Last week, the Check Engine Light (CEL) on my daughters 97 Honda Civic came on so instead of blogging on my blog yesterday (6/12), I was off to AutoZone to get the Free check engine light diagnostics run. There error code was P1259 which is VTEC Solenoid Valve fault which surprised me because we just replaced the o-ring (gasket) on that very same part for an oil leak back in Florida when we were readying it for the drive home to Maryland.

Anyhow, luckily they AutoZone did not have the part and told me that I would need to get this part from the dealer. So I drove home and called my brother Chris who is a mechanic. He told me before I buy the part ($150), to just take the VTEC Solenoid off myself and clean it and put it back. So, that’s what I did.

Turns out, when I replaced the o-ring last month, I added some extra sauce (gasket gum), which leaked into the solenoid gasket screen blocking the oil, which caused the light to go on. Anyway, I cleaned out the nasty gasket gum, re-cleaned the part, replaced it, and what do you know. The CEL was off, no more oil leaks, working good as new.

Thanks to my brother Chris, I am NOT out the $150 bucks, and I learned a good lesson that if it doesn't require gasket gum, do not use gasket gum! I also learned what a VTEC Solenoid is. Ha! Yea!!!