How does Acura cylinder deactivation work?

How Acura Cylinder Deactivation Works
Acura’s cylinder deactivation system, known as Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), is designed to improve fuel efficiency by automatically changing the V-6 engine to run on six or three cylinders, depending on driving conditions. This system is programmed to deactivate some of the cylinders based on the load/weight and speed to save gas. When high output is required, the engine runs on full V-6 power, but at steady cruising, the engine switches to three cylinders. The deactivation process involves turning off a few cylinders to save on fuel, which happens much faster than it could be done manually.
When the VCM is activated, drivers might feel a very minor vibration when driving at a constant speed or idling, but it’s not a cause for concern. Some drivers report not feeling any different sound or vibration at all when the cylinders deactivate, while others mention feeling a small jolt during the activation, similar to a downshift but not as strong. It’s worth noting that the system is designed to seamlessly transition between cylinder activation and deactivation, providing a smooth driving experience.
Overall, Acura’s VCM system is aimed at optimizing fuel efficiency by intelligently managing the number of active cylinders based on driving conditions, without significantly impacting the driving experience.

What happens during cylinder deactivation?

When an engine fitted with cylinder deactivation detects the car is cruising, a solenoid valve opens and a system forces the valves shut, preventing fuel and air from reaching some of the cylinders. This means combustion is only taking place in half of the engine and thus much less fuel is burned when cruising.

How much gas does cylinder deactivation save?

A CDS shuts down half of the engine’s cylinders when only a small amount of the engine’s power is needed, such as when the vehicle is moving at a constant speed on a level road, decelerating or going downhill. A CDS can reduce fuel consumption by 4 to 10%, saving you money and reducing your impact on the environment.

Does cylinder deactivation really work?

How Does Cylinder Deactivation Work? Here’s how the process works: With no fresh air charge entering the cylinder, the fuel injector can also be shut off. The remaining cylinders must pick up the slack to deliver the total amount of torque needed by the engine, but they actually get more efficient during this process.

How does VCM turn off cylinders?

When maximum power isn’t needed, the VCM system can deactivate one bank of cylinders—depending upon the torque requirements to maintain cruising speed—by shutting off the appropriate fuel injectors and stopping valve operation with the VTEC® system.

How does Acura VCM work?

VCM® improves highway fuel efficiency by automatically changing the V-6 engine to run on six or three cylinders, depending on driving conditions. When high output is required, the engine runs on full V-6 power, but at steady cruising the engine switches to three cylinders.

What are the problems with cylinder deactivation?

Today’s cylinder deactivation systems are largely reliable, but they do introduce another layer of complexity that could go wrong. The systems are also limited in terms of what combinations of cylinders can be shut off without upsetting the engine’s balance or causing undesirable noise output or vibrations.

Can you disable VCM?

If the cylinder rings are not completely worn out, disabling VCM should reduce oil consumption on your vehicle. If excessive oil consumption is a new problem for your vehicle, the sooner you apply VCMTUNER the less wear and damage to your engine.

Does cylinder deactivation damage the engine?

Let’s use a example of a V-8 engine that deactivate to 4-cylinders , even if the load is light, 4 cylinders are doing the work that 8 cylinders normally would do. My answer is yes, deactivation of cylinders do speed up engine wear in the active cylinders , but I think it’s still Beneficial …

Should I worry about cylinder deactivation?

When functioning correctly, cylinder deactivation should not cause long-term engine damage. However, problems left unaddressed, such as misfires or sensor issues, can potentially lead to engine damage over time.

How much does cylinder deactivation cost?

With wider acceptance and implementation of cylinder deactivation, the cost of the technology is likely to come down from an already low cost of $200 to $400 per unit. Including cylinder deactivation in smaller displacement engines helps OEMs to improve fuel economy across the entire fleet.