the research I did was based on content that is in this conversation on the Honda Odyssey web site. www.odyclub.com/threads/vcm-a-better-way-to-disable.234113/ This is a good resource to understand the development of the VCMuzzler. www.piloteers.org/threads/vcm-disable-a-new-and-better-way.70873/ VCM FAQ . www.odyclub.com/threads/vcmuzzler-ii-for-disabling-vcm-faqs.268778/ If you don't want to do this DIY you can purchase an easily installable kit for a small amount hear. www.ebay.ca/itm/Honda-Acura-VCM-Disable-Kit-Pilot-Accord-Ridgeline-Odyssey-Muzzle-Delete-3-5L-/173827018067?oid=171729581043 Vehicles equipped with VCM 2003 Honda Inspire 2004+ Honda Elysion V6 2005-2007 Honda Accord Hybrid (JNA1) 2005+ Honda Odyssey (USDM) EX-L and Touring Models only (J35) 2006-2008 Honda Pilot 2WD Models only (J35) 2008-2017* Honda Accord V6 (except EX-L V6 6MT Coupe) *Starting with 2013 Model, VCM operation is 3- or 6-cylinder mode, no longer 3, 4, 6-cylinder operation.[2] 2009+ Honda Pilot (all models) 2011-2016 Honda Odyssey (USDM) V6 2013 Acura RDX V6 2013 Acura RLX *3 or 6 cylinder mode 2014 Acura MDX *3 or 6 cylinder mode 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid *3 or 6 cylinder mode 2016 Acura TLX V6 2017 Honda Ridgeline Another Ody club member also mentioned: the big issues with VCM and why disabling it is necessary.That It causes piston ring failure, misfires, excessive oil consumption and premature failure of engine mounts. Hear is a good 5 year review on having one installed. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-A0NCbPU37ZU.html The Odyssey club is at . www.odyclub.com/
Dan. Your video is very informative. I have a 2012 Accord with 65k miles and have replaced #1 cylinder plug twice due to oil fouling which I believe is caused by the eco mode engaging. I just started looking into this issue. The idea of adding an inline resistor is great but by doing so you are fooling the computer that the vehicle temp is much lower and never reaching the optimum temp for the best fuel mileage. If the computer thinks the engine is cold, it will dump more fuel into the cylinders. Think of your vehicle being in cold start mode all the time. All vehicles need a proper air-fuel ratio according to engine temp. I would like to know how to install the eco mode on-off switch found in the newer Hondas. Honda installed this switch on newer vehicles to keep their VCM system, and give the driver the option to engage it manually, and not admit culpability that the VCM system should only engage at highway speeds with cruise control engaged. Mr Heck accurately commented below on how the VCM system works and the reason for the oil fouling of the spark plugs. What do you think?
@@ELROACHES there a are a few things to consider. According to the research I studied, my year and older vans pulled engine temp data from other sensors and did not rely on the temp gauge sensor for that. Another consideration is that you are really just trimming the level of the temp sensor enough so it disables VCM but does not give you wildly bad readings. I would expect the actual temp sensors they use to measure for fuel mixture is closer to intake and heads but I could be wrong on that. At any rate. I have experienced slightly lower gas milage as you would expect by disabling VCM but have not experienced any other problems. I’m at 160+ on the van now. As for turning the system on for highway cruising? It’s my assumption that most of the damage caused to the engine would be from using VCM for long periods of time like on a highway trip. Have I experienced lower milage? Yes- but it’s worth it to avoid VCM related issues as I like to keep my vehicles for at-least 200k miles. At the end of the day for you, you’ll have to see if others with your year and model have had good results. It could be that it just doesn’t matter on a lighter vehicle that puts less load on the engine.
@@yourdiytechlife Thank you for your response and information. I will try to see if I can splice in an on/off Eco button like the most recent Hondas have and let you know. Thank you once again.
Thank you for sharing the great information. My wife’s 2012 @160k had started using oil and after an extended time in ECO mode would bellow a huge cloud of smoke when ECO would shut off and go back to V6. I ordered a pack of 82ohm resistors and wired 1 in just as you showed. Just took it for test drive and no more ECO!! $4 and 20min of time Thanks again
Great video and good comments below. I did this today on my wife’s 2012 Odyssey. I soldered in a 1/4w 102ohm resistor on the green wire on the same sensor shown in the video. Took it on a test drive and the VCM “Eco” mode didn’t engage. The temp gauge was only about 1/4” below normal operating temp. The car ran smooth and had good power (no surprise). With the 10 pack of resistors and the 4ft of heat shrink tubing I bought (no I only used a couple inches of it) I was a full $3.25 plus 45 min of time into this project
That’s a good question. 99% of the time I’ve been driving the temperature gauge never increases above the new normal max operating temperature because the air flow across the radiator keeps the coolant from overheating. A couple of times when the ambient air temperature outside was in the mid 90s and I was stuck in heavy traffic where there was little to no air flow across the radiator the temperature gauge increased to the old normal level and then the fan came on. The temp never went higher than that and in fact dropped back to the new normal within about a min of the fan running. In actuality the normal operating coolant temp is constant around 190 degrees. While sitting in heavy traffic not moving the fan will come on which means the new coolant temperature maybe closer to 220, but then it decreases back to about 190. The sensor is just fooled into thinking the temperature of the coolant is lower than it is.
I just installed an 82 ohm resistor in the green wire. The VCM is now disabled and my van feels brand new. There was a shifting problem 35-40 mph in the city all the time where it stuttered between gears all the time. I didn't know it was the VCM kicking in at those speeds. Highway speeds are good now too, it sometimes stuttered between 50-55 mph and it didn't decide which gear to stay in. Disabiling the VCM has made the van run so smooth now. Thanks for this video. This flawed system should've been disabled by a Honda recall a long time ago.
Yeah Honda at first denied the problem like they always do to protect their reputation for reliability and wallet from the lawyers hands even after the law suit and settlement they still didn’t admit guilt like they did with their early accord transmissions especially on the 6 gens great almost bulletproof 3.0 V6 engines much more reliable than the J35 series V6 engines I loved my 2000 EX V6 until it developed the notorious Honda transmission failure it sat in the yard for a year until I decided to do a rebuild using a $300 kit from eBay now she’s better than ever new paint job gears Cat delete cold air intake gas shocks chrome tips lighting I get more offers to sell it than ever before i just say no thanks I drive it more than my 2010 V6 coupe now
Good video. I just changed the plugs on my 2010 EX-L Odyssey 160k km (100k miles) as part of its B14 service. I found that cylinder three spark plug was blackened. Cylinders 1, 2, and 4 had some blackening. Cylinders 5, 6 were uniform light clean grey. That sent me digging for information, and I landed, of course, on VCM. No misfire codes, no problems of any kind with the van in its ten year life. Early in its life it was serviced exclusively at the dealer and has had any necessary ECU updated. I'm figuring out next steps now. I'm keeping the van until the end of its useful life, but it will be on greatly reduced service because my kids have mostly outgrown van rides and I have second car. Could be another decade more, who knows. I do my own service work and can do the cylinder ring swap if it comes to that. If I go the VCM muzzle route I've concluded that a plain resistor is likely the best, as you've done. I saw a solution with a microprocessor and my immediate reaction was "no way, too complex".
Sounds like you’ve had good service from yours. So far so good from ours as well. As for complexity, the whole computer rout IMO could cause more issues than it fixes so I always tend to gravitate towards the simple and that’s why I chose this method. Super cheap and simple AND easily reversible if required.
The cylinders are disabled by disabling their valves. This creates a vacuum inside the cylinder, sucking oil into the cylinder, and burning off the oil when the cylinder is reactivated. This is a major flaw with this method of cylinder disabling.
Also wears out motor mounts, also check your CV joints for 45-50mph vibrations... Yada yada etc etc lol. The system creates excessive vibration that was not originally intended so yeah, it ends up wearing out all kinds of stuff prematurely.
Great Info! I spent $130 for my device. I disabled VCM because this shudder will destroy the super expensive motor mounts. VCM shudder damages the spark plugs and the rest of the engine too. And to think I thought it was the transmission. It however reminded me to change the Trans fluid.
This mod tip is a godsend!! I’ve been struggling with this stupid Honda Vtech for over a year. Tried everything friends, family and i could think of. Figured what the heck, Might as well try this. I’m saved!! So simple; so easy. And it worked!!!! Can’t thank you enough! Btw, I used the 120ohm resister.
tintex57 glad this helped. It was all based on work that others did as listed in comments. It does make a big difference in the vehicle. I was surprised how much better the van drives now.
Thank you for the information. I have a 2012 Pilot and live in Florida. The VCM had become more noticeable over the past several months.... It mimicked the feeling of shifting into overdrive when at higher speeds. It would then struggle to maintain consistent power, so the cylinder management would constantly react to the conditions causing vibrations. When making turns in town, the VCM reacted more violently as though it got confused. I also noticed significant oil loss. I spliced in a 100ohm resistor a couple weeks ago and the VCM has stopped and has run much smoother. Temperature gage dropped a bit. Gas mileage seems to have dropped a little as well. That said, the engine light had come on and I connected a scanner. The code is "coolant temperature below thermostat regulating temperature". I cleared the code, but the engine light came back on a few days later. I suspect the resistance is too high so I'm considering reducing to 90ohms.
Replace the transmission mount and the shaking will disappear. Turning off the eco mode, my car began to eat twice as much gasoline. I drove only 10 miles out of 1 gallon.
are you having mechanical issues or electronics issues? I dont know if you have checked this site out but I have found this site to be very helpful for any issues. www.odyclub.com/forums/
Thank you for this. I just placed an order of VCMuzzler but I will return it. I will solder a 120 ohm resistor along the green wire as you've shown. I live in Bakersfield, CA where temperatures can get to 110 degrees F in the summer. I just flushed my coolant yesterday and poured in new coolant to make sure that my cooling system is in top shape. I will update my comment after installation.
So far so good. No problems at all. No more vibrations. MPG is the same, sometimes even better. No overheating. I check the coolant from time to time. Looks clean. No rusting issue or any issue at all. We did a road trip from San Diego to Fort Bragg along the Pacific Highway Coast (rolling terrain, zig zag), Lake Tahoe (going up in the mountains), mixed city and highway drivjng everyday.....no problems at all. Our Odyssey now has 207,000 miles. God is good.
This may make my issue worse. 95% of my vcm issues are early in my drives.... Especially the misfires. Ihavs6to power cycle the computer/turn off and back on the engine after it's about 135° to get it to stop. Doesn't matter how hot it gets, it must be turned off and back on after it's warm. If it thinks it's 15° colder it Will take longer to reach that threshold
I disabled mine on my 2019 Pilot. If you're feeling a difference when VCM is engaged it's probably already too late. Your engine mounts are probably worn. They are electronic and take up that vibration when the cylinders shut down. I used a VCM Tuner on mine. Having the VCM isn't worth the couple of miles you might gain. Honda isn't gonna change it either.
A different perspective: I watched this strategy as well as other ways to disable the VCM system. I elected NOT to do any of them to our 2007 Honda Odyssey which we bought new. The van now has 275,000 miles and runs as well as ever. I find the VCM system works very smoothly, I can’t even tell when it transitions back and forth, other than via the ECO light on the dash. So why does the VCM system have a bad reputation? I suspect it does make the engine more vulnerable to the negative affects of deferred maintenance, which is very common with these family haulers. I have been careful to service our van regularly; keeping clean synthetic oil of the recommended viscosity in the sump at all times. It still uses essentially none between changes. Actually, our van also still has the original transmission, starter and alternator so we have obviously been very happy with it. It doesn’t seem tired yet, so we will keep driving it.
Not all 2007's had VCM, My dads 2008 did not so no need to do this on his. its been running very well. so far Im at 180 with no issues accept the occasional squeal from the power steering pump at startup.
@@yourdiytechlife Yes, you’re right but ours has VCM. My understanding is that by 2007 they had modified the system to some extent so maybe the earlier versions were more problematic. I don’t blame or fault anyone for disabling it, that is just not what we did and our VCM engine remains durable and reliable for 16 years and counting.
Vcm = vtec, same tech. So what you get is oil burning etc. Because a bit of the oil is exposed to ignition, it degrades faster. There's talk online of gunk/siezed rings/varnish type stuff. Recommended maintenance from what I've seen on Honda forums is about 3k miles for an oil change, even with synthetic oil. Same things as with towing, a reduced maintenance interval. That's the effect vcm has on oil. So anyone who has been putting in new synthetic or even semi synthetic oil every 3k miles should be fine. I think the recommended interval from Honda, regular off the shelf synthetic is 4k miles for 5w-20. All the forums say 3k, that's when the oil builds up crud. I've also seen people use 5w-30 or 40, same diff. 5w-30 is factory spec in Germany apparently. You can read all about it on the forums, there's a vcm mega thread on one of the Odyssey forums.
Driving a 2006 Odyssey, 180k miles, and vcm works fine, forgot to mention that. I have the excessive vibration issue but other than that, everything is normal.
Oh and none of this applies to the EX model, in 2006 it was the EX-L and Touring models that came with vcm. Factory Leather seats = vcm. In 07 I think it was, they did the vcm version that can cut off cylinder 4, meaning the van is running on two cylinders. Those models put heavy load on cylinder 4 when cycling vcm on and off, it's one of the worst looking cylinders on engine teardown. Later models returned to optimized 3 cylinder operation with VCM-3.
Sounds like this has been an issue for years.I’m surprised Honda hasn’t resolved it yet.I’m skeptical about the origin and quality of these devices, and how they will affect the engine long term.
This has been an issue for years and Honda will never do away with systems like this because it’s government regulation that drives it. That does not mean that it’s good for the engine or consumers. Honda has made the calculation that few people will bump in to the problems early in the vehicles life so at the end of the day it does not hurt their reputation for quality to badly. However with consumers like myself that expect 200k miles or more from a Honda, you do have to consider how these technologies adversely affect the reliability and how you mitigate the well documented damage this system does in the long term. This is a very long chain that gives you insight in to the development of the product and how it works. www.piloteers.org/threads/vcm-disable-a-new-and-better-way.70873/
A friend with a 2013 Pilot recommended this so i looked into it. My 2006 Odyssey with 192k runs like new, no plug fouling, intact motor mounts, no oil use and gets up to 26 mpg. Therefore I've decided against this modification. Is there something about newer models that leads to the problems mentioned?
Yes, Many of the older models don't have vcm so this would not be an appropriate modification for them. My 2010 has it BUT my sisters 2008 does not so it wasn't needed for hers. The problem comes down to, when vcm is activated there are changes with how the engine works that over time will damage the engine. For details check out the vcm thread on the Honda forums.
Respected Don Dunham thanks for uploading the video, I just got 3.5 V6 honda accord 2013 (8th Gen ) this month from my uncle who lives overseas in Europe,The car is very less driven just 17k original.I was little curious about VCM technology which is very rare in India were diesel cars are more preferable with 4 cylinder. Car is running fine so far I went to honda service center to get it serviced, 1 NEW TRANSMISSION OIL. 2 SPARK PLUGS . 3 STEERING OIL. 4 NEW COOLANT . 5 BREAK FLUID. ETC ETC....... Just to make sure the car will stay healthy as it should be.but now from the internet I came to know about problems that VCM CAUSE TO ENGINE. PLEASE SUGGEST WHAT SHOULD I DO TO MY CAR TO KEEP GOING, TEMPERATURE IS PRETTY HIGH SUMMER 35-50 DEGREE CELSIUS. SHOULD I INSTALL 84 ohm condenser as well in this much hot weather in India???
Hello Sajiwan, for some reason I am not being notified of comments on this video so sorry for the very late response. 50 C is extremely hot! I don't think I would survive in that kind of heat :-). With that said installing the 84 ohm resistor should be sufficient unless your engine just runs hotter in that temperature. Keep in mind adding this 84 ohm resistor does not change how hot the engine runs, it simply fools the temperature gauge in to thinking that the engine is running cooler than it is so the computer wont allow VCM to run. So your temperature gauge will read about 10% lower than normal. With that said, it is possible that your engine might run hotter at those temperatures so if that is the case you might need to increase the resistors value to 90 ohms or 100 ohms, but I would start with 84 ohms if you can. so far the hottest I have run in is about 35 C and it has successfully kept the VCM from engaging.
Dan, are you familiar with the S-VCM-controller? It's a newer more advanced version of the muzzler from what I understand. It reverts to the accurate engine temperature if there is any kind of cooling problem. From what I've heard it works well.
Yes I was wondering the same thing. I want to do the 84ohms resistor. But saw this svcm. It has a lead that goes to the car battery. As a electronic hobbiest/diy’er. I am very curious how they are adjusting the resistant value with a active circuit.
I had a 2007 and I currently have a 2015 Odyssey with VCM. I did not deactivate my 2007 and I traded it in for the 2015. The 2015 I installed the VCM Tuner 2. I doubt if I will buy another car since I am 78. But, if I do I would not buy one with a timing belt and one with VCM.
Yeah, at least with VCM you can disable it but the timing belt thing is a real hassle. I don’t like them. Sure you had to service chains as well but the seem to be a better way to go. I have a CTS with a chain and have had no issues at all.
GOT THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE AN 2005 ODYSSEY . I NOTICED MOST FOLKS , DO THIS BYPASS ,AND THE TEMP GOES DOWN , AND GAS MILEAGE DROPS A BIT I DID THT WITH AN OLD CAR I HAD A I PUT A LOWER THERMOSTAT TEMP. AND BOY THAT CAR USE TO CONSUME , GAS I READ IT WAS BECAUSE THE TEMP NEED IT , TO BURN GAS PROPERLY WAS BETWEN 160 T0 180 DEGREES ... NOW GOING BACK TO WHAT YOUVE RECOMMENDED .. IF I PUT AN 84 OHM OR HIGHER ON MY HONDA ODYSSEY , WOULNDT I GET A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT >
Hey Carlos, you will find that this sensore seems to do little more than simply run the temperature gauge. If you take a look at the thred I have highlighted you will find that there are several products you can purchase based on the research talked over in the thread below. this is just the cheap way to do the same thing and it's worked very well for me and others but you will need to read the thread below for all the details. www.odyclub.com/threads/vcm-a-better-way-to-disable.234113/
@@yourdiytechlife thanks dan, i finally got the resistor today i only found a 100 ohms ill be instaling it ones.i pass smog . i hope it works if you say it did for you so ill try it thanks so much for replying blessings
@@carlosesquivel1314 yes correct. it's a simple way to do it and there is no external plug so if there is some sort of inspection they will not see anything out of the ordinary.
Per my instructions from my recently purchased verbatim muzzler to from Canada the original ... A vehicle should be sitting for at least 6 hours before you install to not get the code
I am going to do it your way but… how did you determine you needed 84 ohms when all the kits give you 82 ohms? What year is the vehicle in the pictures? I have a 2006 odyssey and all the kits (really sneakily) say 2007 or newer…due to different shaped ECT connectors- which is why I’d rather do it your way. Is there any reason why different years would need higher or lower ohm resistors? How come you are the only person who seems to have done the vcm disable in a way that actually makes sense? I saw the vcm tuner 2 was $79, maybe because it has an adjustable resistor- ridiculous! Sorry for all the questions- I guess my main question is 82 or 84 ohms???
It’s not an exact science. 82 ohms is within the error margin of 84 ohms and should work just fine. Some vehicles might require slightly higher or lower and it also depends on how warm your climate is so you might have to play with it a little bit 84 ohms works for me. I’ve had several folks say they used up to and over 100 homes in hot climates.
You said it was the easiest fix you've ever done, but I have trouble changing my wiper blades. This looks above my level of expertise. Is there another source for more info on how to fix this? My van is burning through oil.
Yes, there is a great option from the person that originally came up with this system. My video is for the person that wants to do it on the cheap making the assumption that person is also comfortable with cutting in to their vehicles wiring harnesses. You can go with the VCMuzzler and he sells them on eBay. There are copies but I would recommend this one. www.ebay.com/itm/172807770690?hash=item283c255242:g:8pkAAOSwVgtgRTox Keep in mind that this can solve your oil burn problem but there are many other things that could cause it to burn oil so please be aware this is not a guaranteed fix for you issue.
I installed an 84 ohm, 1/4 W resistor in early May and it worked fine for a few days, As the outside temp goes up the econ system kicks in. I changed it to 93 ohm, then 100 ohm, and currently at 110 ohms. I live in Chicago and the temp has only reached 90F. What I notice is that it helps to turn on your AC so the coolant fans turn on and help keep the temperature down. I don't know if I should install a 120 ohm resistor and call it a day. What do you think? The other option is to wire up the coolant fans with an extra rocker switch on the dash and turn them on even if the AC is not requested. In this way, you know your car won't overheat without you knowing.
So let me make sure I understand, it sounds like you are seeing your temperature increase on the temperature gauge but if you turn the AC on, the temperature lowers. If that’s the case, then it sounds like you may have a problem with your cooling system. On my van I never see any temperature increase. The temperature gauge stays In operational zone after warming up and does not fluctuate. I’ve driven in 90+ degrees with no issues. I have had some folks mention that they live in constantly hot climates so in their case they did raise the value of the resistor as the ran higher temps most of the time. Do you see large swings In the indicated temperature?
I tried to follow your system but was only able to find one 82 and another one 03 which came to 85 ohm plug it in and the VSC & check light came on along with P0008 still do not know what went wrong?
Hey John. The first thing you need to make sure of is that you can’t put the resistor in parallel with the sensor. It must be in series with it. A simple way to make sure it’s in series is to only cut one of the leads going to the sensor and insert the resistor between that cut in the wire. Hope that helps.
The only reason I used multiple resistors is that I did not have an 84 ohm resistor. Don’t be too worried about exactly 84 ohms. Anything in the 80 to 90 ohm range should be ok. I know others that have used resistors well in to 100 ohms without issue. Resistors are super simple. If you put them in series as in end to end they add together so if you have a 40 ohm and 40 ohm in series you will have 80 ohms. When in parallel to each other they will lower the resistance. I would just find one that is close and use it. This color code guide will tell you the value of any resistor. resistorcolorcodecalc.com/ Also keep in mind that you want 84 ohms and NOT 84 K ohms or 84 M ohms. Just 84 ohms.
Hi Dan, I've had a VCMuzzler on our 2010 Odyssey Touring which uses an 80 Ohm resister, and the eco light has only come on a time or two in summer stop and go traffic in the last three years, so I was wondering how you decided on 84 ohms. I recently bought an un-muzzled 2011 odyssey Touring Elite and am thinking of wiring a resister in the 2010's sensor circuit as you did and moving the VCMuzzler to the 2011 to see how it works there. I just happen to have a collection of single resisters measuring from 79.2 ohms to 86.6 ohms with values of 80.5, 84.2, and 84.3 in between. Some are .220" diameter and some are .315" diameter which I assume are indications of their wattage. The larger ones are the 79.2 and 86.6 ohm ones. Would any one of these likely work OK? And if there is a preference which one would you use?
No real science involved. As long as you have 80ohms or greater it should keep the computer fooled in to thinking you are not up to temp. I used 84ohms because it’s what I had and it’s within 5% of 80ohms so it’s within tolerances for your typical resistor. It’s worked well so far, I had echo engage only one time in the heat of the summer and it never did it again.
@@yourdiytechlife OK, thanks. I thought about wiring a switch in parallel with the resistor in case I ever needed to go back to stock, but I can't think of a reason I'd want to do that so I probably won't. Thanks for the video showing how easy it is and saving me $100.
@@yourdiytechlife I decided to make a Poor Man's VCMuzzler using a round fuse holder and a 2 watt 84 ohm resistor I had on hand. The 2 watt resistor fits into the fuse holder, so I made little curlicue ends on resistor leads making it the same length between the ends as a fuse and put it in a fuse holder and checked the resistance; I had to sand the surfaces of the curlicue ends to get back to 84.2 ohms across the wires of the fuse holder. If I wire the fuse holder in series in one of the temp sensor wires, I could go back to ECO mode by simply putting a fuse in the holder in lieu of the resistor. That is if I ever needed ECO mode or sold the Odyssey to someone foolish enough to want it..
I have a 2009 Honda Odessy with the VCM, There are several companies out there that sell kits calling them different names, Where did you get the 3.3 variable resitor? your video show three to make up the 84 ohm?
Hello Jaime. No. The engine temp is controlled by the thermostat in the cooling system. You must be aware that the reading on you temperature gauge will read lower but that will now be the new normal reading and if it goes above that new normal than you will know you have a problem. When using an 84 ohm resistor I have never had any issue with proper operation of the engine or cooling system.
Thanks dude, u the man! I have honda pilot 2007, I used resistor 82 ohm (0.5 w) coz hard to find 84 but it worked perfect and omitted the vcm. Question,,, does this effect the cooling system? I mean delay the time to trigger the fan? Also, I noticed the temp gauge went down bit, is that ok? Thanks.
It does not affect the cooling in any way OTHER than the temp gauge will read slightly lower than normal. Otherwise all the other cooling system functions run off different sensors and systems.
Great video! Used 82ohm in April 2021 and has been working perfect. Check engine light came on today, my mechanic diagnostic reading showed low temp sensor. Could mean just I need a new thermostat, that its hanging open? Or maybe the resistor has fallen out of proper range somehow? Thanks again for any feedback
I think the first thing I’d do is go to an autozone and see if there are any other codes buried under the low temp sensor code. I have not experienced a low temp sensors code but I did have the rear bank oil sensors fail and trip an engine light and it runs in my mind it also had a low temp sensor indicator along with the oil sensors code but it’s been a while since fixing that issue. It’s also possible for the actual temp sensor to fail but if your temp gauge reading has been steady then I would. Not suspect that.
This is a great video! I’m dealing with this now on my 2011 odyssey. I bought a 200 ohm potentiometer that I plan to install and set it to 120 ohms and adjust as needed. My question is on the wires. You said it was fine to splice into either one? Also, how do I find out the gauge wire that I should use?
There was a guy on the Honda Odyssey forum that did exactly that. I don’t remember where his post is but if I find it I will add it to comments. Since you are simply adding this resistance in series with the sensor it does not matter what side of the sensor wire you splice in to, it’s just added resistance. As for the gauge of wire to use, just about anything will do as there is very low current running through the cable. I would be more concerned about using cable that has a good jacket that can withstand the heat of the engine compartment as well as being multi stranded so it does not easily break when flexed.
@@yourdiytechlife Thank you so much! I installed it and so far VCM is muted and having all 6 cylinders running all the time is great. We just did a major maintenance and this sealed the deal. If it continues to do fine at 120ohms I may swap it out with a resistor and tuck back into the original tubing.
@@PrimoTradingCompany fantastic 👍. I don’t know if you have auto inspections where you are but I have heard that some inspection sites won’t pass it if they see it. Not sure what state that’s in so it might be very different for you. I don’t have inspections but I decided to keep it hidden just in case 😉
hey dan thanks for the video saved me money. i put a 82ohm 1/2w and 3 - 3ohms 1/4 watts resistors works fine but wen i drive for a while the light comes back i gess wen the day gets warmer it throws the light should i add another 3ohms or should i get all the same watts. would mixing the resistors be the problem. i live in new england.
If it’s coming back on then bump it up another 10 ohms. As for the wattage on the resistors you are fine. I used a 1/4 watt with no issue as I recall. The current through this circuit is very low so heat is not an issue.
Did you cut the wire and solder it in line with the wire? That’s the only way this will work so make sure it’s in series and not grounding out or something like that. 100 ohms should be fine especially if you’re in a hot climat. Send me a pic of the resistor and I can see if there are any visible issues. Also. Make sure it’s 100 ohms and not something like 10 or 1. Ohms.
Hi! Thank you for your video. I've spliced rhe geen wire and installed 1 watt 100ohm but it's still eco comes on. I've tried 84 ohms no result. Why is it not going off?
Make sure the resistor is in series with the sensor and not parallel. Also, you should see a slight change in the temperature gauge to show slightly lower temperature. If you don’t see a change in the gauge there’s something wrong with how it’s installed.
I have Honda Odyssey 2006 and on 100 ohm resistor Vcm was coming on; I install 120 ohm, now is not coming. I live in Vancouver, BC, not very hot here and now is spring. The temperature at which the cooling fan is coming ON is influence by this resistor or we have another temperature sensor? Thanks.
It should work ok but there is a chance that in warm weather it will reactivate. Give it a shot and see how it does. Worst case you will just need to add a resistor or replace it with a higher value.
Thanks for a great video. Did the modification create a check engine code? Does it cause the engine to run hotter than it should since it doesn't know if it's overheating?
First let me Thank you for the video is great. I have a question and I wold like your opinion I have a resistor of 82 omh 1/⁴ w and a 100 omh 1/2 w. Wich should I put on my car since I did not get one 84 omh 1/4 w? Thanks
I would run with the 82 ohm. thats well within the tolerance of +/_ 5%. so far my 84 Ohm resistor is doing well even on the hottest day so far it kept the VCM from coming on. The only thing that might happen is that VCM activates on hot days so if that happens just get yourself another resistor that's 5 to 10 ohms and place it in series.
When you add that many resistors, does your temperature gauge get effected. Does it move up to (h) or move lower to (c)??? Another ? Does it effect the map sensor, or gas mileage? Lmk thanks in advance
@@theredlatino4930 from what I've researched about disabling the vcm, the temp will read lower than it is and fuel economy is basically the same maybe a 1 or 2 mpg decrease, I absolutely could be wrong but that's what I've come across
Thank mr.Dan Dunham for your video! I want to kill my VCM too but i still afraid about the overheat problem when we fool the computer (the VCM muzzle prevent that too like Eastman Research mention below), with this diy method, do you think it still be safe too sir? I hauling and loading a lot so i just wonder!
Hello Thanh Loi. when using the 84 ohm resistor your temperature gauge will read about 10% lower than normal. It still works but just registers lower. Keep in mind this is simply fooling the temperature gauge and computer and is not actually changing the temperature the engine runs at. with VCM off you should see much better performance when changing speeds from slow to fast and from a stand still most times.
Hey Dan...I have a 2006 Honda odyssey ex-l. I used a single 100-Ohm, 1/4-Watt 5% tolerance resistor. The resistor came in a 10 pack from Radio Shack (yup...found one). Keep getting code P0118. Tried 3 different resistors. All throwing code P0118. I tried clearing the code and running the van to see if VCM would engage. As soon as it hit the 167 degree mark, it engaged. So...I tried using 2, 47-Ohm 1/2-Watt 5% tolerance resistors in series. Same issue. Thrown code P0118. I reverted back to no resistors, soldered and heat shrink wrapped the wires. No codes being thrown. I am at a loss and hope you can give me advice. Thank you for your video and the hundreds of thousands of dollars that you helped people save!
Hey Leahcim, I have had one or two people mention the same problem and in each case they had used a resistor they thought was close to the correct resistance but after actually measuring the resistor found them to be way off the correct value. The first thing I would double check is the resistor code value to make sure it’s the correct value. This is a link to an online calculator I use to double check things. resistorcolorcodecalc.com/
@@yourdiytechlife Thats what is throwing me off. I bought these ten packs from radio shack and even tested them my self with my multi meter. They are indeed the correct value. The color code for both type of resistor is correct....100 ohm 1/4 watt (brown, black, brown, gold) 47 ohm 1/5 watt (yellow, violet, black, gold) Perhaps it is the sensor itself that is bad? I do not know. Before I bought these from radio shack, i used what I thought was a 91 ohm 1/4 watt, but discovered it was a 91k. With the 91k the codes thrown were P0113 and P0118. The 100 ohm and 2-47 ohm in series only threw the P0118. As I mentioned I tried clearing the codes and driving with both types. Once temperature reached the 167 mark, vcm engage. Back to square one and factory connection. "Anything: that you can come up with would surely help me to figure this issue out. Thank you for your time.
Really hoping you can come up with something. At least somewhere to start. Will probably start off with new sensor, but not sure how if that will truly solve this issue.
@@RustoGusto I’m not sure on this one. I think the first thing and cheapest thing would be to try some lower values and observe what happens. Also. I am assuming yours has VCM but some models in that date range did not, for example my dads 98 LX did not have VCM so we did not do it to his. I have heard of some folks that use a pot and vary the resistance based on the temperature but this seems to be something that people in very hot regions have done.
@@yourdiytechlife I am located in the south central region of Pennsylvania, so our weather is average you could say. Yes , my 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL has VCM. So instead of the 10ohm increments, go lower? Do you think a bad sensor could be throwing it off. The more research I do seems to be pointing towards the actual wires be cut. Although I've made a clean solder connection and heat-shrink wrapped the connection, could it be that sensitive to create P0118 code? If you think that lowering the ohms could could have some positive effect I will try it. But in lowering the ohms, would that fool the computer into thinking that the temperature is hotter than actuality? Or will it read normal and still trigger VCM at 167 degrees? This is defiantly most confusing...lol. However I will proceed with lowering the ohms by 5 at a time. Another question...would changing the wattage have any effect...as in...going to 1 Watt vs 1/2 or 1/4 Watt. What about Tolerance? Currently I am using 5 % Tolerance. I could always buy a S-VCM Muzzler for $135.00, or a cheaper model for $35.00...but seeing that the DIY method is exactly the same process, it leads me to believe that I will run into the same problem of P0118 being thrown. With that being said, there is a certain satisfaction in achieving results by accomplishing something that you have done yourself. So now I am on a mission to figure out what the hell is going on...lol. I used a 100 Ohm, 1/4 Watt, 5% Tolerance resistor on my fathers 2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, and it was successful in disabling the VCM, so I know this method works first hand. Not only does our conversation help to eliminate what could be going on with my 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL, but these posts will help others to identify like-wise issues and hopefully guide them to success if confronted with the same issue. Thank you for your time and patients, your advice is greatly appreciated.
Hello, i just did this to my 2008 honda Odyssey ex and my eco light is still popping on . I’m using a 120 ohm Resistor 1/2w (0.5Watt) ±1% Tolerance Metal Film Fixed Resistor. Am I using the wrong one ?
I would expect 120 Ohm to keep it off but if you want to try another value the value I used was 84 Ohm. Have you actually measured the resistor to see if its really 120 Ohm? it could be out of tolerance, also make sure you read the color code properly, its easy to misread those if you don't do it often. I know I have ;-) The other possibility is that the sensor itself could be out of spec causing it to register ok for VCM even when you have the 120 Ohm resistor in line. The next thing to look at is, what is the temp gauge reading when warm, it should be close to center or just a bit low.
Hi Dan. Love your mode of operation. If it is broken, then try to fix it. My 2005 Odyssey is the best vehicle that I have ever owned - my first in 1961, a 1951 Hillman four door salon. The VCM has been a motor mount problem. This fix looks great but I live in Western Canada - read cold winters. Does the temperate sensor affect any other device, like the fuel mixture etc?
Hi Lance. So far the coldest I’ve used the van in has been -15 F and had no issues. With that said it seems that this sensor does not affect anything other than the temp gauge. Honda uses other sensors to set critical systems for engine tuning.
@@yourdiytechlife You must have been that kid that if wer'nt broke then you took it apart to find out why. Keep up the your contribution to the fix'n not chuck'n quiet movement. Thanks.
There are two temp sensors and even with this one disconnected everything still works. Vcm is one of the only things it's used for. The method has no side effects. I've done extensive research on Odyssey specific forums. This is an ongoing issue that won't be fixed because Honda gets credits for fuel efficiency. They know the issue and will continue to deactivate cylinders because it's not a problem until 100k miles. People have been using this method for over a decade, if there were negative effects we'd know about it by now. Tl;dr- disable vcm and be done with it.
In curious as to why simply unplugging the sensor would not disable it? Why is it necessary to run extra resistance in series? Will this cause a check engine light to come on? Or will it affect performance if you just unplug it to test the effectiveness of disabling the VCM?
You retain the use of the temp gauge by using the resistor. You still get a reading even if it reads a bit low. In addition the system might throw a code if it’s completely disconnected.
There are many people that don’t want to cut wires and solder things like wires and resistors but there are plenty of people that are willing to pay $90 for something they can just plug in easily.
Hi Ojuope , since it’s hot in your area you could use a resistor In The 100 ohm range. It doesn’t need to be exactly 100 ohms. The hottest day I’ve used the van hear is 100 F. And the 84 ohm resistor seemed to work ok but I think it gets hotter there regularly. If 100 ohms does not work it’s ok to try other resistance values.
What if there is a legit overheating issue, is there another sensor to tell you if your engine overheats. I understand we are faking out the computer in this process and lowering the temp gauge display, but are we also putting ourselves at risk if we actually overheat. Asking because i pull a camper, and at 80,000 miles i am now having shuddering problems from VCM. I have changed transmission oil several times
The VCMTUNER II will remove the vcm override if the vehicle overheats above 212F and is completely safe in that scenario and your temp gauge will work normally.
Check to see if the tranny solenoids are external (many times they are on Hondas) One of them could solve your shuddering issue. I am with you on questioning doing this. I mean Honda engineers designed the engines to work with vcm on so I trust them. After all, Honda makes the best engines in the world. I know in my 2010 Honda Accord V6 coupe, the stereo system is better quality to offset the sound. Stock subwoofer, I bet the 2010 Odessy has a good system as well to drown out any vcm noise.
OK I ATTEMPTED THIS ON MY 05. I thought it was all good but it didnt seem to work. i noticed my temp gauge isnt working at all. DOES THAT MEAN My connections are weak?
It could be bad connections or the sensor is bad. I would suspect a bad connection. If it worked and now it does not work then there is a bad connection or the resistor is not installed properly.
Hi Dan. I'm blessed that I found this video. Thank you from bottom of my heart. I have a problem with codes po351,po352 which is not detecting ignition coils on piston 1 and 2. Changed ignitions, sparks as well, fuel injectors and nothn. All same. Rear 3 cylindera does work at all. Just front 3. Please, questions. I believe is some issue with vcm, its good to turn it off anyway. Is there anything else you would recommend me to check? Which resistor is the best to use for vcm off? Victoria, Australia. Temperature is from -5 to +55.(worse case scenario) Thank you
On mine, the front 3 cylinders are misfiring. Everything i could think of and changed did not work. Ran multiple tests and nothing. Honda currently has my pilot for over 4 days and they can’t seem to figure the issue out either. I was thinking my vcm is faulty and started to research it and i just purchased the vcmtuner. Hopefully this fixes my problem.
Is this sensor specifically used for the vcm wouldn’t telling the main computer that the temp is too low affect how the fuel system works closed loop or open loop?
Hi Alex, you should be good with that but keep in mind I have not tested or read anything about that model of Honda. You might do a bit of research on the Accord forums to see if people are doing that or have tried it.
Hello, in 2007 not all models had VCM. It’s possible your model does not. Before making any changes double check that you even have VCM. For example my fathers 2008 did not have VCM but my 2010 does.
I originally replaced the valve cover gasket and after a week the codes came on so I switched the oil pressure switches and then about two days later the lght came back on for p0304 cylinder 4 misfire now I have both p3497 and p0304
Well it’s possible it will keep the code from popping up. As that code indicates a problem with the VCM system activating. But it won’t fix the problem itself. This is a good article that might help. www.obd-codes.com/p3497 The second code indicates a misfire problem and that could be plugs, cables, coils and so on so I don’t know that it would help for that. It’s worth a shot if you feel like you can install the resistor properly. Worst case you just take the resistor out and reconnect the wire.
I assume Honda would reject it if they found after market mods of any sort on the vehicle. If your under warranty you’ll want to construct it so you can easily remove the resistor. Or bypass it.
None that i am aware of or have experienced. These devices are well proven to enhance the longevity of the engine in several ways due to less wear due to not switching cylinders on and off.
Did Honda fix some of the issues for VCM in the 2016 Odyssey SE? I just purchased it at about 100k miles and I don't detect any of the issues you mention here in the video. It transitions in and out of ECO smoothly and I don't hear any "drone" in the cabin or feel a rougher ride. I am going to get the spark plugs changed in a few days and hope to have them saved for review. I am curious if the rear cylinder plugs have more fouling.
You’ll want to post up on the Honda forum and get some input on that but I’m fairly sure they had an “upgraded” version in 1016. I haven’t looked in to doing this on anything other than my 2010.
Get the Vcm tuner 2 . Have a 17 se also. Put mine on at 70000 miles before anything bad had happened. Do it asap. Don’t worry about the mpg. Mine stayed the same or up just a little.
Hello! I just bought a 2016 Honda Odyssey exl and want to take out that vcm with a vcmmuzzler II. If living in high temp Florida, what ohm resister should I use? I’m a 73 yr old woman but I see that it is plug and play?😌
What seems to work best is the 84 ohm value but it won’t hurt to try it. I’ve heard of several that have and seem to have good results. You can always replace it later if it does not work well for your van.
I like the way you think with the shrink wrap and not using mechanical I am currently researching this for my 2011 pilot. But do you know if it hurts fuel trims or timing?
It does not affect fuel trim or timing. It will cause the temperature gauge to read slightly low. I found the engine felt much better after disabling VCM.
@@dannypalmer7701 no. It has to be 100% warmed up for eco mode to work. It’s showing warm enough that it goes to regular trims but not enough for eco to work.
You will know just like before but you must be aware that the meter will read slightly lower at all times including if you have an overheating situation so the meter will still read very high with overheating.
you should not see any check engine light. check your work and see if you might have dislodged something else while doing this. I know there are folks that have used higher resistance without issue other than their temp gouge read lower. all this addition does is fool the temp sensor that the engine temp is lower than operating temp by adding resistance to the circuit.
@@yourdiytechlife I'm dumb I grabbed a 22megaohm it was in my pile of 100 ohm resistors. Lol oops. She has to drive it like that today I'll fix it after work.
I would do research on that. I didn’t look in to later models and how they are affected by these changes. All I can say is my model runs better with it disabled.
I would expect Honda to immediately claim that it caused whatever issue you brought the car in for so if you are under warranty either don’t do it, do it in such a way that they won’t see it or be prepared to defend your modifications if they notice it. As for other issues. I have not experienced any and have not heard of others that have with similar modifications.
P0118 is a coolant sensor code. As I recall I had another person have the same code pop up after install and it turned out he read the resistor code wrong and installed a very high value resistor rather than the 84 ohms thus triggering the code.
@@yourdiytechlifeHi, i just got the Vcm Muzzler and installed it while the engine was Cold. I installed the 82ohm Resistor and the Cel/Vsa lights pop on. Code P0118. I changed to a 68ohm Resistor and the lights came back and the Temperature gauge went all the way hot. I immediately turned off the van and plugged the original sensor and no issues. Should i install a higher ohm resistor? Im in Miami Florida where is always Hot weather. Thanks in advance.
@@joetorres4129 something is not right. That code is for a high voltage condition for the cooling system sensor and it’s registering as hot you might want to double check and see how things are wired in.
@@darenthomas7736 the wattage will not make any difference. I used an 84 ohm resistor and have not seen any lights come on. I would not expect to see any check engine at all. Is it possible you accidentally disturbed something else.
@@yourdiytechlife I’m honestly not sure. For now, I removed the resistor and everything is back to where I started. I’ve read in the comments where people used all different size resistors so I’m not exactly sure.
It will use slightly more fuel but not because it thinks its colder. It uses slightly more because VCM is disabled so depending on how you drive you may or may not notice much difference. for example if you do lots of highway driving you might see 1-2 mpg lower but if you do lots of short runs and in town driving you most likely wont see much difference as the VCM will not be on for long periods of time.
Some people that disabled the VCM have said their highway mpg went up 1 or 2. Mainly because the engine doesn't work as hard with 6 cylinders vs 3 or 4 to maintain speed.
In modern engines, fuel mapping is calculated using many different inputs. Mass air flow(MAF), Throttle position(TPS), O2 sensor, Engine coolant temperature sensor(ECT), just to name a few. Yes, in theory, if the engine control unit is seeing a lower coolant temp. Fuel mapping is usually richer to compensate for (cold) denser air. Will fuel economy suffer? Not necessarily, because depending on how Honda’s fuel mapping is compared to an added resistor, it may be a few percent richer. In any case, even if it is richer, fuel trim will compensate to around 5-10% of rich and lean before a fault occurs. A functioning O2 sensor will keep the mixtures in a happy place. Though, if engine temp is not at operating temperature, some engine readiness monitors may not set. Usually catalytic converter(CAT) monitor may not set. Which, could be an issue when it’s smog time. Disabling the VCM has many benefits compared to leaving the system running and burning oil.
I have not tried that so I don’t know what the result will be. But I do know that your temp gauge will not work and it’s possible the computer will see it as an open sensor and cause the check engine light to come on. There could be other unknown side affects as well but you could try it and see what happens.
Resistors are dirt cheap so you’ll get a bunch of them but these 82 ohm 1/2 watt resistors will do the trick. That will be plenty close enough for this to work. EDGELEC 100pcs 82 ohm Resistor 1/2w (0.5Watt) ±1% Tolerance Metal Film Fixed Resistor, Multiple Values of Resistance Optional www.amazon.com/dp/B07QH5QXNT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YMRZ799NTWPHW83AGETW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It wouldn’t surprise me if it worked but I would definitely check in with the ridgeline forum to see if others have disabled their vcm with this method.
No, I have heard of people using up to 100 ohms without any problems. In hot climates some people use higher resistance to make sure vcm does not activate but in Indiana I have never needed to go higher than 84 ohms.
Yes I am, I’m at 170k and haven’t had an issue to date. 82 ohm is fine. Worst case will be that when it’s hot outside and the engine is heat soaked the VCM might activate and then you’ll know you need to add just a bit more resistance but I don’t expect you’ll have any issues. 2 ohms is well within the error rate for most resistors
@@yourdiytechlife Thanks a lot for your response. I have watched this video 3 or 4 times it looks very easy to do. I just ordered 82 ohm 1/4 watt and 2 ohm 1/4 watt resistors. I have never messed with resistors but after watching this video it has helped. I should be able to put the 82 and 2 together to git 84. If I understand this.
@@yourbugtokillagain yes, it’s really not hard to do, just connect the two resistors end to end (in series) carefully snip on of the wires going to the sensor and solder the two ends of the resistors to the two ends of the wires. I recommend soldering these but you can most likely get away with using crimp connectors. Make sure to insulate and stabilize the resistors so engine vibration does not put stress on the resistors and put it all back in to the factory wire loom. Then test
it should work but I have had some responses that the high resistance values occasionally throw a code so try it and if it throws a code you can back it down a bit.
@@daryncalton8765 that circuit should max out at about 51mW so a 1/8 watt resistor can easily handle the load. unless there is a problem with the circuit you'll be fine.
I actually never even looked them up as I just soldered them in line. With that said there are some good links in the description of the video that might have information on the Honda plug that is used on that sensor. I am sure it’s a fairly common connection.
I just did mine with heat shrink and some 91 ohm resistors from Amazon www.amazon.com/dp/B08T7D3SYS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_2TMG93Q3Q72F6WBNJVFA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 I love driving a car now I only have 45,000 miles is a 2011 Honda Odyssey I noticed the temperature is between 161 and 165 which is perfect
Mr. Dan Dunham, I want to use it on my 2005 Honda Odyssey but am in Canada. Will this have any issues in winter? Will the engine try to get hot when it notices lower temperature?
Hi Leo. This sensor will not affect the actual temperature the engine runs at. The engine thermostat is a fixed temp and is not changed at any point. When This sensor is modified it drives the temp gauge to show a slightly lower temp thus disabling the VCM from engaging. I’ve used this since I published this video and have been glad I did. The engine is more responsive and it gets rid of the annoying droning sound when VCM is engaged.
I can also get a single 92 ohm 1/4w or two 43 ohms. Will it make sense to have a higher ohm due to Canada winter to that is not relevant as its just the coolant temperature? Some forums say the old Odysseys start the VCM at lower temperatures than the new ones - don't know for sure, any idea?
Leo Scire you can use three 30 ohm resistors in series for 90 ohms total and that would be fine. Make sure they are 30 ohms and not 30K ohm. The first three color strips will be orange black black. Or a 90 OHM would be white black black
Leo Scire if you can do a 92 ohm that would be just fine. The higher the value the resistor, the lower the temp gauge will read so increasing the value will simply ensure the computer will think the engine is cooler in very hot weather.
@@sonny323 check out this thread. www.odyclub.com/threads/the-vcm-megathread-what-is-vcm-does-my-vehicle-have-it-whats-so-bad-about-it-and-more.364470/page-2#post-2438517
