04/30/2026
Adjusting the valves on a 2016 Honda Pilot. No hydraulics is one of the reasons their 3.5 V6 is one of the greatest engines ever made. This one has 230,000 miles on it and purrs like a kitten! Its a very time consuming job, but usually only needs done once or twice over the course of the vehicle's life - assuming it has been well maintained like this one has.
The only real complaint I have with these is the VCM (variable cylinder management) system can cause spark plugs to oil foul at times. Honda blames it on worn piston rings. We disagree. When cylinders are shut down for fuel mileage, the vacuum created pulls oil by the rings and fouls the plug(s).
We fix this by disabling the VCM system. The engine runs like a normal V6, stops fouling plugs and oil consumption drops to a normal level. Yes, you'll lose a little fuel mileage (1-2 mpg) but have a happy engine once again and spend less money on repairs.