VCM Muzzler - long term review (5 years 70,000 miles)

7/06/2023 Mileage Update 121,652 (Nothing new to report).

A review of the VCM Muzzler II installed on my 2014 Honda Odyssey after 5 years and over 70,000 miles of use. Honda's VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) operates by shutting down the engine from 6 cylinders to 4 cylinders, then to 3 cylinders, to improve fuel efficiency. VCM can cause issues with your engine such as foul spark plugs, oil consumption, and bad engine mounts. VCM Muzzler solves that by keeping the Honda 3.5L V6 (J35) in 6 cylinder mode.

[gregnixon]

I disabled my VCM several years ago with a Muzzler. My excessive oil consumption stopped right away. Night and day. I have had annual emissions tests since then without any problems. Honda should offer a disable button on their vehicles so people have the choice of using this feature or not.

[Lugnut]

I installed one on a 2009 Honda Pilot, which was fouling out the #1 spark plug about ever 15, 000 miles. It cured the problem, and it's been on there so long I've pretty much forgotten all about it. Worked great!

[Mrdubomb]

I need to buy Mr. Verbatim a beer. What a great contribution to society this invention has been.

[deangallo]

Best thing I ever did for my Odyssey. Mileage dropped about three MPG and the rumbling disappeared, well worth the mod.

[alanbloom]

I have VCM Muzzler on my 2012 Honda Pilot. I installed it in 2015 in have over 100, 000 mile on the vehicle now and it works great . As Andrew said I forgot about it.

[davidson]

I have a 2011 Honda Pilot. I went to a 5000 mile oil change interval with full synthetic or synthetic blend oil for high mileage engines, and regular use of Redline Fuel treatment using 5 oz per tank about every other tank or so, or I put name brand detergent gasoline in it. The plugs run clean and the piston tops are much cleaner. I put a scope down through the spark plug holes during oil change to inspect. At 122, 000 miles the pistons and plugs run cleaner then when I bought it at 66, 000 miles. To be honest it didn't use oil, but it did foul the plugs a couple of time before I changed the plugs at 96, 000 miles. On the current maintenance routine it has not errored or fouled a plug at all in 25, 000 miles.

[DBRGB]

Thank you for the explanation of the VCM muzzled and mpg results. When choosing between high maintenance and motor damage, over lower mpg with lower maintenance costs and less damage to your investment, I think you made the correct choice. In the long run, paying a little more in mpg is better than ruining your investment. Smart choice. Thank you for sharing this valuable information. Good work.

[greedomccan]

I installed this on my 2019 ridgeline let me just say I love it ...it's lot more responsive when you wanna pass some one on the hwy and at a stop. Gas mileage about the the same on my dailey commute. I ve had it for month now and very impressed with the results..

[TrackSol]

Thank you for your excellent feedback!

[sheliadavis]

Thanks for the information about your VCM experience.

[MrAccordman]

Thank you for this video Mr Wang. This video was professionally done and explained about vcm.

[jerrymiller]

Best review I have watched! Thank goodness for the vcm

[dekideki]

I installed my yesterday on Honda accord 2008 v6 VCM muzzler 2, no problem and no more ECO light for now im happy 😀!!!

[jaysonstewart]

We just bought a VCM tuner; appreciate your feedback on "tricking" the VCM.

[oAddictz]

If you're hesitant, don't be. I bought a 2010 Honda Accord V6 and had not even put 5k miles and already two trips to the shop, both trips, misfires. Sitting at 103, sum miles.

Today was my first day of installing the part and already feel a difference. Less vibration and no more jerking when coming to a stop (thought it was my transmission.) Maybe now I won't trade my car in 😂

[rustywrench]

Thanks Andrew, for an extremely concise and informative video! I've recently purchased a 2018 Pilot EX and definitely leaning towards doing this hack because I generally keep my cars until their only value is for recycling lol. We also currently own a 2003 Pilot with 253K miles and it still runs strong, although it's finally succumbing to body cancer(located in northern IL). The '03 is our local beater and as a retired ASE Master tech maintaining my own vehicles, I keep the '03 ("The Beast") in safe/sound shape. Lord willing, the '18 will serve us as well as the beast has🙏

[teknotech]

Thanks for posting this, Andrew. I also have a 2014 Odyssey, and have not experienced any of the downsides to VCM that people have talked about. But I may still want to install it for preventative measures. My van has always gone into and out of ECO mode very smoothly. Thanks again for your efforts!

[lannyhoward]

I added the vim muzzled ll to my 2009 Honda Odyssey several months ago. I was shocked at the positive, instant difference it made. No more random shudders and hard jerking at road speed. No difference in fuel mileage, but a very noticeable improvement in response and power! I’m very happy I installed the muzzler ll. It took less than 5 minutes. No more eco mode light coming on and off, just a very smooth drive.

[bradstoybox]

I had one sitting in a drawer in my desk that I meant to install but never got around to it till today! It took only a few minutes to put this on my 2011 HFP Accord and now I need to take a nice long drive to see how it functions. Thanks for posting this video!

[danjoe]

Andrew - got my VCM muzzler installed. So far no dash board codes, ECO indicator has not lit. Only symptom I had was some oil consumption and two fouled plug occurrences so if no more of that I will know the muzzler worked. Thanks for your help and support.