The exhaust and intake make noises that are characteristic of an engine. There are also minor noises made by the injectors and accessory drive pulleys. However, the exhaust makes the most noticeable noise. In addition, vtec cars have a camshaft with an aggressive profile that allows more air to flow through the engine. This helps increase fuel efficiency and power.
i-VTEC doesn’t have a snappy change-over
In a gasoline engine, four things are necessary to generate power: air, fuel, crankshaft, and camshaft. The first two of these elements work in conjunction to open the valves, while the last two are controlled by the rocker arms. The camshaft has raised points called lobes that push the valves open and close.
Honda and Toyota developed VTEC systems to allow them to deliver higher power without sacrificing fuel efficiency. This system allows each valve to open or close at the proper time. This is also referred to as variable valve timing. Both i-VTEC and VVTi use this technology. Both systems are similar to each other and can improve engine performance.
The i-VTEC system does have two camshaft profiles. The first one is used for high-speed acceleration. The other one is for low-speed performance. The i-VTEC system is similar to non-VTEC, except that it uses two profiles to improve performance in either range.
It has a more aggressive camshaft profile
One of the key differences between the older approach to engine camshaft profiles and VTEC is the camshaft profile. With the old approach, the camshaft has a lower valve timing profile for low RPM operation. This tradeoff means that high-RPM power is sacrificed. VTEC’s camshaft profile tries to balance low-RPM fuel efficiency with high-RPM performance.
In order to achieve this, VTEC has two different camshaft profiles. One is conservative, with the other being aggressive for high RPM power. The more aggressive profile enables the engine to operate at lower fuel consumption and improves low-RPM stability. The VTEC system also uses a locking pin during high load.
In the earlier version of VTEC, the camshaft had two lobes per cylinder. In the later versions, the camshaft profile was higher, with a higher lift.
It has a snappy transition
VTEC is a popular engine management system that came onto the scene with the B16A engine in the 1989 Honda Integra XSi. The VTEC system uses the MAF sensor to determine the correct fuel mixture for each engine. This means that if the engine is equipped with this sensor, VTEC will provide a snappy transition.
While the VTEC isn’t responsible for acceleration, it does play a large role in the sound produced. It consists of a combination of intake and cams. Some critics have compared the VTEC sound to a “dancing about architecture.” The sound of VTEC comes from the cams going to higher lobes and the higher pitch toward the end of the compression cycle. While VTEC is not responsible for acceleration, it does depend on oil pressure and engine oil.
It’s a snappy transition
In the old days, VTEC had a loud, snappy transition when the engine engaged the aggressive cam profile. But over the years, the transition has been mellowed, and some cars even have a softer Vtec sound now. The 5th gen prelude, Integra GSR, and TSX all have softer Vtec sounds than earlier models.
In order to make the transition smoother and quieter, you can tune your engine with an aftermarket cold air intake. Injen’s CAI lets you choose between a CAI or SRI mode. This makes the noise in the intake a lot quieter. Alternatively, if you want a more mellow sound, you can get a free-flowing exhaust system. This will also make the vtec transition sound quieter in the exhaust system.
