| Spaceentity |
Ok, now that the 2009 has been out for a while and there are several members driving them, I just have several questions about the Variable Cylinder Management system.
1) Can you feel the difference when it shifts down from 6 to 4 to 3 cylinder's?
2) When you are at highway speeds, does it kick back in to 6 cylinder fast enough when needed, and can you sense this?
3) What about the added "vibration" that has been mentioned, can you really feel this?
4) Is there a display showing how many cylinder's are firing and any time?
5) Not sure if this is a option, but does the Pilot have a new display showing constant fuel consumption and/or MPG, if so, can you really see a difference in MPG when it shifts down to 4 or 3 cylinder's?
Thanks,
A owner of a 2004 Pilot EX-L w/ Navi who gets 17-18mpg in the city. |
|
|
| Pairallel |
1) Can you feel the difference when it shifts down from 6 to 4 to 3 cylinder's?
Not at all.
2) When you are at highway speeds, does it kick back in to 6 cylinder fast enough when needed, and can you sense this?
I haven't noticed it at all, but i am not one to pound it to the floor in most cases...
3) What about the added "vibration" that has been mentioned, can you really feel this?
Not at all.
4) Is there a display showing how many cylinder's are firing and any time?
No; just the stupid "ECO" light that pops on when you are in coasting mode.
5) Not sure if this is a option, but does the Pilot have a new display showing constant fuel consumption and/or MPG, if so, can you really see a difference in MPG when it shifts down to 4 or 3 cylinder's?
The Pilot has the mpg computer that allows you to track your mileage per tank. |
|
|
| waynerd |
My '06 Ody has the VCM, and there is a slight hum/vibration difference when it kicks in at lower speeds, usually around 2000 RPM. So slight, that if you have the radio on or are having a conversation, you probably wouldn't even notice.
I was a bit leery of the VCM when I bought it, as it was a "new" technology, but it's really pretty neat.....cruising along at 70 mph on the highway using only 3 cylinders. And, yeah, the ECO light is kinda stupid, but whattaya gonna do? |
|
|
| rkrzyston |
Agree with Pairallel
No noticeable difference. Also agree that the green ECO light is annoying! |
|
|
| jhorstma |
Proud owner of a new '09 Pilot AWD Touring - put 500 miles on it this weekend - mostly highway.
Yes, I can feel the VCM while cruising - very slight feel, but to me it takes a bit of getting used to. That said, absolutely no impact on rapid acceleration when needed. ECO light is kinda annoying, but at least it confirms that the change in feel is due to VCM, and it's not nearly as annoying as the SHIFT light that some older manual transmission vehicles had to indicate when to shift gears.
The Info window by the Touring's speedometer includes as part of the trip computer a toggled display of instantaneous MPG, average trip MPG, range (distance to empty), and of course odometer readings (A, B, and overall). ECO/VCM does substantially benefit MPG, and kinda encourages you to modify your driving to maximize when it's on (e.g., lay off the gas and keep it at 65 instead of 80). I averaged 20 mpg over the weekend, again mainly highway but also a fair amount of twisty country roads. |
|
|
| youbetcha |
| I would say that the change into 3 cylinder mode is similar to when the torque converter locks. If you are paying attention to it you will feel it. |
|
|
| tangotango99 |
quote:
Originally posted by waynerd
My '06 Ody has the VCM, and there is a slight hum/vibration difference when it kicks in at lower speeds, usually around 2000 RPM. So slight, that if you have the radio on or are having a conversation, you probably wouldn't even notice.
I was a bit leery of the VCM when I bought it, as it was a "new" technology, but it's really pretty neat.....cruising along at 70 mph on the highway using only 3 cylinders. And, yeah, the ECO light is kinda stupid, but whattaya gonna do?
GM had VCM in the 80's |
|
|
| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by tangotango99
GM had VCM in the 80's
GM had what????:confused:
Yes, I know about the "wildly successful" Cadillac 4-6-8!:rolleyes:
Maybe it would be more accurate to say; "GM attempted VCM"? |
|
|
| lizzy40 |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
Maybe it would be more accurate to say; "GM attempted VCM"?
LOL |
|
|
| tangotango99 |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
GM had what????:confused:
Yes, I know about the "wildly successful" Cadillac 4-6-8!:rolleyes:
Maybe it would be more accurate to say; "GM attempted VCM"?
Wow you remember, I am sorry to say I did own one. |
|
|
| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by tangotango99
Wow you remember, I am sorry to say I did own one.
I am blessed with a memory for trivia.
It seems to fill the places normally reserved for birthdays and anniversaries.:bonk: |
|
|
| youbetcha |
| GM had about as much success with it's QUAD-4 engine at about the same time which was its attempt at a OHC 16 valve engine but it was a vibrating racket! |
|
|
| fallen |
Per this Honda video , ECO doesn't actually mean cylinders are shut off. It just means you're going at "best possible fuel economy, which may occur on all 6 cylinders as well."
Which makes me wonder how can I really tell if cylinder shut-off is taking place? |
|
|
| youbetcha |
You will probably be able to subtly feel it. In mine, a gen 1 which only goes between 3 or 6 cylinders, you can feel it but I only paid attention to it at the beginning, now I don't even think about it. The same way I don't pay attention to see if the car shifted from 3rd to 4th gear.
The new generation is probably more subtle and you may not notice it going from 3 to 4 cylinders. But it will be on and off a lot. Mine comes on as soon as I reach 30-35MPH and cruise, and then shuts off if I give it a little gas, then comes back on again.
My guess is, if the engine "wants" to shut off cylinders but something is wrong with the i-VTEC system, a trouble code will go off. So, no news is good news. |
|
|
|
