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2005 Honda Civic won't go above 4,000 RPM--CEL throwing P2646 ('A' Rocker Arm Actuator System Performance / Stuck Off Bank 1)

Just got my head gasket replaced, but then CEL came on so I took back to mechanic and he said that he overfilled the oil, so he drained it and said I was good to go. Now it won't go over 4,000 RPM as seen in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBbpS0fLNPc

Now this happened...

I found this bolt sitting above the thermostat/behind the VTEC solenoid (I think)???? enter image description hereenter image description here

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    That bolt is one of three or four that hold down the intake resonator box. which is the big black box in the photo. It will not affect the stated symptom but needs to be installed. The vtec solenoid is bolted to cylinder head, not near the loose bolt. May 7, 2017 at 4:37
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    Someone in the comments of that video said it was their vtec valve... That looks like a good place to start. The code backs that assumption up. It's almost certainly the ECU limiting it to 4k (to protect the engine). It looks nothing like a fuel or air starvation issue. At any rate, you paid the mechanic to fix it. He should figure it out.
    – justinm410
    May 7, 2017 at 5:22
  • Exactly what @justinm410 stated ... take It to the mechanic. If You start putzing around, then you're out of luck and will have to pay again to get it fixed. May 7, 2017 at 14:23
  • This is the 4th time I have taken it in...so it just seems like you guys are almost more help than my mechanic...
    – Prodnegel
    May 7, 2017 at 17:13

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Your mechanic messed something up (or forgot something) as we thought before. It's that shop's responsibility to fix their mistake. Once again, we're talking about a high rpm issue and my first thought is still an oil pressure problem in a variability sensor. (This doesn't mean I'm correct, just my guess). You're going to need to demand that they fix the problem they caused so you don't have to put up with all of this nonsense. And there's the little issue of the fact that it's their job!

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  • I had the engine light before..and took it to him when he said that he overfilled the oil. I even mentioned to him about the RPM thing...he just refilled the oil then...I can't take any more work off for a while to take it in, so taking it in right now isn't really an option. Other people I have talked to mention ECU needing time to settle back down, or try going into D3 and seeing what happens. What do you think about those possibilities?
    – Prodnegel
    May 8, 2017 at 19:24
  • I understand about work. You can take it easy in 3rd and see how it goes for a bit but I strongly disagree with others that this is a ECU learning process. Definitely sounds like something was not reassembled correctly. And all signs point to the variable timing system so far. They will need to fix this as soon as you're able. Do you ever smell oil burning? May 8, 2017 at 20:49
  • HIT ABOVE 4k TONIGHT TESTING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pending and Stored P2646 still there, but hopefully it is ON ITS WAY!!! So excited...lol. No I do not smell any oil burning
    – Prodnegel
    May 9, 2017 at 5:21
  • Well that's awesome news! Has it been driving normal since? May 10, 2017 at 13:31
  • No. It is back to freaking out at 4k...CEL has never gone away, and I get a P2646 in both Pending and Stored codes...My gas mileage is absolutely horrible too. I am thinking it is something more along the lines of sludge in the VTEC filter, as I had a P2647 a couple months ago when a steering column bolt broke on me. Somehow, the P2647 disappeared then, but now I am getting P2646.
    – Prodnegel
    May 10, 2017 at 17:18

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