Check Engine Light - Code 1259

[Me]

My babysitter's '99 Honda Civic HX (non-VTEC engine) had the check engine light come on. I put the scan tool to it and got the code P1259 which is supposed to be a VTEC malfunction. I erased the code several times and it keeps coming back. Concurrently, after having had her clutch and tranny replaced, she cannot rev the engine above 4K RPMs. It's like it has a rev limiter that kicks it down. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Rosscoe

 

[motsco_]

My babysitter's '99 Honda Civic HX (non-VTEC engine) had the check engine light come on. I put the scan tool to it and got the code P1259 which is supposed to be a VTEC malfunction. I erased the code several times and it keeps coming back. Concurrently, after having had her clutch and tranny replaced, she cannot rev the engine above 4K RPMs. It's like it has a rev limiter that kicks it down. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Rosscoe

Find a smarter babysitter ?

She replaced the clutch and tranny as a result of that CODE?

'Curly'

 

[Me]

Find a smarter babysitter ?

She replaced the clutch and tranny as a result of that CODE?

'Curly'

Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly or you don't understand English.
-replaced tranny & clutch becuase they died
-after that, unable to exceed 4K RPMs
-months later, code shows up (P1259; problem with VTEC).
-car doesn't have a VTEC engine

 

[motsco_]

Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly or you don't understand English.
-replaced tranny & clutch becuase they died
-after that, unable to exceed 4K RPMs
-months later, code shows up (P1259; problem with VTEC).
-car doesn't have a VTEC engine

I'll defer to the wisdom of Tegger or somebody else. It sounds like your code reader is too generic if it comes up with an impossible code.

'Curly'

 

[Jim Yanik]

Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly or you don't understand English.
-replaced tranny & clutch becuase they died

How? I can see a clutch dying,but you have to screw up to wreck a manual tranny,IMO.

-after that, unable to exceed 4K RPMs

And the mechanic let that pass? Who was the mechanic? a Dealer?

-months later, code shows up (P1259; problem with VTEC).
-car doesn't have a VTEC engine

I'd check to see the ECU is one that matches the motor in your car. Maybe the clutch/tranny is not the only thing that got swapped out.

after all,should a non-VTEC ECU even HAVE the code for a VTEC function? AFAIK,the ECU is not a universal ECU that works on all models. Or is there a jumper or dummy connector that tells the ECU it's not a VTEC installation?

Maybe a wire harness got nicked or cut during the tranny swap.

 

[Me]

Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly or you don't understand English.
-replaced tranny & clutch becuase they died
-after that, unable to exceed 4K RPMs
-months later, code shows up (P1259; problem with VTEC).
-car doesn't have a VTEC engine

Whoops. Turns out it is a VTEC. Guess we'll have to check it out from that stand point.