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- Oct 25, 2021
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I went with the S-VCM so I didn't have to mess with transistors or anything like that. Literally plug and play and it works.
Honda VCM Disabling Questions
- Thread starter t1snwrbrdr12
- Start date
The owners manual says to use conventional oil. The maintenance minder recommends an oil change anywhere from 5,000 miles to 7,500 miles depending on driving. This sounded great on paper, but the owner's manual writers didn't know that when the VCM is on with the Eco light on the dashboard on, and the rear bank of 3 cylinders by the firewall turn off, that the front 3 cylinder heads get extreme temperatures with an inadequate PCV valve design, which cooks the oil. So on most Odysseys, the front 3 cylinder head has a lot of varnish.
See post # 17 in this thread:
2014 Odyssey Sludge/Varnish
Did an oil change on our 14 odyssey tonight. It is closing in on 70k miles. It is my wife’s dd, so most use is extremely short drives, a mile or two at a time. We also use it for family trips of course. It has had the VCM disabled since maybe a thousand miles. These last two OCIs were Rotella...
bobistheoilguy.com
A mechanic who has worked on these 2006/2007 Odysseys sees those engines sludging up rather easily when people follow the maintenance minder with conventional 5W-20 oil. The sludge gets so bad that the engine goes into limp mode.
He recommends 3k OCI with Full Synthetic 30 or 40 weight oil. The same engine was speced in Germany for 5W-40.
4k is the absolute limit (which I do). 5k OCI is not a good choice unless you muzzle the VCM.
The 20 weight oil was part of the problem, as it got overwhelmed by the extreme heat.
I didnt note what years your odysseys were, I saw the 2014 thread.
My ridgeline uses VCM gen 3, and the oil spec calls for API SN 0w-20.
Im uncertain prior info applies.
The thread initially was talking about 2014 Odysseys with VCM, but post #17 in that thread refers to 2005 to 2007 Odysseys.
I prefer to only run 5W-30 Full Synthetic and do 4k/6month OCI in any vehicle I own.
If you were to check the owner's manual for your exact same engine in Europe or Australia, it would likely specify 5W-30 or 5W-40 as choices for the exact same engine. Automakers have to specify the thin oils in the US owners manuals and test the MPG on that same thin oil to avoid CAFE fines. But in my opinion, 20 weight oils with the low HTHS are not optimal for these engines.
Just google this: HTHS wear graph.
Vcm tuner II here since 25k miles in my’09, 60k miles now and extremely happy without vcm
I had S-vcm previously but it failed after 2yrs during a 115f degree heatwave, others on Accord forums have noted similar issues with the s-vcm, so i moved to vcm tuner and Ben all good since
I had S-vcm previously but it failed after 2yrs during a 115f degree heatwave, others on Accord forums have noted similar issues with the s-vcm, so i moved to vcm tuner and Ben all good since
I've heard "it's in the manual" over there, and that various countries spec diff grades, but never actually seen this, it is common for a range of grades to be in spec.
Im sure 0w40 would work fine, and maybe if I towed all day every day I'd run it. I run 0w40 lots of places.
Although I didnt run low HTHS oils prior I'm pretty confident my HPL 0w20, Fram ultra, and filtermags will protect me, and return great mileage while doing it. Especially when primarily a freeway flyer.
Fram Ultra is a great filter, HPL is a great oil which should keep your engine clean with it's high Ester content.
I'm using S-VCM in 2009 Honda Pilot. Took a whopping 3 mins to install. Difference in smoothness is night and day. Difference in MPG is not noticeable. Difference in performance is nice too. No regrets, works as advertised, zero issues.
JHZR2
Staff member
You quote my thread, but I have had vcm disabled from more or less new, and have only re-enabled it for a few hundred miles since.
So I’m not sure your claim about sludge and varnish is due to vcm.
After all, the deactivated bank is still pumping air. So it will be cool. The other bank will be running, but there is no objective evidence that since this gets enabled when load is non-transient and relatively low, that it’s going to cook anything.
Highly recommend the VCM Tuner II...here is a pic of my MDX with the device installed on the battery tray clamp screw. I added a grounding wire with a small clamp on the end (attached to plastic battery carry handle in the pic so not grounded here) but it allows me to ground the device in 5 seconds under the hood for long trips when I want the VCM to function for economy purposes. Through the firewall to a dash switch would be awesome but I don't activate it enough to warrant doing that. Not sure about S-VCM but the Tuner II has an accelerometer...when not in motion for a couple of minutes it deactivates so coolant temp readings are accurate for diagnostics, etc.
Everyone who muzzles their VCM seems happy afterwards based on their posts on various forums. I'm glad you are satisfied too.
If you search BITOG, there are several threads on the sludge caused by following the maintenance minder OCI's on the Honda J35 engines with VCM.
Short trippers, and people who do longer than 4k OCI with conventional oil, seem most prevalent to the sludge.
Here is one such thread - see post # 17 on page 1:
2014 Odyssey Sludge/Varnish
Did an oil change on our 14 odyssey tonight. It is closing in on 70k miles. It is my wife’s dd, so most use is extremely short drives, a mile or two at a time. We also use it for family trips of course. It has had the VCM disabled since maybe a thousand miles. These last two OCIs were Rotella...
bobistheoilguy.com
In any event, I prefer to do a short 4k/6month OCI with full synthetic 5W-30, and this should guarantee I won't ever run into any sludge in these engines. So far so good.
2016 Odyssey here. I started with a 100 ohm resistor but got CEL at times for p0128. I then changed to an 80 ohm resistor and it’s been good since then. If the vehicle is in traffic or idling for quite a while it will still creep the temp up to go into VCM mode for a very short time till the temp goes down with movement of air cooling while driving.
No issues just positive. A buck or whatever for a 10 pack of resistors. Cut 1 wire and place that resistor in line. Tape it up and you really can’t tell what so ever.
Sure there are fancy 80-100 dollar units that claim they do this and that and they might but you are just basically buying a resistor to fool the temp reading into lower non VCM mode under most conditions
No issues just positive. A buck or whatever for a 10 pack of resistors. Cut 1 wire and place that resistor in line. Tape it up and you really can’t tell what so ever.
Sure there are fancy 80-100 dollar units that claim they do this and that and they might but you are just basically buying a resistor to fool the temp reading into lower non VCM mode under most conditions
I went a different route. I decided to buy a tuner and disable VCM within the PCM. Coolant temp is correct and VCM is permanently disabled. Plus I just wanted to get a tuner.
JHZR2
Staff member
Again you quoted my thread.
My point is that vcm doesn’t seem to avoid sludge or varnish, and isn’t a panacea other than maybe some ring and some mount related issues.
Thanks for that but how or where does one install it?
There is a coolant temp sensor on the left (drivers) side of the engine. You disconnect the wire connector. Cut one of the wires. Doesn’t matter which and install the resistor in place. Tape back up done deal.
The VCM muzzler 2 etc just give you a connector so you don’t have to cut anything and a pack of resistors you use
The VCM muzzler 2 etc just give you a connector so you don’t have to cut anything and a pack of resistors you use
What tuner did you use?
I researched VCM disablers before buying my new Ridgeline, but then I couldn’t find anyone who had problems with the current VCM3. I decided to hold off for now because I’m not sure if it’s necessary anymore.
I’m curious what you can do with your tuner—maybe that would be worth getting if it can do more than 1 thing.
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Thanks for that. How many resistors did they throw in? Values?
What tuner did you end up with?
I have 1 on my 2015 ody for the last year and a half with no issues at all.
Vcm is garbage and is trashing piston rings and gumming up engines.
I use vcmtuner2. If there is an overheat condition it bypasses and allows the warning on the dash to come on.
Yes muzzle, PEA cleaner, new plugs and drive it like you stole it.
Will clean your rings up in no time.
Do it.
