charleswrivers
Senior Member
- First Name
- Charles
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2017
- Threads
- 43
- Messages
- 3,736
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- 4,468
- Location
- Kingsland, GA
- Vehicle(s)
- '14 Odyssey, '94 300zx, 2001 F-150
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1
- Thread starter
- #1
I've had my Odyssey for about 4 years now, with it's J35 that's being phased out with the 2.0t, but it's seen across several different vehicles (or the Accord).
It uses a Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system, allowing it to run as a 3, 4 or 6 cylinder, based on load. In my Odyssey, you can tell it's active based on an 'Eco' light that comes on. There is a TSB out, as it's been found that the vehicle running can cause failure of the rings on the 2 or 3 pistons in the deactivated cylinders. I've found that the transition isn't very smooth, as there's an noticable shudder and a... weird feeling. I assume that there is something with the cam that acts on the valves on the deactivated cylinders, so they are cracked open and not compressing anything. Not sure on that one. I never cared for it and cared less for it over time.
I got a harness w/a variable resistor (they call them VCM muzzlers... over on the Odyssey forums) to put in line with a sensor that feeds your dash temp gauge and goes to the tranny to say, ''I'm warmed up... start shutting off cylinders". The effect? Smooth operation. No shudders. No weird sounds/feelings. I got 26-27 mpg on my way to/from GA/VA w/it still enabled 3 weeks ago. I just did the drive up again with it disabled. Fuel economy? The same 26-27 mpg.
I actually felt like the engine was getting lugged, as the 3.5 V6 tried to play the 1.75 inline-3 game... with a dead 1.75 inline-3 being drug along with it while pushing a not-terribly-useful aerodynamic 4000 lb vehicle 70+ mph. Now... It's just a J35 doing what it always did pretty well... being a V6.
If you have a J35 vehicle with VCM and don't care for it, I highly recommend it. I know many car makers enacted cylinder deactivation but, in my opinion, Honda's was poorly implemented and has shown that it can be a detrimental to the engine, as documented by numerous cases of failed rings causing a loss of compression and extra oil consumption, necessitating major engine work.
It uses a Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system, allowing it to run as a 3, 4 or 6 cylinder, based on load. In my Odyssey, you can tell it's active based on an 'Eco' light that comes on. There is a TSB out, as it's been found that the vehicle running can cause failure of the rings on the 2 or 3 pistons in the deactivated cylinders. I've found that the transition isn't very smooth, as there's an noticable shudder and a... weird feeling. I assume that there is something with the cam that acts on the valves on the deactivated cylinders, so they are cracked open and not compressing anything. Not sure on that one. I never cared for it and cared less for it over time.
I got a harness w/a variable resistor (they call them VCM muzzlers... over on the Odyssey forums) to put in line with a sensor that feeds your dash temp gauge and goes to the tranny to say, ''I'm warmed up... start shutting off cylinders". The effect? Smooth operation. No shudders. No weird sounds/feelings. I got 26-27 mpg on my way to/from GA/VA w/it still enabled 3 weeks ago. I just did the drive up again with it disabled. Fuel economy? The same 26-27 mpg.
I actually felt like the engine was getting lugged, as the 3.5 V6 tried to play the 1.75 inline-3 game... with a dead 1.75 inline-3 being drug along with it while pushing a not-terribly-useful aerodynamic 4000 lb vehicle 70+ mph. Now... It's just a J35 doing what it always did pretty well... being a V6.
If you have a J35 vehicle with VCM and don't care for it, I highly recommend it. I know many car makers enacted cylinder deactivation but, in my opinion, Honda's was poorly implemented and has shown that it can be a detrimental to the engine, as documented by numerous cases of failed rings causing a loss of compression and extra oil consumption, necessitating major engine work.
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