At first, I wasn't planning on disabling the VCM since I barely noticed it. But after reading numerous threads recently and in the past about broken motor mounts and possibly other engine issues, I decided to order the VCMuzzler from verbatim on this board. I expect my cars to go to 200k miles with minimal maintenance issues. Honda/Acura motor mounts are already weak, so I didn't want additional pressure on the mounts. No other vehicles require motor mounts before 100k miles.
AFTER installation, the engine feels so much better! No lugging, very responsive, and hardly any drop in MPG. Installation was very quick and easy with verbatim's provided instructions. I had ordered the Ultraguage a few days ago, so I monitored things on our day trip yesterday. Before the VCMuzzler, the engine coolant temperate was around 175. Afterwards, it read as 160, which is what it's supposed to do, make it ready 15 degrees lower. I believe VCM engages when the engine coolant temperature is above 167.
Definitely glad I got this done! I'm not a performance hog, but will do anything to help my vehicles last longer!
It tripped me out one time when the ECO light came on. ECO light ON and it worked as if the VCM wasn't there. Start moving and getting air flow through the motor and it turns off. Sitting at idle or traffic will raise temp. Don't worry you should be okay!!
I experienced similar behavior. As engine temperature rises (sitting in traffic for a while), VCM works as it should. Start driving again (or turn on A/C which enables fan), VCM goes dormant
I experienced similar behavior. As engine temperature rises (sitting in traffic for a while), VCM works as it should. Start driving again (or turn on A/C which enables fan), VCM goes dormant
Thanks all! I haven't had a chance to experience it so I wasn't sure. Just seemed weird.
I now bet it was due to the gas stop she made. Driving in traffic beforehand, then stops for gas and when she starts it up again she sees the ECO. The engine probably heated up during the stop due to lack of coolant flow and that's probably what did it now that I think about it.
I'll post again if / when I see it firsthand. Thanks all!
Yes, with the current warm temp. If you make a stop. Start the car up, you will most likely see the ECO light just because everything was just bathing in the heat. If there's a lot of stop and go after that stop, the ECO light will come and go too. Once you get a stretch of open driving, everything will "cool" back down and no VCM.
I personally rather live with that, then plugging in the other resister depending on the season. ECO does not always mean VCM. I don't mind a bit of ECO every now and then during the summer.
I'm curious to know how many 14' owners experienced oil consumption. I see a lot more issues reported with oil consumption with the 05-10 forum than 2011+. I have a 2010 EX-L and it was consuming quite a bit of oil, even after I had my ECU reprogrammed by the dealership. I decided to install the VCM Muzzler and I no longer had that issue. However, I think I'm one of the few that suffered great mileage loss. I lost 3 mpg. I was averaging 18 mpg, but now I'm barely making 15 mpg.
I've install the muzzler about a month ago. Gas mileage is down 2 mpg. Car pulls much easier at highway speeds and seems to have more pep.
I was wondering if you can switch off the muzzler during cruise control (>60mph). I can see where the VCM would have problems during local driving but beneficial at highway conditions. Just my 2cents.
No. Well not without setting off the check engine and various other lights on the dash. You could rework the muzzler to install a switch and short out the resistor to turn it off, but switching it would be seen as a fault by the ECM and light up your dash with fault codes.
I've driven about 700 miles since I muzzled the 13' Oddy. First impressions is that it's nice to have engine braking back without the eco light. Secondly, the instant throttle response on the highway is second to none. About mpg, before I muzzled, I got about 18mpg 87octane from our local gas station (Bills superette). As soon as I muzzled the car, I pumped a full tank of BP 87 octane. After about 300 miles, i averaged 25mpg! I thought it was a fluke, there could be many variables such as temp etc.. So after the BP tank I wanted to experiment with gas so I went back to Bills 87, as usual, muzzled I got 18mpg the SAME before I started everything. So crossing off a few variables, I'm back to BP 87 octane to see what the mpg are, so far so good, about 180 miles 1/3 tank. Below were my calculations after VCMuzzled.
Just an update, so my third fill on BP 87 Octane, I got 324.1 miles. It took 15.65 gallons to fill = 20.7mpg. Last night I refilled again with BP, if the miles are the same, i'll do one last testing with Bill's 87 to compare yet again.
I got my 12 Ody el-l Last Dec with 40,000 Kilometres. it is a very good van but I haven't been interested in driving it, since it is so slow for acceleration. last week, it was having Missfire code p0302 when my wife drove it. Dealer told us they will spend 2 days to fix it by changing Piston ring or Piston which is huge work, one of dealer guys said. I haven't liked Eco light, before everytime Eco light on, i always concerned how computer controls this light on/off if it has a bug. now it is total pissed off.
waiting for Dealer to order parts then do 2 days works on my ody. and worse thing is this is the second time for VCM issue. it happened 2 year ago for Pre-owner. I will order VCmuzzler to disable this stupid thing. [FONT="]
I just installed mine today first thing in the morning using the standard resistor.
After test driving for about 30 minutes on the hwy, the eco light came on after I took the exit back
to the city. So I let the van cool down all day and replaced the resistor with the other one.
I am using the standard blue one and it has eliminated the ECO light about 99.9% of the time. Depending on traffic conditions, I seem to get the ECO light and VCM activation about once a month, lasting for only a few minutes each time (until the engine cools a little).
I wouldn't try to eliminate 100% of the VCM activations - that's probably more trouble than it's worth. If you drive the measured temperature too low, you can provoke a "Check Engine" light. My attitude towards these things is "once is a coincidence, twice is a trend". Don't worry if the ECO light came on once - leave it alone and see if you can pick up a sustained pattern of behavior. You might be fine with the standard resistor. If not, you can always change it later.
A buddy's Accord EX-L V6 coupe, 6 spd stick has an "Econo" button that among other things, like making throttle responses slower, also seems to enable the VCM. I haven't fully verified that disengaging "Econo" button disables VCM, but if it does, has anyone looked into how it is wired? And whether it can be applied to the Odyssey?
Your Econ button does not disable VCM. The Econ button changes throttle response, gear selection, and a host of other things *while accelerating*. VCM is active during cruising conditions regardless of whether the Econ button is on or off.
Hi vcm muzzlers. This muzzler issue was obviously researched to the max. People seem to know what they are doing but I was wondering if anyone consider the following.
I have a 2014 TE, Canadian version. I am heading on a 15,000 km holiday this coming august to the far east. My van now has about 45K kms on it or 30k miles. The VCM is noticeable but I learned to live with it. It doesn't bother me too that much...now. I did have a 2005 TE with destroyed engine mounts due to VCM. I was lucky enough to have very good contacts at a local dealer and they changed tranny, mounts and a whole bunch of other parts under warranty. Tranny didn't fail, but the only way to have them fix the mounts was to claim tranny failure. I am thinking about disabling the VCM for the trip. I made my own harness...got the plugs off alibaba for like $20...the muzzler was super easy to make. I haven't plugged mine in yet. So now I want to take the ect readings to know where my van is in the range so I can adjust the resistor appropriately.
I went to talk to my mechanic to ask him to borrow his scanner for a few days. We got talking. He made a valid point, disabling vcm will cause the motor to run lean. I asked why. He said the fuel maps from the factory are pre-set for VCM engaging more than not. He is technically right. VCM engages a lot...when I drive in the city at 30 mph or more, VCM is always on. Yes, there are plenty of times that the VCM is disengaged when it is cool or when you are at low speeds or on the gas. But majority of the time...and I would guesstimate about 70% of the time...ECO light is on. Honda designed that motor to run with VCM...whether we like it or not. Not running with VCM on will cause the motor to run lean which explains why most of the vcm muzzler users are getting fuel mileage better than factory.
Having said all that, catalytic converters ruin faster when running lean. Too much oxygen, not enough gas will cause the exhaust temps to go up = ruin catalytic.
I can see the main reason for the muzzler is to save the motor from fouled plugs and better driveability. But could these gains come at the expense of ruined catalytic converters?
I want to hear your opinions. I am not a VCM Muzzler hater...I have one myself. I want to hear what you guys think about this theory. Surely somebody has considered this at some point. Could we be getting short terms gains at the expense of long term losses?
ummm...good question. here is how I would answer this. Since in non-vcm mode, all 6 cylinders are firing, not as much fuel is required in each cylinder. During VCM-on mode, only 3 cylindres are firing, and in order to move this 5000lbs vehicle along, more fuel is required. That's the best explanation I can think of.
I guess what I am trying to get to is this: Logically speaking, firing all 6 cylinders all the time would burn more gas. More pistons to push down the bore. But some folks are getting better fuel economy firing all 6 cylinders vs. only 3 cylinders. Could the mixture be lean while all 6 cylinders are firing? Running lean is not good. But then again, vcm mode on is not very enjoyable.
Please add your 2 cents. I would love to hear some folks with hard evidence if any research has been done at all.
There might be some truth to this. The 14.7:1 stoichiometric mixture in the remaining firing cylinders won't change but, most likely, the computer probably does have to compensate for what the O2 sensors would see as a lean exhaust for the amount of airflow going through, just as it would have to compensate so it doesn't send misfire codes for the VCM cylinders during deactivation. During VCM, there would only be half the amount of actual burned exhaust but still the same amount of total airflow through the exhaust so the O2 sensors might see a lean exhaust. It would be interesting to connect a scan tool and drive the car and watch the O2 sensors as VCM kicks on and off.
I think whoever told you that has failed basic emmission and basic engine performance class. It has nothing to do with fuel mixture. Maybe on a throttle body injected engine will have lean mixture, but on an Odyssey, with injecter in each cylinder, will not. Besides ECM always monitors the mixture through air/fuel sensor and mass air flow sensor, to make should the mixture is within the set range. Or it will turn on the check engine light.
VCM was designed to save fuel by changing 6 cylinder engine to a 3 cylinder.To move a 5000 beast on 3 cylinders( half the horsepower of the v6)on a dime would be overwhelming. The switching from 3 to back to 6 cylinders needs time to proceed, thus creating lag in van responody. 2005 VCM ody drivers noticed the VCM engine was lugging and thought the transmission components were at fault. VCM was designed to save fuel but power was cut in half. Maybe if Honda had lightened up the Ody with super strong light frame materials like aircrafts, fuel economy and performance would go hand in hand. Okay, then the ody would have cost $110k.
I'm only dreaming
Just wondering if anyone ever think using cooler temperature thermostat, so the engine actually runs cooler than the VCM kicking in temp. Without tricking the ECM without the muzzler, so there's no worry that the engine runs too hot as actually temp is higher than designed before cooling fan starts.