History and technology of Honda's VTEC engine

summary

• VTEC technology has allowed Honda to improve engine performance and fuel efficiency in various models.
• Evolution of VTEC engines includes different variations such as SOHC VTEC and i-VTEC to improve efficiency and power.
• Honda's VTEC engines are known for their durability, efficiency, and high power output, and they continue to be used in popular models today.

Variable valve timing and lift electronic control or VTEC (Electronically controlled valve timing) is Honda's version of variable valve timing technology. This system served different purposes on the same engine, increasing performance at high RPMs and improving fuel economy at low RPMs. Honda designed these engines to the highest standards in response to Japan's economic boom during the bubble era. VTEC would forever change Honda's future trajectory, especially in performance cars.

Honda had this technology in almost all of their cars at the time, but it was performance cars like the Civic and certain variations of the NSX that really demonstrated its capabilities. Almost all Honda vehicles, from high-performance cars to typical family cars, have adopted this technology. This time, we will introduce the history of Honda's VTEC engine, which is still installed in new cars today. We'll also take a look at the technology behind it and what happens when VTEC is activated.

In order to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used in compiling this article was obtained from various manufacturer websites such as Honda, Motortrend, Engineering Explained, and other reliable sources. .

Origin of VTEC

Japan had a tax on large-displacement engines, and the bigger the engine, the more tax you had to pay. Therefore, Japanese automakers needed to find ways to improve the performance and efficiency of small-displacement engines. Turbocharging was popularized in cars like the Toyota Supra, Nissan 300ZX, and GT-R, while Mazda used a rotary engine. Honda decided to use valve timing technology to improve its own engines.

Honda's VTEC technology became popular in the '90s, but it's been around since 1983. Although it was popular in cars, this was the first time it was used in motorcycles.

Honda introduced the CBR400 sports bike in 1983. This was the first Honda vehicle to utilize this new technology, originally known as HYPER VTEC. It was powered by a 399cc inline four-cylinder engine that produced 59 horsepower at 13,000 RPM, but only 46 horsepower below 9,500 RPM.

This was done to improve drivability as it provides usable power at lower RPMs and full power at higher RPMs.

The first car to feature this technology was the 1989 Honda Integra XSi with a B16A engine. This was his 1.6 liter naturally aspirated inline 4-cylinder engine that produced 160 horsepower at 8,200 RPM. For the Honda team, achieving the 100 horsepower/liter goal was quite an engineering feat. This power vs. liter figure will determine the trend of future Honda VTEC engines, which aim for at least 100 hp/liter. This was made possible by his VTEC, and Honda was able to build a lasting legacy with his VTEC-equipped vehicles.

How VTEC works

The B-series engine was the first Honda engine to feature VTEC, and its basic operation is similar to today's engines. The engine uses a mild cam profile at lower RPMs and switches to a stronger cam profile at 5,500 RPM to increase power. According to Honda, here's how it works:

• The VTEC engine is equipped with a camshaft with three different cam lobes for each pair of valves.
• The two outer cams are tuned for low-end torque and smooth idle, while the center cam is tuned for high-revving horsepower.
• Each cam had its own rocker arm, but only the outer two actually pushed the valves, and the middle rocker arm was assigned only to the middle cam.
• At low engine speeds, the middle cam is inactive and the two outer cams are used to open and close the valves because the rocker arm is not attached directly to the valvetrain.
• As RPM increased, the engine computer signaled the spool valve, which directed the oil pressure to actuate a pin that secured the two outer rocker arms to the center arm.
• This allows the two outer arms to act on the center cam, featuring longer duration, higher lift, and timing optimized for high-end horsepower.

This is the basic way VTEC engines operate to this day. However, many improvements have been made since its inception, and Honda's VTEC has been significantly improved as engine technology improves.

Rise of the VTEC engine

The VTEC engine was introduced in Europe the same year it was introduced, but not on the Integra. It was used in the Honda Civic and CRX, but with a slightly detuned version of the same engine he produced 150 horsepower. His first VTEC effort in America can only be described as amazing, as it was done in what is considered to be Japan's first supercar. His 1991 Acura NSX was America's first vehicle with VTEC, powered by a 3.0-liter V6 producing 270 horsepower. It didn't reach 100 horsepower per liter, but in return it was the most reliable supercar of its time.

The technology was so good that Honda began implementing it in other vehicle lineups. Cars like the Honda Prelude, Honda Del Sol, and Acura Integra GSR all used engines with VTEC. The Integra Type R was the most famous hatchback of its time and used one of his engines, his VTEC engine, which was the best at the time. Equipped with a 1.8 liter B18C engine that produces 197 horsepower. Horsepower per liter was higher than most supercars of the time.

Why has VTEC become popular?

Honda was the first company to develop practical and reliable variable valve timing technology. It was completed in the 1990s and is now used in Honda vehicles. This led to industry-wide changes that other car companies followed suit, and his VTEC at Honda was ahead of its time.

These naturally aspirated engines were pushing record numbers per cylinder, but were still durable. On the other hand, the fuel efficiency of general commuting vehicles was also low. He had the best of both worlds in one package. This was done at a time when cars were switching to complex turbocharging methods to produce more power. Variable valve timing has been available in automobiles since 1903, but Honda was the first company to use this technology to produce reliable, durable, and commercially successful engines. did. This led to the creation of the Honda B-series and K-series engines, which are known for producing a lot of power from a small unit.

Evolution of the VTEC engine

Honda didn't just develop the world's best variable valve timing system and decide to retire it. This was his first iteration of VTEC and future improvements were required. The first His VTEC engine was introduced as a DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshaft) system on the CBR400 and most early His VTEC vehicles. However, Honda continued to improve this technology and has now developed various variations of his VTEC.

VTEC engine variations

As previously mentioned, the first VTEC that powered Honda was originally known as the HYPER VTEC. However, there have been many variations over the years in the product versions used in cars. The first was DOHC VTEC, which was popular in the 90s, but Honda started making various versions to further improve the fuel efficiency of regular cars. This was used until his 2002, and his last car with it was a Honda S2000.

SOHC VTEC: It debuted in 1992 on the Honda Civic Si hatchback and EX sedan. Its functionality is very similar to his original DOHC version, but this was a much simpler setup for regular passenger cars. Just by adding VTEC, output increased from 108 horsepower and 100 pound-feet the previous year to 125 horsepower and 106 pound-feet. Fuel efficiency also increased from 28/32 MPG to 29/36 MPG.

VTEC-E: This version of VTEC was also introduced in 1992 and focused on further improving fuel efficiency. It functioned similarly to SOHC VTEC, but by deactivating the valves he was able to run the 16-valve 1.5-liter SOHC VTEC engine in 12-valve mode at less than 2,500 RPM. This engine was installed in a Honda Civic VX and gave him 48 MPG in the city and 57 MPG on the highway.

This engine also has a version known as a 3-stage system. First is the 12-valve VTEC E for better fuel economy, then the regular 16-valve VTEC that operates above 2,500 RPM. The final stage improves performance with a 16-valve VTEC over 5,200 RPM.

i-VTEC: This stands for Intelligent VTEC and is still used in Honda vehicles today. Integrates the ECU into the valve train mechanism, making profile changes smoother and more efficient. However, its use varies slightly depending on the engine. The DOHC inline-4 engine works with Variable Timing Control (VTC), and the SOHC V6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), also known as cylinder deactivation, to improve fuel efficiency.

K series

Honda's K series is a famous high-performance engine that utilizes i-VTEC and excels in swap and big power, and is also called the Honda engine LS or 2JZ. VTC was used primarily for the performance of engines such as his K20A2 and K20Z3 in the Acura RSX Type S and Honda Civic Si. VCM was also used in engines such as his K20A3 and K24A4 in Civic Si and Accord models from 2002 to 2007. i-VTEC is also used in the engines of the Honda R series.

VTEC Turbo: Honda has finally introduced turbo technology to the 2016 Civic's VTEC engine, featuring a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four that produces 174 horsepower. A more powerful version was installed in the 2017 Honda CR-V with 190 horsepower. In the United States, the first Turbo VTEC was installed in his 306 horsepower Honda Civic Type R in 2017, and it is still used in modern Civics. This final iteration combines the best parts of the VTEC engine into one package.

This is why VTEC is great

Many companies have tried to develop variable valve timing technology over the years. Toyota had VVT, BMW had VANOS, later known as Valvetronic, and Porsche had VarioCAM. Since Honda got his VVT right, other companies have also learned from Honda and built their own versions of this technology. Honda has developed variable valve timing that not only reduces fuel consumption, but can also be easily used in high-performance applications. This dual personality makes the VTEC engine ideal for any application.

Cars equipped with VTEC engines

Honda still uses VTEC in its cars. And it all happens so seamlessly that its influence isn't felt as strongly as it was in earlier cars.These are some of the most famous and powerful cars that use VTEC

• Acura Integra Type R (3rd generation)
• Honda Civic Type R (FL5)
• Honda Accord 2.0T (10th generation)
• Honda S2000 CR
• Acura NSX (first generation)