AustinS2k2003

My '03 S2000 has been engaging VTEC at close to 8k RPMs in 1st gear. I know this is high as it used to be closer to 6 or 7k.

Should I reset my ECU since it controls the engagement point and allow it to recalibrate or might there be something else going on?

How do I reset the ECU should I choose to?

Wisconsin S2k

your car is changing the engagement point for a reason. and how do you know it's engaging at 8k? what's the temp like where you are at? altitude? did you use premium gas? did you get a bad batch of gas? do you have a check engine light?

stitos2k

People really need to quit resetting the ECU every time they have a problem. Maybe, just maybe, someone should try diagnosing the problem FIRST.

Besides that, do what Wisconsin said. He's usually pretty bright.

CIVICTOS2000

check your oil...

AustinS2k2003

well that was why I posted - I wasn't keen on resetting the ecu. Here are the answers:

your car is changing the engagement point for a reason. and how do you know it's engaging at 8k?

Just eyeballing the RPM gauge and feeling when the engagement happened told me it was higher on the gauge then usual

what's the temp like where you are at?

80-90 degrees
altitude?

Austin, Texas - not very high up

did you use premium gas?

Always - my S has never seen less than 93 octane

did you get a bad batch of gas?

How would I know? My gas is bought at brand name places like Shell and Chevron

do you have a check engine light?

No


check your oil...

I had it changed today because the low oil light came on this morning and I was due for a change anyway. I have yet to hit balls out acceleration in first or second gear when its noticable but I've got a feeling the oil change will fix the problem so I think its unlikely that the ECU reset will be necessary.

Anyone have any other advice to add?

darkfx

when the low oil light comes on it means it was REALLY low

Incubus

You need to check the oil every time you fuel up.

Wisconsin S2k

yup. if you are low on oil, vtec can hesitate as you described because of there not being enough oil pressure to engage the hi cam profile.

the fact that you let your car get SO low on oil that the oil light came on is very scary. you should consider yourself extremely lucky if nothing was damaged. unfortunately, you probably won't know until it goes boom. oil starvation is a dangerous thing for this engine, especially when it gets to the level that you let it get to.

you should check your oil level at least every 1000 miles. i think that in order for the oil light to have come on, your oil would have had to get probably down to 1 or 2 quarts in the engine. let's hope your number 4 cylinder isn't cracked or scored. :/

AustinS2k2003

Had the oil changed within 10 miles of seeing the light...oddly enough the light only came on briefly and went off immediately. I asked the guys changing the oil if it was noticably low and they said it wasn't but I doubt they were paying much attention.

Thanks for the help gang!

AustinS2k2003

Oh and thanks for scaring the hell out of me; now I'm going to be all paranoid!