Here's something thats happened about 4 times since I've had the vehicle (Feb 08).

If I'm driving behind someone waiting to overtake, sometimes I'm stuck in VTEC, say a constant 7000rpm for about 30 seconds, the engine sort of cuts out, sort of like the fuel supply has been cut, the vehicle doesn't turn off or anything. If I rev the engine it immediately comes back to life.

I've never had this problem while accelerating through VTEC, only when I'm holding the rpm's constant.

Once I held it constant without accelerating when the engine 'cut' off, and the CEL came on and the car died.... any idea what this could be?

Oil was fine, fuel was fine.

Happened again last night for the first time in months, so thought I'd ask...

 

Im no mechanic but sounds to me like a bad vtec switch maybe, don't quote me on it or your throttle cable/sensor acting up. Take that to honda asap, hope I can help keep us posted!

 

Thanks - I asked Honda to check it with the last service, they said they couldn't find any fault...

 

wow that isn't good, I suppose take it to somebody you know that can give you a straight answer. Sounds to me like the "stealerships" wants you to think nothing is wrong and when something is wrong you have to pay for more than before. Take it to like autozone, or ask around to see if you can find somebody that knows hondas really well about the problem.

 

I wouldn't go that far. It's probably just a hard to diagnose intermittent problem. The usual: What code is it? If it went away, the DTC will still be stored. I'm betting it was a high knock count and the engine pulled a huge chunk of timing, but get the code first.

 

They don't give the codes here easily - I'll have to buy my own reader.... I wonder if I can get a cable for my laptop or cellphone (Windows Mobile).

What I thought was dirty fuel maybe?

 

Where are you from? You can buy a reader for under $100. I carry one in my glovebox and it's worth it %100. Anything for your laptop would cost at least as much as an obd2 reader. I really doubt it's dirty fuel. Stop guessing and get the code.

 

South Africa

I only had the CEL once though, 21 May 2008... its been for a service since then - so its probably been cleared.

I might be able to reproduce the CEL by holding the car's RPMs where they are without accelerating during the dip, only reason I haven't tried this is because I don't want to get stuck next to the highway.

Can you get a reader off ebay?

 

Have you tried the "MAP-Wack" yet?
How-to is in the FAQ.

 

wow south africa huh??? I take it you don't have autozone there...