VTEC just kicked in yo!

[eidolon]

You weren't at the last RR when he arrived were you?

Nope, but I overtook him going back down the M5

 

[[TW]Fox]

You weren't at the last RR when he arrived were you?

 

[Stonedofmoo]

If you can get a device that drops the VTEC to 4k... why don't they sell them like that?

 

[Bear]

If you can get a device that drops the VTEC to 4k... why don't they sell them like that?

It probably changes the torque characteristics of the car as its currently dead flat but more importantly effects the fuel economy

 

[merlin]

If you can get a device that drops the VTEC to 4k... why don't they sell them like that?

Cos Honda are stupid. Well that or economy, emmissions or some other boring crap.

Totally transforms the drive having it engage lower.

Mine comes in at 4250rpm and my limiter is 8900rpm.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

If it had too much torque low down people would be crying that its wrong wheel driven. Cant win them all. Also a Leon Cupra is very complementary to the butt dyno with its diesel like torque curve. I guess some people like that more over a small 2.0 NA that cant churn up the tarmac on demand.

The VTEC line often is that their great on fuel, but with the short gear ratios there not much better than a turbo on the MPG front so really i guess the choice is down to personal preferance on how you drive your car and also what sort of traffic you mainly drive in.

Sounds a fair enough review to me.

i think Honda generally have it a bit higher for drive 'enjoyment' and marketing.

' wow what was that'
'Oh that was VTEC'

Seems to have got people knowing about VTEC to the extent that they expect turboesque grunt and forget its a low displacment naturally aspirated engine. Probably a bit over hyped now

 

[Big Spender]

Cos Honda are stupid. Well that or economy, emmissions or some other boring crap.

Totally transforms the drive having it engage lower.

Mine comes in at 4250rpm and my limiter is 8900rpm.

How much do these kits cost and where can i find more information about these?

 

[Puppetmaster]

put it this way, my bro was err on an airfield racing a honda prelude. he was in the vtec all the time for about 4 miles or something, cained 1/4 of petrol lol

 

[lordrobs]

You weren't at the last RR when he arrived were you?

Not wanting to cause a derailment but I'm intrigued

Did he pull into the car park, 180 it with the handbrake and sit there doing a burn out shouting out the window "yo homies, sup?" ?

 

[SgtTupac]

When i drove my sisters boyfriends Civic Type R, it suited my driving style i found! I like to drive cars hard all the way upto the limter! VTEC is perfect for people who as elidion said, dont mind dropping it down a few gears to engage VTEC! Although saying that i prefer Turbo cars. Seem a bit better power wise!

 

[Vertigo]

Not wanting to cause a derailment but I'm intrigued

Did he pull into the car park, 180 it with the handbrake and sit there doing a burn out shouting out the window "yo homies, sup?" ?

LOL, close.

He came in as part of a convoy, moving at a fair old lick and then had to brake rather sharply. Bit of a close one as I recall

 

[Paul Spiteri]

VTEC is even more fun when you have an aftermarket induction kit installed as the changeover is so pronounced compared with the stock air box.
Not only do you feel the difference but the noise difference is

 

[Firestar_3x]

LOL, close.

He came in as part of a convoy, moving at a fair old lick and then had to brake rather sharply. Bit of a close one as I recall

Fox stopped in time but almost got rear ended by an alfa

 

[Paul Spiteri]

There's a nice article here about VTEC vs VVTi
http://www.billzilla.org/vvtvtec.htm

I think the relevent bit to this thread is:

The rpm at which this happens is worked out by running the engine on a dynamometer with the inlet cam in both the fully advanced and fully retarded positions. Since the two different cam timing's will make different power throughout the rev range, (advanced inlet give more top end power at the expense of low end power, and vice-versa) there is a point where the power will be identical for both cam settings, and this is where the VVT is programmed to operate. Because the power output is the same with the VVT in either position, you can't feel anything when it happens. You can, however, hear a change in engine note, just before there's a big increase in power!

The point at which the V-TEC system operates is a purely rpm derived point, as was the VVT system, and is done for exactly the same reasons. Because of this, you will not gain anything on a standard engine (either type) by using one of the aftermarket controllers that let you alter the rpm at which the systems operate. All you'll do is create an unpleasant dead spot in the torque curve.

 

[Dolph]

There's a nice article here about VTEC vs VVTi
http://www.billzilla.org/vvtvtec.htm

I think the relevent bit to this thread is:

The rpm at which this happens is worked out by running the engine on a dynamometer with the inlet cam in both the fully advanced and fully retarded positions. Since the two different cam timing's will make different power throughout the rev range, (advanced inlet give more top end power at the expense of low end power, and vice-versa) there is a point where the power will be identical for both cam settings, and this is where the VVT is programmed to operate. Because the power output is the same with the VVT in either position, you can't feel anything when it happens. You can, however, hear a change in engine note, just before there's a big increase in power!

The point at which the V-TEC system operates is a purely rpm derived point, as was the VVT system, and is done for exactly the same reasons. Because of this, you will not gain anything on a standard engine (either type) by using one of the aftermarket controllers that let you alter the rpm at which the systems operate. All you'll do is create an unpleasant dead spot in the torque curve.

Have to strongly disagree with what he's saying here in all honesty, because it assumes the engine is perfectly set up in the first place...

If you lock off the VTEC system either way and plot the dyno's, then compare them, certainly on the 1.8 VTi engine, the standard switchover point isn't right, even by the definition above. In fact the same engine in the Integra Si has a much lower VTEC engagement point than the 1.8 VTi (by over 1000rpm IIRC) out of the box, so one or other of them must be wrong...

 

[DreXeL]

Nice reveiw Fox, sounds fair enough to me

About your point about it feeling no faster than your Mondeo when out of VTEC, that doesn't surprise me because out of VTEC it is just like any other N/A 16v 2.0 four-pot. I honestly wouldn't expect it to be any quicker than your Mondeo for general 'lazy' driving.

Great review though

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Did you drive it around any bends at all? Your roadtest infers that you only drove it in a straight line.
Maybe that explains why you'd prefer the Cupra.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Did you drive it around any bends at all? Your roadtest infers that you only drove it in a straight line.
Maybe that explains why you'd prefer the Cupra.

Yes, I took it back through some nice winding Devonshire lanes

 

[Jonnycoupe]

There's a nice article here about VTEC vs VVTi
http://www.billzilla.org/vvtvtec.htm

I think the relevent bit to this thread is:

The rpm at which this happens is worked out by running the engine on a dynamometer with the inlet cam in both the fully advanced and fully retarded positions. Since the two different cam timing's will make different power throughout the rev range, (advanced inlet give more top end power at the expense of low end power, and vice-versa) there is a point where the power will be identical for both cam settings, and this is where the VVT is programmed to operate. Because the power output is the same with the VVT in either position, you can't feel anything when it happens. You can, however, hear a change in engine note, just before there's a big increase in power!

The point at which the V-TEC system operates is a purely rpm derived point, as was the VVT system, and is done for exactly the same reasons. Because of this, you will not gain anything on a standard engine (either type) by using one of the aftermarket controllers that let you alter the rpm at which the systems operate. All you'll do is create an unpleasant dead spot in the torque curve.

Yet the Elise spec ECUs and Corrola T sport ECU's are VERY different for what is the same engine. Much like the Integra Si and Civic Mb6 the high lift cam swap is over 1000rpm lower in the Elises.

Most controllers suck because they dont alter the fuelling or ignition to account for the lower swap point, on a VTEC this means your using the low cam maps on the VTEC cam profile so its no wonder they tend to run like ass. Tends to be too lean and no where enough ignition advance to add anything to the engine.

 

[mad_allan]

Fair play for taking it out Fox, a good review

I'm with Eidolon on the driving style, I am never far from VTEC, then again, i'm never far from the petrol station either