If you have a vehicle honda brandSurely you have seen or heard about the term «VTEC» and at some point, if you don’t know it, you will have wondered what it is. Luckily for him, he will no longer have the doubt, because here we will explain what is vtec on honda.
What does VTEC mean?
VTEC is an acronym for a variable valve timing system used on both Honda and Acura models since 1989. The full name stands for Variable Valve Timing and lift Electronic Control), and the first American model with VTEC was the 1991 Acura NSX.
“Timing” refers to when the valves open and close, and “lift” refers to how much they open. Lifting the valves higher and holding them open longer increases airflow and exhaust gases from the engine. The better an engine can “breathe”, the more power it can produce. VTEC was considered the first variable valve system that could change both intake and exhaust timing and lift.
How does the valve system work?
to understand what is VTECit helps to understand how the valve system works, so like most engines, Honda and Acura engines have Camshafts double, one to open the intake valves (allowing air into the cylinders) and the other to open the exhaust valves (letting exhaust gases out). As these camshafts go round and round, the lobes (or cams) press on the rocker arms which open the valves. Thus, the larger the high point of the cam, the higher the valve rises, and the wider the raised section, the longer the valve stays open.
The VTEC system The original used two sets of camshaft lobes to open the valves: a lower profile set of lobes opened the valves at lower speeds for economical operation with lots of torque, and higher profile lobes activated at higher engine speeds. to increase airflow and increase horsepower.
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VTCE system on Honda models
Various versions of VTEC are currently used by Honda for different engine applications. For example, in the Fit’s 1.5-liter engine, the VTEC system it controls the timing and lift of both intake valves of each cylinder, but not the exhaust valves. The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid and Insight Hybrid use a similar version.
However, in the HR-V’s 1.8-liter engine, VTEC it controls the timing of one intake valve at low speeds and both intake valves at higher speeds, but does not vary lift.
For their part, Honda’s turbocharged four-cylinder engines have variable valve timing for the intake and exhaust valves, although they do not have variable lift. According to the Japanese manufacturer, this version of VTEC controls the intake and exhaust camshafts independently, allowing valve timing to be optimized for a variety of driving conditions. This system is used on models Accord, CivicCivic Si and TypeRand in the CR-V.
In contrast, V-6 engines in odysseyPassport, Pilot and ridgeline they have variable lift and timing for the intake valves, and the VTEC system works with cylinder deactivation to operate in a three-cylinder mode.
Editorial Gossipvehículo. Font: cars.com
