure it was not misfiring?

[dorikin]

VTEC Issues

Any CEL when u were on the track

[Fallenangel]

and you know for sure it was not misfiring?

Yes it wasn't misfiring. Accelerating is smooth, just no vtec crossover so it feels slow.

Any CEL when u were on the track

None whatsoever

[tinkerbell]

best you can do is go up to 40 or 50 weight oil and cross your fingers... 250'000km is a lot of time spinning bits of metal around...

or pull apart your oil cooler/relocation system and see if you can find anything amiss...

certainly sounds like you are losing oil flow at higher temperature & RPM...

(but 120 is only really considered *high* - 100'C is *normal* for 3 laps)

[Fallenangel]

Just wanted to update and let you guys know what the problem was,

I've been fiddling around with the car over the new year.

I've cleaned the VTEC solenoid with degreaser as it was black inside (surprised it was still working). Originally had running 10-30 OEM FEO oil in it and it was time to change the oil. Changed it to the thicker Nulon 10w-50.
Drove it around for a few days and noticed the oil pressure + temps had risen. Once warm, idle was 40-50psi and at 3000rpm was around 90-95psi, temps were around the 100 mark instead of 90deg. Definately noticed something was up. So last weekend i managed to make some time free and pulled out the oil cooler + relocator out and changed the oil down to Nulon 10w-40.
Instantly noticed the car felt back to life, wasn't struggling to rev as much as before, oil pressure when idle is 20psi (warm) and 3000rpm 80psi. Gave it a hit and the car gave me a huge smile on the face. VTEC was back! Turns out there was a clog in the lines near the relocator. I've cleaned it out already but i'm thinking of upgrading to a bigger cooler since i have the chance.

I'm currently running a earls 13row, have any of you guys had any experience with bigger coolers like something higher than a 19row? Would i have to upgrade to bigger lines?