bobsagator

iTrader: (13)

I have been chasing an oil leak and getting a constant P1259 code (VTEC Malfunction). Arg! Life is no fun driving under 3700rpm!

So I thought I would tinker today. Pull out far right spark plug to find the well full of oil. Yank the valve cover to discover the plug seal is cracked. Sent the wife to get one for me. While waiting patiently I notice a bolt inside the open engine next to camshaft. The bolt is in my hand in the picture and I am pointing to where I believe the bolt belongs.



From the picture in Grey's Valve Clearance DIY it appears the bolt does belong in that hole. Am I correct as to where the bolt belongs? What is the bolt for? Could it be the cause of my P1259? I assume the bolt was installed when I changed the head gasket a while ago and maybe vibrated loose and out. I have replaced the VTEC Solenoid to no avail, thinking that the oil leak was causing low oil pressure as my next endeavor.

Hopefully installing the bolt will fix all of my problems...

ezone

Um, yeah. Screw that sucker back in there and get it tight. It is a plug. That wide open passage would be the cause of insufficient oil pressure.

Parts catalog didn't seem to show any seals for it.




Odd problem. Wonder if a human had their fingers on that bolt at some point.

bobsagator

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was removed when we pulled everything apart for the head gasket, just probably didn't get torqued back on. I've run across a couple of other loose bolts since then too. The true cost of cheap labor...

I looked through the service manual and didn't see anything for the bolt. It makes sense that it is a plug and why the code is now always on. I'll be getting the plug seal tomorrow and can't wait to get it all back together. Redlining here I come!

Thanks for the reply ezone!

ezone

The parts catalog didn't show a seal for it. Bolt that sucker back in the hole and drive it.





*I didn't check a service manual though.

bobsagator

iTrader: (13)

Well, amazingly the bolt installed in the hole apparently fixed the VTEC malfunction problem. Now if only there was a missing bolt to fix my slipping clutch...

ezone

Glad to hear the VTEC code fix was easy.
Yeah, uhhh, not so much.

cloneman18

I was going through the canyons the other day and proceeded to floor it uphill, and my engine would not rev above 4,000 rpms in 5th gear. I got the exact same code, P1259. I did an oil change and it solved the problem. Runs fine now...so odd.

Matt_75

Not really. Being low on oil will trigger the same code on a VTEC system. I imagine your oil change just put the proper amount of oil in the engine to allow correct oil pressure for the VTEC system to function properly.

I'd be more concerned about burning oil and/or loosing oil between oil changes if I were you. It sounds like it's got to a point now where you're burning too much and/or loosing too much oil between oil changes to trigger the code.

HTH

jmavila02

I recently did an entire head gasket set replacement. I took off the head by myself and my cousin helped me put it back together,I was confused on how to time it properly and what not. Anyways, after we finished installing everything I took the car to work and I haram engine code like yours. I removed the resonator and air filter housing to check for any disconnected cable and sure enough I found two disconnected cables on the left side of the throttle if I'm standing in front of the car. They did not seem to reach and I was puzzled since the connectors matched. I had to remove one of the connectors from a clip to
Make it reach and I thought that would solve the code. I was wrong so we put more oil on the engine, read and watched you tube videos and I finally had a "aha" moment.
The solution? Well I had gotten my connectors mixed up! The vetch connector was going to the oil pressure connector? I'm not sure but those 4 connectors look so much alike that I recommend anyone encountering this problem after a head gasket set replacement check your connectors! Anyways good luck to everyone taking on this job!


-Jesse

MaMikee

This fixed my '01 EX too, but not until after I bought 2 eBay ECUs, new VTEC assembly & new Multifunction Controller!

I'd recently had the head rebuilt and I think the service guys didn't bother to tighten that one because "It doesn't do anything", sigh