sorry for this if it is dumb but im a new bike owner. from what i read my 03 has a powerband after 7000 rpm. it seems like it lags after 7000. Yesterday though i was out and think that it kicked in because it seemed like i down shifted and i was gone. Any help would be great because if there is something wrong i want to fix it.
Many different things could be happening here, we shall need more details. Did you notice what your engine temp was when this happened, VTEC will not operate until somewhere around the 150F mark.
It does sound operating temperature related to me. Best to start the bike and let it idle while you put on jacket, helmet,gloves and glasses to allow the engine temp to warm up. Another benefit is allowing you to hear any unusual noises, rattles and clangs before your helmet muffles them. Easy away from the house to avoid noise complaints from the neighbors (might just be me with straight through Leo Vince Carbons!), then blast it through Vtec transition once you're in clear space with a bit of heat in the tyres. It doesn't take long to tune into when it is going to happen, kinda like driving a turbo boosted car I guess. The more throttle you use the more you will feel (and hear) the Vtec "kick" which is why as most 6th Gen owners will attest, is one of the many reasons why we bought one in the first place. WARNING! Vtec can become addictive!
the engine temp was about 200. riding to work today and still doesnt seem to have power after 7000rpm?
Allthough I've not yet heared of this happening before, I suppose it's possible that VTEC is not engaging when it should despite engine temp. Imma go check the service manual and see what it says about that.
That is about as high as you should see. The fan should be cranking away at that point. At around 7000 rpm the bike feels like it lags a touch as it comes into the VTEC engagement point. If you just crank through it to 8k or higher the bike should pull pretty hard (you'll also find a flat spot down near 5k too). Are you really on the throttle hard or just slowly accelerating? Lets talk about how you're riding / hitting the VTEC engagement, etc. Highway? Just cruising and looking to change lanes / pass? Accelerating to merge? Etc.
yup, fans workin away at that temp. Also, noticed the flat spot too around 5k. I'm a little paranoid as I had to replace the main and sub wiring harness. Electrical issue persisted so I swapped out the rectifier. Now just plain ol paranoid that something is amiss. This is my first bike in 20 years so learning what are quirks and what are issues.
Am I following correctly? You saying you get a flat spot at 5K and 7K RPMS. But there was one day where everything went well? I'm beginning to suspect that you might just be rolling the gas on very slowly, and as the VTEC engages, you're feeling the flat spots that so many on this forum have discussed. My suggestion would be that you find a nice open stretch of road where you can quickly keep the gas on through the RPMs. I'm not saying be an idiot. When you get into that 5K to 7k rpm, be prepared for a swift change in power. Ring it up to about 10K RPMs, and go through the next gear or two. Then report back here to let us know how it went.
