[wbm]

Overall, at this point I can't see much logic in disabling VCM because you are worried about engine damage. The evidence just isn't there.

For the past couple of days I have done a ton of research on post 2013 Honda J35Y engines. Not only is the evidence not there, that particular engine series, within it's application class, is ranked among the top three most likely to achieve 200K!

 

[securityguy]

Sure. What about the potential damage from "lying" to the computer about the ECT temperature. It obviously seems to have effects beyond the disabling of VCM. Is 5 years long enough to evaluate that?

Overall, at this point I can't see much logic in disabling VCM because you are worried about engine damage. The evidence just isn't there. However if you are actually experiencing unpleasantries that are resolved with disabling VCM, I can see the appeal. However the OP is stating the opposite, that disabling VCM is having negative impacts.

I feel compelled too chime in...I don't think that most folks are saying anything about VCM disabling causing engine damage. What they are saying is that disabling VCM makes the ride more enjoyable by reducing/eliminating 3-cylinder vibration and having a positive impact on down shifting. There are a TON of devices on the market that "lie" to the computer that do no harm. I seriously doubt that disabling VCM through a device that makes the computer think coolant temp is about 165 degrees versus 180-200 will have any impact at all on anything in this vehicle. I don't hear a bunch of folks on here saying that disabling VCM caused this or that. I disabled my VCM the day I bought the RL after driving it home. I have no issues and love driving my truck. To blame anything on a device that simply alters the coolant temp reading by the ECU is just plain silly to me. Just my 2 cents

 

[wbm]

LOL. Well guess silly is as silly does. I could not see deactivating the VCM on my still under warranty 2019 Ridgeline to solve a problem I don't have. I rather think it is quite unsilly to keep my warranty effective.

 

[securityguy]

LOL. Well guess silly is as silly does. I could not see deactivating the VCM on my still under warranty 2019 Ridgeline to solve a problem I don't have. I rather think it is quite unsilly to keep my warranty effective.

You are totally missing the point of the conversation. The discussion is totally not about warranty or not...it is about whether the device has, or can have, a negative impact on the truck.

 

[stevem5215]

The SVCM does a little trick every once in a while that during idle checks for overheating. It's an interesting way of fooling the system but allowing it to work I think. I used Car Scanner and the data logging to get these graphs.

 

[wbm]

You are totally missing the point of the conversation. The discussion is totally not about warranty or not...it is about whether the device has, or can have, a negative impact on the truck.

Not really. The point of the conversation is disabling VCM. if you disable the VCM you will risk voiding your warranty for a problem that no good evidence shows exists. That is really silly to me.
Just sayin!

 

[birchman17]

Not really. The point of the conversation is disabling VCM. if you disable the VCM you will risk voiding your warranty for a problem that no good evidence shows exists. That is really silly to me.
Just sayin!

It's like anyone would be silly enough to leave a defeat device installed when taking the truck in for warranty work.

Dishonest? Yes. Do I still think +90% of people would still do this? Yes. Seems easier to justify something like this to oneself when you're stickin' it to the man.

I guess it's fortunate that there seems to be little, or zero, evidence that the vcm system, nor a defeat device, damages anything. Maybe that is why this debate rages on?

I wonder if you had a defeat device and took the truck to a dealer for routine maintenance, would they make note of said defeat device? If you came back a year later with engine trouble (and no longer any defeat device), would they know that you had one previously? If so, would all dealers know, or just that one? Asking for a friend......

 

[millerbl0]

I am not advocating for I am not advocating for VCM to be disabled or not just saying I think this VCM is tied into more sensors than we know

 

[millerbl0]

I may leave VVCM disabled when towing and leave it alone otherwise had decided still testing

 

[birchman17]

I am not advocating for I am not advocating for VCM to be disabled or not just saying I think this VCM is tied into more sensors than we know

Yeah, it would be nice to know what all is going on. I'm kind of surprised no one seems to have this information.

I was out of warranty when I purchased a device. I wasn't necessarily avoiding the device because of the warranty, but it was a factor. I mostly avoided it because of this very debate. Some say vcm bad. Some say defeat device bad. There was no definitive answer, so I decided to get slightly better mpg while y'all figured it out.

I bought a device with a scanguage2 about 9 months ago. What I don't like about the vcm is that it seemed to frequently come on and go back off again in like half a second. I'd compare it to flicking a light switch on and off as fast as you can for the desired "disco effect" (old incandescent bulb). That bulb isn't going to last as long as it should. Obviously, this is no proof that the vcm is doing any damage.

I was previously under the impression that vcm didn't engage at high speeds. I have since discovered that is does come on when going downhill at 60mph+. I've been thinking about enabling vcm on highways/interstates, and disabling it around town.

It's too bad that it doesn't turn-on on flat ground around 60 to 70mph. That seems like it would save a lot of fuel, but I guess the wind resistance is just too great.

 

[terry274]

Yeah, it would be nice to know what all is going on. I'm kind of surprised no one seems to have this information.

I was out of warranty when I purchased a device. I wasn't necessarily avoiding the device because of the warranty, but it was a factor. I mostly avoided it because of this very debate. Some say vcm bad. Some say defeat device bad. There was no definitive answer, so I decided to get slightly better mpg while y'all figured it out.

I bought a device with a scanguage2 about 9 months ago. What I don't like about the vcm is that it seemed to frequently come on and go back off again in like half a second. I'd compare it to flicking a light switch on and off as fast as you can for the desired "disco effect" (old incandescent bulb). That bulb isn't going to last as long as it should. Obviously, this is no proof that the vcm is doing any damage.

I was previously under the impression that vcm didn't engage at high speeds. I have since discovered that is does come on when going downhill at 60mph+. I've been thinking about enabling vcm on highways/interstates, and disabling it around town.

It's too bad that it doesn't turn-on on flat ground around 60 to 70mph. That seems like it would save a lot of fuel, but I guess the wind resistance is just too great.

When I watch my vcm engagement I see it drop to 3 cylinders before I reach 40 MPH on a level road and light throttle. On the interstate it will go to 3 cylinders at light throttle even at 75 MPH. I think I need to be above 80 before it will stay in 6 cylinder mode. I was surprised how much time it spends in 3 cylinder mode.
I am using Torque Pro, although that shouldn't matter.
The only time it will stay in 6 cylinder mode is at 45 MPH. I have not been able to cause it to drop to 3 cylinders at that speed. I suspect this has something to do with the transmission programming.

 

[DTHughes]

I didn't like the vibration I felt when cruising on the highway, and I didn't like that cruise control would drop 2 to 3 MPH below set speed at times. Disabling VCM resolved both those issues

I have a 2020 with approximately 27000 miles. Just got back from a 9 hour round trip on the highway. I experienced no vibrations and used the cruise control 90% of the time and never saw a drop relative to set speed. Unless of course I was going up a hill and then it would kick down a gear or two and resume that speed automatically. I wish I could understand where you guys are coming from on this but I think I'm glad I don't. 🤷

 

[HRL383]

Silly me….I took the Rigi to the dealership, with the VCMTuner II installed, to have the Stat/Stop push button switch replaced under the TSB extended warranty. They told me they would have to check for a stored code, since the Start/Stop button error message was not displaying. I presume they plugged into the OBD-II port and the disabler was a non-issue.🤷‍♂️

If I understand the VCMTuner II correctly, it restores the vehicles system back to reading actual operating coolant temp if/when diagnostic work is performed. I guess that means if a reader/diagnostic device is plugged into the OBD-II port, the disabler disables itself to allow for proper vehicle diagnostics.

 

[securityguy]

If I understand the VCMTuner II correctly, it restores the vehicles system back to reading actual operating coolant temp if/when diagnostic work is performed. I guess that means if a reader/diagnostic device is plugged into the OBD-II port, the disabler disables itself to allow for proper vehicle diagnostics.

Automatically...or when you flip the switch to turn it off? I seriously doubt it is automatic as how would the device know a diagnostic tool, or reader, was connected since the VCM disabler is not connected to the OBD or data busses in the vehicle???

 

[HRL383]

Automatically...or when you flip the switch to turn it off? I seriously doubt it is automatic as how would the device know a diagnostic tool, or reader, was connected since the VCM disabler is not connected to the OBD or data busses in the vehicle???

I don’t have a switch. I just plug/unplug the green wire to ground under the hood to disable/enable.

If I’m understanding the info at the VCMTuner II website correctly, plugging a diagnostic tool into the OBD-II port “automatically” disables the disabler. Just saying that’s the way I understand/interpret it’s operation.🤷‍♂️

 

[Cbayman]

I don’t have a switch. I just plug/unplug the green wire to ground under the hood to disable/enable.

If I’m understanding the info at the VCMTuner II website correctly, plugging a diagnostic tool into the OBD-II port “automatically” disables the disabler. Just saying that’s the way I understand/interpret it’s operation.🤷‍♂️

The disabler has no way of knowing what‘s happening at the diagnostic port. Some disablers contain an accelerometer to detect vehicle movement. The device will report the actual ECT1 temp when the vehicle is sitting still. Did you check to see that the disabler’s power wire is still connected to the battery? If the tech had to perform an idle learn it may have been disconnected.

 

[zerog2k]

hmm looking at SteveM’s data, im inclined to agree with cbayman, there must be an accelerometer deciding when to spoof temps, as vcm only needs to be tricked in scenarios where vcm could actually kick in, I.e. not at stops/idle and not while accelerating. I think that would actually be better for vehicle longevity, if you really wanted to disable.

 

[wjfyfe]

Our 2019 is now over three years old, has almost 38,000 miles on the odometer, our engine runs flawlessly and has yet to give us the minutest cause for concern.

I just thought I would share that with everybody here this morning! 😁

Bill

 

[securityguy]

hmm looking at SteveM’s data, im inclined to agree with cbayman, there must be an accelerometer deciding when to spoof temps, as vcm only needs to be tricked in scenarios where vcm could actually kick in, I.e. not at stops/idle and not while accelerating. I think that would actually be better for vehicle longevity, if you really wanted to disable.

 

[HRL383]

^^^^straight from the VCMTuner II website, I believe......and if the a/c compressor is engaged, normal efan operation continues anyway.