Honda Car Forum

Is it worth adding $1000 to the price tag?

Vtech is a company that manufatures phones not celll phones home phones

im not totally sure,but i do know that it has something to do with the way the computor adjusts the timing and cam placement,,i think it is worth it

G'day biologyboy,Thank you for your question.VTEC stands for Variable valve Timing and lift Electronic Control. It is system developed by Honda to improve the combustion efficiency of its internal combustion engines throughout the RPM range. This was the first system of its kind and eventually led to different types of variable valve timing and lift control systems that were later designed by other manufacturers (VVTL-i from Toyota, VarioCam Plus from Porsche, and so on). It was invented by Honda's chief engine designer Kenichi Nagahiro.In the regular four-stroke automobile engine, the intake and exhaust valves are actuated by lobes on a camshaft. The shape of the lobes determines the timing, lift and duration of each valve. Timing refers to when a valve is opened or closed with respect to the combustion cycle. Lift refers to how much the valve is opened. Duration refers to how long the valve is kept open. Due to the behavior of the gases (air and fuel mixture) before and after combustion, which have physical limitations on their flow, as well as their interaction with the ignition spark, the optimal valve timing, lift and duration settings under low RPM engine operations are very different from those under high RPM. Optimal low RPM valve timing, lift and duration settings would result in insufficient fuel and air at high RPM, thus greatly limiting engine power output. Conversely, optimal high RPM valve timing, lift and duration settings would result in very rough low RPM operation and difficult idling. The ideal engine would have fully variable valve timing, lift and duration, in which the valves would always open at exactly the right point, lift high enough & stay open just the right amount of time for the engine speed in use.In practice, a fully variable valve timing engine is difficult to design and implement. Attempts have been made, using solenoids to control valves instead of the typical springs-and-cams setup, however these designs have not made it into production automobiles as they are very complicated and costly.The opposite approach to variable timing is to produce a camshaft which is better suited to high RPM operation. This approach means that the vehicle will run very poorly at low rpm (where most automobiles spend much of their time) and much better at high RPM. VTEC is the result of an effort to marry high RPM performance with low RPM stability.Additionally, Japan has a tax on engine displacement, requiring Japanese auto manufacturers to make higher-performing engines with lower displacement. In cars such as the Supra and 300ZX, this was accomplished with a turbocharger. In the case of the RX-7, a wankel rotary engine was used. VTEC serves as yet another method to derive very high specific output from lower displacement motors.VTEC makes your engine perform better and gives you greater horsepower per litre. It would be best suited for someone who wants power without paying too much at the petrol pump.I have attached sources for your reference.Regards

It's actually spelled VTEC and it does stand for Variable valve Timing & lift Electronic Control. One answer explained well as to WHY to have VTEC but certainly didn't explain HOW too well...Basically, the VTEC system in Hondas does NOTHING until the engine rpm hits 5500 and the oil is at a certain pressure which it should be at that rpm!At that point some changes are going to occur in the engine and it results in more power, better acceleration, and more fuel consumption which propels you down the road putting a big smile on your face. What really makes you smile is that this performance and fuel sucking change goes away again when the rpm comes back down and your foot gets out of the gas pedal caging the beast if you will and preserving the good gas mileage typical of Hondas and Acuras.The $1000 price addition is CHEAP! Well worth it. If not for the extra power then for the increased resale value.Here's how it works...First lets install two intake manifolds instead of one but let's make them one casting with a diaphragm separating the two... one is for lower performance, high gas mileage... the other is for high rpm, high power, let the fuel rip mileage. All controlled by vacuum to that diaphragm.When it comes to the camshafts, ( 2 in an DOHC or dual overhead cam engine) instead of having one lobe to move each valve up and down, let's machine three lobes for each valve. (whew! those cams must be expensive!) The center lobe is the normal, low rider lobe and the two outside lobes are the high performance, high lift lobes. The three lobes have three rocker arms riding on them that take the lift from the lobes and transfers it to the valves. Only the center lobe's rocker arm actually touches the valve. The high performance outer two rocker arms only connect to the center rocker when oil pressure drives out a tiny piston shaft that locks the outer rocker arms to the inner rocker arm. At that point, the high lift lobes continue to move the valve after the middle rocker has lifted it all it could from the middle lobe. Pretty cool really.But how does that oil pressure get there to do that? The computer senses the oil pressure and rpm of the engine (among other things) and at 5500 rpm, it opens a solenoid operated valve that directs high pressure engine oil to the tiny pistons in each of the rocker arm assemblies. That solenoid valve is called the VTEC solenoid.They designed the whole engine to withstand a higher rpm so when you are driving down the highway at 55 mph and you come upon someone doing only 50, feel free to downshift and put your foot into it. The engine will come to life and whip you by that slow poke before he knew what that streak was! I'm here to tell you that engine can handle a 5th to 3rd downshift at those same speeds and really come to life! Watch those rpms though... you needn't ruin such a wonderful setup by going overboard!So... is it worth getting for an extra $1000? It's the best $1000 horsepower addition with stock components you can imagine. You can still add nitrous oxide or a Jackson Racing supercharger and still keep your mileage down to earth!Well, you got my $.02 Good luck!

les is right on the money on how the vtec works. 10 yrs. experience Certified Acura tech.