Faulty VTEC Assembly = LMA Popping?!

BRMS · Post by **BRMS** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:28 am

Has any one in counted a faulty Vtec assembly to make the LMAs pop? We had one last week that made horrible top end noise.. Xchng assemblies.. no pop.. Xhng it back, same random popin noise.. Effn crazy.. everyone i spoke to had no clue..Xhng back to functional assemble. works like a charm. rat ta tat tat.. x 50... wow!

Coupe-r · Post by **Coupe-r** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:02 pm

saying they 'pop' you mean the LMA's are worn out and cause a top end rattle. If so thats quite common, you just need to replace the LMA's.

BRMS · Post by **BRMS** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:33 am

Not worn LMA's! Read what i put. I changed the Vtec Spool Assembly, this loud noise is gone. LMA's are fine and car has over 3K miles on it now.

ge0ne · Post by **ge0ne** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:06 am

Maybe the Vtec solenoid was worn out and oil pressure managed to get past it OR the piston that is inside the Vtec solenoid was installed upside down.

Coupe-r · Post by **Coupe-r** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:07 pm

I did read your post but didn't understand it. Yep maybe the piston in the Vtec soliniod assembly was jammed or causing probs. Open it up and check everything is fine, including piston movement and no clogging or anything weird

BRMS · Post by **BRMS** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:27 am

Pistons looks smooth as it can be.. nothing out of the ordinary.. installed it on another dohc vtec and the cylinder head pop randomly.. effn weird!

Adam Hopkins · Post by **Adam Hopkins** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:46 am

Are you sure the spring is in the soleniod. it sounds like the oil pressure is bypassing the piston somehow.

Coupe-r · Post by **Coupe-r** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:17 am

doesn't matter how it looks, Does the piston move in and out when you push on it, take off the vtec soliniod to test this out. Or the spring may not be seated as was said. bloody weird allright

oh well least your car is ok now

BRMS · Post by **BRMS** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:57 am

I would have said piston looks rough if it didn't make complete movement. Its fine, everything is fine in the unit. spring is seated, pistons actuates . . any who.. its a 16yrd old device.. theres gonna be a good chance faults..

ge0ne · Post by **ge0ne** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:53 pm

You can follow Honda reccomendations, put an oil pressure gauge on the head, (no tee in the block, on the head) read oil pressure if before Vtec kicks you have standard oil pressure then something is wrong on your solenoid, and i repeat is piston installed correctly? POiston installed backwards or oil passing by will cause vtec kickin in at low rpm or whenever the pressure is enough to lock valves on the 1st cylinder and then second etc lots of popping noise from vtec locking and unlocking at 3000 rpm or so...