Hey guys so I've noticed something weird with my S that I thought you guys might be able to help diagnose.

In first gear on WOT, VTEC won't engage until like 8k rpm. When I shift to second it engages normally at 6k but if I keep it WOT it becomes jerky like the VTEC cam is coming on and off really fast.

However if I'm just cruising on the highway in 6th and downshift to 4th (or cruising in 5th at a lower speed and downshift to 3rd) VTEC engages completely normally at 6k and stays strong till the red line.

I was thinking it might be oil starvation (as this happened to me once when I first got the car and an oil changed fixed it). However, I changed the oil about 4800 miles ago w/ full synthetic and the oil level looks good.

My TCT is definitely on its way out - it clicks intermittently (sometimes on warm starts, sometimes when I've been driving for a while), but it's not completely dead. I'd say 70% of the time I start it up warm or drive it does not click or anything. I'm thinking that the TCT is the issue though.

What's causing this problem IYO?

 

So I'm not the expert for things like this but I can at least help you get started: when your TCT "goes dead", your motor will be dead, almost indefinitely.... so I would replace it asap. That's all I've got lol.

 

Both the VTEC and TCT work on oil pressure. There may be a relationship here. (Gussing!)

The highly regarded Billman Gen-X TCT is dirt simple to install. I'd to that ASAP. 10mm wrench, Allen key, needle nose pliers, and a paper towel.

-- Chuck

 

Thank you guys for the response! So turns out I'm just a dumb ass. It's an oil pressure issue stemming from bad/low oil just like the first time. I checked the oil level again and its dark and very low. I'm not sure what I did the first time I checked, b/c it looked fine. I must have not wiping the dipstick properly before re-inserting. I knew this car burns oil, but I didn't know this motor would chew through full synthetic in less than 5k miles! I put in a lower viscosity oil for the winter, so I'm guessing that's why.

I will replace the TCT ASAP though - do guys know where I can get one for cheap? Like around $100?

 

PM Billman250 for details on his TCT. You can find him easily in the Metro NY forum.

His TCT is a bit more than $100 but guaranteed for life.

You basically buy a modified one from him and when you get it, it takes a few mins to install then you put your old one in the box the new one came in (put it in a baggie so any oil left in it doesn't leak thru the package) and send it back to him and the next day he refunds the core charge. I've done it twice with both of the S2000s Ive had.

Highly recommend!

 

The tct will never "go dead", it'll cause noise and the chain to slap from too much slack, chewing up the inside of the casting surfaces in the timing case and edge of the cylinder head/block, and eventually cause the car to possibly jump time or chew teeth off a timing gear. This will not affect VTEC operation in any way.

 

Which oil are you using and do you have an AP1 or AP2?

 

The TCT is a vital part of the engine so don' skimp on it. I installed the Billman unit as preventive maintenance about 40K miles even though the OEM unit seemed to be fine. 10 minutes and the engine is fully protected.

Honda spec oil is nothing magic. 10W-30 or 5W-40 in extreme cold conditions -- 0°F and below -- when you shouldn't be driving the car anyway but that's a different discussion. Oil is oil. But many of us feel the need for more exotic -- that is, highly advertised -- lubricants even though evidence exists that even Walmart-branded oil is just fine if changed on schedule and a good filter is in place.

-- Chuck

 

Will PM Billman's and see if I can get a good deal on the TCT. I use 10w30 for summer and 5w30 for winter as suggested by the manual. I guess the lower viscosity oil might burn easier when it starts to darken and go bad. When I had 10w30 in it the oil level was fine at 5k miles, just dark.

 

Will PM Billman's and see if I can get a good deal on the TCT. I use 10w30 for summer and 5w30 for winter as suggested by the manual. I guess the lower viscosity oil might burn easier when it starts to darken and go bad. When I had 10w30 in it the oil level was fine at 5k miles, just dark.

I have a 2003 ap1 w/ about 62.4k miles on it.