[ARB1977]

Thank you. vast majority of my miles are highway miles as I am a territory sales rep. What do i need in order to disable the VCM? Do i tune it? Or do i simply disable it altogether?

SVCM is what I have.

 

[Nail Grease]

Thank you. vast majority of my miles are highway miles as I am a territory sales rep. What do i need in order to disable the VCM? Do i tune it? Or do i simply disable it altogether?

I use S-VCM. Easy to install.

S-VCM Controller - Disable VCM / deactivate VCM and stop ECO in Honda Acura

Deactivate Honda VCM in 3.5L V6 SOHC engines. The S-VCM Controller is an automobile grade, high precision tool that can reliably disable VCM 100% of the time, and would safely bypass in case the engine overheats. It does not use a fixed resistor or manually adjusted potentiometer, and is a much...

www.svcmcontroller.com

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

Are there good odds disabling my VCM will produce improved emissions readings and keep the warning light turned off?

 

[Nail Grease]

Are there good odds disabling my VCM will produce improved emissions readings and keep the warning light turned off?

I’d like to believe so if oil blow by was the cause. But it’d be important to make sure fuel/air mixture is in line.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

I’m an owner of a 2016 Honda Pilot Touring. My car is at the dealership as I am typing this response. I started to have that issue at 55k mi (in spite of having fuel induction service done- as advised) and injectors were replaced at 70k (covered by Honda). Now my car is at 130k and I’ve been to the dealership about 5-7 times since for the same issue. Now the issue that I have is that my cat converters needed to be replaced ($4k total) as error P0420 and P0430 keeps popping up whenever emission system failure appears.

It is very frustrating as I have always been keeping up with the service intervals and have been very proactive with my service advisor to make sure the car is in optimal performance. There’s no telling what issue will show up next. I remember the reason for buying a Honda is for “peace of mind” as their vehicles are “reliable” but has so far been the opposite with this vehicle. This is the only vehicle that we’ve had that had failed cat converters (130k less than 5 years pf purchase). We had a car for 17 years (300k mi) and never had that replaced.

What did you end up doing? Dealer is telling me exact same thing about having to replace all cats. I'm just not conviced. Will try VCM diable, regualr cat cleaner treatment new plugs etc and see how that goes.

 

[redturbo]

Same issue here. Already got injectors replaced and software updates they claim was needed under recall.

Now does your light go away after doing long drives? Like it just magically goes off the next time you turn off the car? And as long as you are doing long drives it will stay off?
Mine will come on again only if a lot of stop and go and a lot of idling. I can help reduce it from coming on if I have that auto stop thing where the engine shuts off partially at a light. But long idling and stop and go will eventaully have the light come on again but it takes a bit.

Then again long drives/cruises and it will turn off again on its own.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

Yes, I've experienced pretty much the same behavior with the light. Rainy and cooler days and higher humidity also seem to also play a factor. Longer drives keep it off longer for sure. Lately the light will stay away for a day or two max. But many times it comes back on in the same day.

 

[redturbo]

Yes, I've experienced pretty much the same behavior with the light. Rainy and cooler days and higher humidity also seem to also play a factor. Longer drives keep it off longer for sure. Lately the light will stay away for a day or two max. But many times it comes back on in the same day.

i use to always turn off the stop/start when i drive, but that means more idling at lights and stop and go traffic, which increases the chance of the light going on.

Now i just keep stop/start on, so instead of idling during stop and go or at lights, engine goes off until im off again. This has allowed the light to not go on.

it looks like under load and consistent driving it wont trigger the emissions light. i do a lot of long drives and with stop start on, my light wont come on

either we really have a bad cat which got fouled when we were running with bad injectors, or the new injectors are also bad and fouling cat, or o2 sensors malfunctioning.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

i use to always turn off the stop/start when i drive, but that means more idling at lights and stop and go traffic, which increases the chance of the light going on.

Now i just keep stop/start on, so instead of idling during stop and go or at lights, engine goes off until im off again. This has allowed the light to not go on.

it looks like under load and consistent driving it wont trigger the emissions light. i do a lot of long drives and with stop start on, my light wont come on

either we really have a bad cat which got fouled when we were running with bad injectors, or the new injectors are also bad and fouling cat, or o2 sensors malfunctioning.

I agree. I put in name brand gas. Used a Dura Lube Severe cat cleaner( will add new bottle every 1-2K mikes). Took a day and half but light is now off. I have new spark plugs, VCM disabler and new PCV valve in route. All of this together is around $200-$225 or so. If this plan keeps the light off longer I will simply trade it in at some point. I refuse to change the cats. Really hoping all of this will keep the light off for good but I'm not that naive.

 

[redturbo]

I agree. I put in name brand gas. Used a Dura Lube Severe cat cleaner( will add new bottle every 1-2K mikes). Took a day and half but light is now off. I have new spark plugs, VCM disabler and new PCV valve in route. All of this together is around $200-$225 or so. If this plan keeps the light off longer I will simply trade it in at some point. I refuse to change the cats. Really hoping all of this will keep the light off for good but I'm not that naive.

i have 125,000 miles on my pilot, a lot of long drives though, mostly highway miles
i did change the timing belt etc during its normal interval. and as you know had the recall and new injectors done. The emissions light didnt show up on mine until past 107K miles, thats when i did the recall and injectors replaced.
I have yet to change spark plugs/wires. I didnt do a VCM disabler or do anything else.

So here we can eliminate some comments from people who said to me to replace spark plugs, vcm disabler, and pcv interestingly enough, which you did and still have same symtoms and issues. Also i never use any kind of additives.

My fear is after a few more years when we HAVE to smog our car, it will fail, sometimes even if light is not on, the obdii readiness for emissions already shows not ready or fail before light shows up.

 

[Nail Grease]

I have yet to change spark plugs/wires. I didnt do a VCM disabler or do anything else.

The recommended interval for replacing spark plugs by Honda is 100k miles. It could be deemed a little early, I’d assume other factors other than gap could be factored in.
I’ve not heard of anyone on the forum recommending that the wiring harness to the coils be replaced. Please let us know this particular thread if you should find it again.

So here we can eliminate some comments from people who said to me to replace spark plugs, vcm disabler, and pcv interestingly enough, which you did and still have same symtoms and issues. Also i never use any kind of additives.

One’s driving habits can have an effect on any of the following components you have listed. Obviously some experience the ill effects of an active VCM before others. There are many highway drivers (mostly) that have made it to over 200k miles. One ending in piston rod failure. No one on the forum is trying to mislead you or anyone. The negative effects of VCM are talked about on many forums even on other makes. I prefer my 6 cylinder engine to run on all 6 cylinders 100% of the time versus 3 cylinders, as I lock the cruise control on at 75mph.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

i have 125,000 miles on my pilot, a lot of long drives though, mostly highway miles
i did change the timing belt etc during its normal interval. and as you know had the recall and new injectors done. The emissions light didnt show up on mine until past 107K miles, thats when i did the recall and injectors replaced.
I have yet to change spark plugs/wires. I didnt do a VCM disabler or do anything else.

So here we can eliminate some comments from people who said to me to replace spark plugs, vcm disabler, and pcv interestingly enough, which you did and still have same symtoms and issues. Also i never use any kind of additives.

My fear is after a few more years when we HAVE to smog our car, it will fail, sometimes even if light is not on, the obdii readiness for emissions already shows not ready or fail before light shows up.

TO BE CLEAR- The spark plugs, VCM Disabler & pcv valve have NOT been installed/replaced yet. I simply have them on order and will install them as soon as they arrive. Name Brand gas and cat cleaner only (so far).

 

[redturbo]

TO BE CLEAR- The spark plugs, VCM Disabler & pcv valve have NOT been installed/replaced yet. I simply have them on order and will install them as soon as they arrive. Name Brand gas and cat cleaner only (so far).

oh ok, so we are EXACTLY same boat.

Please keep me updated once you do those things, and idle for a while and stop and go, and if no lights come on after, ill follow your lead

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

UPDATE - on 1/30 I filled with name brand fuel then added severe cat cleaner product. it took a few short trips but the light turned off the next day. A few days later the light came back on but turned off again same day. The day it turned back off was this past Friday afternoon. While it was off I filled up a second take of name brand fuel. Light has remained off. Ove the weekend I installed S-VCM, New spark Plugs and new PCV valve. Everything installed successfully without any issues. Light is still off. Honestly, I don't believe the plugs were contributing to my issue but its nice to know they're done. I'm about to really put some miles on this week and next week so it should be interesting to monitor the situation. Stay tuned.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

I’d like to believe so if oil blow by was the cause. But it’d be important to make sure fuel/air mixture is in line.

Nail Grease- When I replaced my PCV valve I noticed mine had an updated bolt with sort of shoulder/spacer design built into the bolt itself. I did not find a separate metal spacer that many of the pre 17 models have. My pilot is 2017. Does this sound correct?

 

[redturbo]

Thanks for the update, please let me know after some driving (especially stop and go and idling) if lights are still off.

How did your plugs look when you replaced them? I assume they looked normal on why you commented that you dont believe they were contributing.

I hope our problems are resolved with something as simple as the PCV

 

[Nail Grease]

Nail Grease- When I replaced my PCV valve I noticed mine had an updated bolt with sort of shoulder/spacer design built into the bolt itself. I did not find a separate metal spacer that many of the pre 17 models have. My pilot is 2017. Does this sound correct?

I haven’t actually pulled out the one in my 3rd gen. I know some have an aluminum sleeve that goes through the bolt hole of the part and some have it built in, all plastic.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

Thanks for the update, please let me know after some driving (especially stop and go and idling) if lights are still off.

How did your plugs look when you replaced them? I assume they looked normal on why you commented that you dont believe they were contributing.

I hope our problems are resolved with something as simple as the PCV

So far so good. Light still off. I've been doing a fair amount of stop an go driving. I also drove 150 mile round trip into houston with 5 or 6 stops while i was there. Light still off. This is longest the light has been off in a while so something ive done is helping. See pic of plugs below. They are not in any particular order. Some are darker than others but all in all they look ok but im no expert. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[Hondamon]

So far so good. Light still off. I've been doing a fair amount of stop an go driving. I also drove 150 mile round trip into houston with 5 or 6 stops while i was there. Light still off. This is longest the light has been off in a while so something ive done is helping. See pic of plugs below. They are not in any particular order. Some are darker than others but all in all they look ok but im no expert. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Those plugs look a bit worn and seem to have an excessive gap from the pics.
Disabling the VCM was probably the biggest help though. Hope the emissions light stays off.

 

[B_Rock2017Pilot]

UPDATE 2/11/23- Emissions Light is still off. I've put roughly 700 miles on since the light last turned off. I'm coming to realize the name brand fuel is most likely the biggest component to all of this. Higher Octane or Ethanol free does NOT equal quality. You must get BP, Chevron, Mobile, Exxon or Shell every tank. Not just part of the time. All of the time. Its a chore to find name brand sometimes but its extremely important that every tank is name brand. Exxon and Shell have been what I've used but i believe any of the top names should work just as well. Knock on wood but the latest efforts appear to be working very well. The light has been off for close to 10 days straight now. THat is the longest its been off since this issue arose.