I know this isn't S2000 related, but after reading threads on this site (and on this topic) for months and months, I feel as though I know more about the S than my Civic.

Anyway... I drive a '98 Civic EX Coupe. My CEL came on yesterday. I brought the car by Autozone this afternoon and the scanner couldn't read any codes (I don't know if it was the car or the scanner). I checked a few things yesterday (gas cap, etc.) and one thing I found is that the oil was low. I change my oil myself about every 3500 miles. I generally check the oil about 1-2 times between changes and always just before I change. I've never needed to add oil before, but I needed to add about 3/4 of a quart yesterday to get back to the full line. This has me concerned, as there is no leak (according to my garage floor). The only thing I can think of is that I may have forgotten to top off the oil the last time I changed the oil, but I don't think so (It takes about 3.6 quarts. I generally put in 3q while it's on the ramps, and then I top off while the car is on level ground.). Otherwise the car seems to drive/sound fine, although I've not pushed it since the light came on.

So anyway, my questions...

I understand that VTEC is engaged using oil pressure. Is it possible that low oil couldn've caused a VTEC engagement failure and a subsequent CEL?

Can I check the code myself by grounding one of the scanner connector wires as described by Modifry for the S2000 (where the CEL inself with blink the code number)?

I last changed the oil about 2000 miles ago. As I said the car isn't leaking, and it doesn't appear to be burning oil. If I didn't forget to top off in finishing the last change, what could have changed to cause me to burn so much oil and would that have caused the CEL?

I apologize for the off topic thread, but I find the info on this site to be top notch as opposed to other Honda related sites. I figured I'd start here.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Thanks,
Chris

 

for posting non-S2000 questions in UTH...

What were you doing when the CEL came on? Was your CEL still on when you tried pulling the codes, or did it clear itself before you got to Autozone? If it cleared itself, don't worry about it, otherwise, go to a different Autozone and try pulling it again.

 

Sorry, I can't answer any of your questions about a Civic.
Moving to "Car Talk" and leaving a re-direct in this forum. Maybe you'll get something there.

 

I was driving in a parking lot when the CEL came on. I had just finished flipping off some old fat redneck lady for driving perpendicular to all the rows at about 40 mph, shooting out in front of me from behind a parked van, causing me to almost T-bone her (Luckily I was doing parking lot speed, so I missed her).

When I turned onto the parimeter road I noticed the light was on. Maybe it was on before I parked. I don't know.

Yes, the light was still on when I tried pulling the codes. I was temped to stop by another Autozone to try again, but I didn't get around to it.

Surprisingly, it went off today when I turned the AC off. The AC had been on all weekend. Today was much cooler, but I had not actually shut off the AC, I simply moved the slider to a warmer position. On the way home from work I shut the AC off and the CEL went out at the same time. I have no clue as to what the two devices would have in common. Maybe even just a coincidence. According to the service dude at the local dealership, the only warning for which the CEL would reset itself was for a loose gas cap. Maybe that was it.

Oh well. It doesn't matter at this point anyway. I'm just glad it went out before I went trucking all the way across town to the dealership to shell out 70 bucks for nothing.

Thanks for your consideration. My apologies for posting in the wrong forum. My thoughts were that it would be similar enough to all the other CEL problems with the S that I'd get more attention in the UTH forum. Evidently not.

Cool though. It's gone.