Which cylinders does Honda VCM disable?
On six-cylinder Honda engines equipped with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), two cylinders are shut down to operate as a four-cylinder engine, saving fuel. The exact cylinders that are disabled vary by engine family and generation, with 2 and 5 being the most commonly deactivated pair on many J-series 3.5L V6s.
How VCM works
Variable Cylinder Management uses a combination of valve actuation and fuel shutoff to deactivate two cylinders during light-load driving. The engine then reactivates those cylinders automatically when more power is needed, aiming to maintain smooth operation and balanced performance across different driving conditions.
Which cylinders are disabled?
There is no single universal pair across all Honda models. The deactivated cylinders depend on the specific engine code and model year. The most widely cited configuration for many six-cylinder Honda VCM setups is the deactivation of two center cylinders on opposite banks (commonly cylinders 2 and 5) to yield a 4-cylinder mode, but this can vary by engine family and generation.
Common configuration: cylinders 2 and 5
For many 3.5L V6s in the Honda/J-series family, the VCM design deactivates cylinders 2 and 5 to run on four cylinders during light-load operation.
- With 2 and 5 deactivated, the remaining cylinders provide sufficient torque while maximizing fuel savings during steady cruising.
Engine control software coordinates the cut-off of fuel and the corresponding valve timing to maintain smooth operation when switching between 4- and 6-cylinder modes.
Engine variants and exceptions
Some Honda engines or earlier generations may use different cylinder pairs for deactivation. The exact pair depends on the engine family (for example, certain 3.0L or earlier V6 variants) and can change with model year and calibration. Always consult your vehicle’s service data or a dealership for your particular engine code (such as J35, J37, etc.).
How to verify for your vehicle
To identify the precise deactivated cylinders for your car, use these steps:
- Find your engine code printed on the engine block or in the owner's manual (e.g., J35, J37).
- Consult official Honda service data or the owner's manual for the VCM cylinder map corresponding to that engine code.
- Ask a Honda dealer or a qualified mechanic to confirm which cylinders are deactivated during light-load operation by reading live ECU data.
Knowing your engine code will reveal the exact deactivated cylinders for your specific model and year.
Summary
Honda’s VCM system disables two cylinders on most six-cylinder engines to operate as a four-cylinder for better fuel efficiency. The typical deactivated pair is cylinders 2 and 5 on many J-series 3.5L V6s, but the exact cylinders can vary by engine code and generation. For precise information, refer to your engine’s service data or consult a Honda dealership.
