VTEC. Four letters that practically started a revolution.

Although not recent, perhaps one of the

most innovative and intelligent ideas to come out of car engine technology can be found in the
form of the Honda Motor Company's VTEC engine. So what is VTEC? VTEC is Honda's
trademarked acronym for Variable valve Timing and Electronic lift Control. VTEC (Variable
Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is a valve train system developed by Honda to
improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine. This system uses
two camshaft profiles and electronically selects between the profiles. This was the first system
of its kind. Different types of variable valve timing and lift control systems have also been
produced by other manufacturers (MIVEC from Mitsubishi, VVTL-i from Toyota, Vario Cam Plus
from Porsche, VVL from Nissan, etc.). VTEC, the original Honda variable valve control system
was invented by Honda R&D engineer Ikuo Kajitani.

Before diving right into explaining the VTEC though, a little discussion is probably necessary on
the some of the basics of how a normal engine works. An engine creates combustion by letting
fuel and air into the cylinders and then "sparking" it, or creating a small explosion. These
explosions are what drive the vehicle, enabling the car to put power to the wheels. However,
there are a wide variety of factors that influence how quickly the engine creates combustion
and also how quickly it expels the exhaust waste that is created. One of the most important
factors, though, are the engine valves. The valves on an engine are the principle parts that allow
air to enter the engine, and are responsible for releasing exhaust. If the valves are not opened
and closed in a certain way, an engine becomes completely useless. Thus, a camshaft is used to
open and close the valves. The cams open the valves (lift) for a certain amount of time
(duration) during each intake and exhaust cycle. How does that happen? Well, a camshaft has a
number of lobes on it, when rotated, these lobes push or hit against the valves, thus opening
and closing them in a certain order. The shape of the lobes determines the timing, lift and
duration of each valve. Timing refers to an angle measurement of when a valve is opened or
closed with respect to the piston position (BTDC or ATDC). Lift refers to how much the valve is
opened. Duration refers to how long the valve is kept open. These three factors together
determine the air flow to the engine cylinder.

Now it is a simple fact that an engine requires large amounts of air flow when operating at high
speeds. However, a traditional piston engine often does not allow enough air to flow during
each cycle; the intake valves may close before enough air has entered each combustion
chamber, resulting in lower output performance. Conversely, a traditional piston engine that
has been designed to feature longer exhaust and intake cycles (i.e. the camshaft keeps the
valves open for longer periods of time) will cause unburnt fuel to exit the engine since the
valves are still open. This will result in lower engine performance, increased emissions and
reduced fuel efficiency at slower speeds. Perhaps at one time or another we've all heard the V-
8 hot rod that has a cam grind so radical that it can't even maintain an idle, and the driver must
constantly goose the accelerator to keep the engine running. For this reason, pure racing
engines which are designed to idle at speeds close to 2,000 rpm, cannot idle well at the lower
speeds (around 800 rpm) expected of a road car. This brings us to the fact that optimal low
RPM valve timing, lift and duration settings would result in insufficient filling of the cylinder
with 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. Therefore the optimal valve timing, lift and duration settings under low RPM
engine operations are very different from those under high RPM.

However the main problem was that a camshaft is usually designed with a "profile" in mind.
This entails the range in which the car is designed to run the best or with the most power. The
profile, or position and shape of the cam lobes on the shaft, is optimized for a certain engine
RPM and hence so is the timing and duration of the valve lift. One car may be equipped with a
low rpm camshaft, for instance, which is designed to function best when the engine is running
at a very low rotational rate. However, another car may have a camshaft which is designed to
open and close the valves in rapid succession when running at a very high rpm.

Herein we have one of the major factors in determining the performance of a vehicle. A car
needs an entirely different camshaft profile to effectively run at both high and low speeds.
Perhaps one can now see why it is almost impossible for a car to perform perfectly both at
lower speeds and still maintain good performance in the upper rpm ranges.

Honda, though, figured out a way for an engine to have multiple camshafts, and effectively
switch them out as needed. In this way 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 and stay open just the right amount of time for the engine speed in use. They named
the system, "VTEC", and that word has become a legend to anyone interested in import
vehicles and performance.

The idea and concept behind a VTEC is actually a very simple one, to allow an engine to run at
maximum efficiency through the entire RPM range, without weakness at one particular spot or
range. While the idea may sound simple, accomplishing it is somewhat of a labor.
At that time using radical cam grinds to improve engine horsepower was certainly nothing new,
but the problem lies in driveability. The very aspects of a cam grind that work so well for
horsepower (high lift, long overlap,etc.) do so by creating an ideal situation for a high air flow at
high engine speeds. Unfortunately, what works well for that situation has the inverse affect on
low speed torque and driveability. What to do? How about two different cam grinds, each
optimized for a different half of the rpm range. Honda achieves this with a rather simple
method. Picture, one cylinder of a DOHC, 4-valve per cylinder engine. There are 4 cam lobes,
each directly operating a valve (two intake, two exhaust). The VTEC system has two more cam
lobes, in between each pair of the other respective sets. These two can then be our high-rpm
lobes, while the other four are the low-rpm lobes. The low-rpm lobes in this case then actuate
the valves through a set of rocker arms, so that the mechanical connection can be broken if
desired. The third, high-rpm lobe also has it's own follower, but it is in a freewheeling state,
flopping around and not contributing anything. As our engine accelerates through it's rev range,
it passes through the power peak of the low-rpm lobes. Then, at the engine speed and throttle
position programmed into the computer's memory map a signal is sent which electronically
opens a spool valve, which then directs oil pressure to a mechanical sliding pin. This pin locks
the rocker arms actuating the valves to the follower on the high-rpm cam lobe. As this grind is
steeper and higher then the other four cams it will supersede them. In a few milliseconds you
have completely altered the valve timing and the engine's power band begins anew. The
obvious benefits to this are the high-rpm power associated with a radical cam grind, but with
little or no negative affects on low speed idle, driveability or torque. Just changing a fixed timing
engine to a cam grind equal to the high-rpm one used in the VTEC would produce an engine
which is utterly gutless below 5000rpm. Clearly, this system is intended to improve
performance first, with little effect elsewhere. But such a system can be used differently, as that
in the Civic VX. In this instance, the low-rpm lobes give a staggered timing, where one valve
opens fully but the second cracks just a bit. This is to induce a high swirl rate into the chamber
to promote better combustion, which, when combined with a computer-actuated lean burn
helps to achieve high mileage. The high-rpm lobes in this engine are a more conventional grind
associated with a sixteen valve 4-cylinder, to provide extra power in cases of passing or
merging.
 Fig. 1 The outside cams operate on the valves by outside rockers.

For every cylinder there are three cams on the camshaft and three rockers instead of the usual
two. At low to middle revs the outside in- and output cams are used. They have their own
rockers which operate on accompanying valves. These cams are designed for moderate lift and
timing. (Fig. 1).

Fig. 2 The three rockers are interconnected by the two hydraulically operated pins A and B.
The cam in the middle operates on the valves by the interconnected rockers.

At high revs the middle cam is used. It has a high lift and different timing. This cam operates on
the middle rocker. The indirect selection of the two different type of cams is done hydraulically
by shifting a pin, consisting of two parts A and B, in the rockers by which the middle rocker
takes along the two outside ones, which as a result, also receive the fast middle cam profile.
The valves are opened wide and for a longer period for more power. (Fig.2).

The two cam types have their own power distribution curve. At one point in both curves the
engine delivers the same power. At this point the motor management switches from one state
to the other. As a result the transition occurs smooth and without notice.
VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is an electronic and mechanical
system in some Honda engines that allows the engine to have multiple camshafts. VTEC engines
have an extra intake cam with its own rocker, which follows this cam. The profile on this
cam keeps the intake valve open longer than the other cam profile. At low engine speeds, this
rocker is not connected to any valves. At high engine speeds, a piston locks the extra rocker to
the two rockers that control the two intake valves.

The basic mechanism used by the VTEC technology is a simple hydraulically actuated pin. This
pin is hydraulically pushed horizontally to link up adjacent rocker arms. A spring mechanism is
used to return the pin back to its original position.

To start on the basic principle, examine the simple diagram below. It comprises a camshaft with
two cam-lobes side-by-side. These lobes drive two side-by-side valve rocker arms.

The two cam/rocker pairs operate independently of each other.

One of the two cam-lobes is intentionally drawn to be different.
The one on the left has a "wilder" profile, it will open its valve
earlier, open it more, and close it later, compared to the one on
the right. Under normal operation, each pair of cam-
lobe/rocker-arm assembly will work independently of each
other.

VTEC uses the pin actuation mechanism to link the mild-cam

rocker arm to the wild-cam rocker arm. This effectively makes
the two rocker arms operate as one. This "composite" rocker
arm(s) now clearly follows the wild-cam profile of the left rocker
arm. This in essence is the basic working principle of all of
Honda's VTEC engines.

Currently, Honda have implemented VTEC in four different configurations.

1. DOHC VTEC

2. SOHC VTEC

3. VTEC-E

4.3-stageVTEC
DOHC VTEC system employs all four valves at all times. The camshaft design had three lobes per cylinder,
two low cam lobes and one high cam lobe. The two low cam lobes were tuned for drivability and
economy. The high cam lobe actuated a cam follower that was disconnected from the two cam followers
that actuated the valves while at low rpm. When the motor reached higher engine speeds, a VTEC
solenoid sent hydraulic pressure to locking pins that connect all three cam followers. At this point, only
the radical third cam lobe actuated the valves for timing and lift. The increased timing and lift increased
airflow in and out of the cylinders at high speed, increasing power output.

This technology debuted in April 1989 in the Japanese-spec Integra as the B16A, a 1.6-liter DOHC engine
boasting 160 hp. It was followed by the Civic SiR with the same engine in the fall of the same year. As is
typical, the U.S. market heard about this, but didn't have the privilege of seeing any of this technology
until 1991, when Honda decided to incorporate VTEC into its V6-powered NSX super car.
The NSX was an awesome Japanese exotic and as such was way beyond the reach of the average
enthusiast. VTEC began popping up all over the Honda line, as the engineers incorporated it into both
fuel-efficient and high-power applications. From high-performance machines, like the NSX, to the
economy- and ecology-conscious hybrid Accord and Civic, VTEC is proudly badged on the valve cover. In
2001 Honda released its next iteration of VTEC, i-VTEC, in its new K-equipped Civic Si. The "i" stands for
intelligent, and incorporates VTC (Variable Timing Control), which is variable cam phasing on the intake
cam. It takes VTEC to another level by optimizing the cam timing in addition to the valve timing and lift.
The cam timing is computer controlled and optimizes the engine's performance at different rpm under
different load conditions. This not only improves economy but also increases power.
The following pictures shows Honda Accord VTEC engine diagram. The engine has a normal
4 valves per cylinder arrangement. At low end speed, the primary intake valve operates at normal
lift while the secondary intake valve opens only slightly to prevent fuel accumulation in the
intake port. At high engine speed the primary and secondary intake rocker arms are connected to
the mid intake rocker arm to allow high valve lift. A synchronizing piston connects/disconnects
the three intake rocker arms. Hydraulic pressure against a timing piston moves the synchronizing
piston A and B one direction, while a stopper piston and return spring moves the synchronizing
piston back when hydraulic pressure is reduced.

The above VTEC engine diagram shows following parts: primary rocker arm, camshaft,
synchronizing piston A, synchronizing piston B, timing piston, intake valve, timing plate, mid
rocker arm, and secondary rocker arm.
The VTEC system is a simple method of endowing the engine with multiple camshaft
profiles optimized for low and high RPM operations. Instead of one cam lobe actuating each
valve, there are two: one optimized for low-RPM stability & fuel efficiency; the other
designed to maximize high-RPM power output. Switching between the two cam lobes is
controlled by the ECU which takes account of engine oil pressure, engine temperature,
vehicle speed, engine speed and throttle position. Using these inputs, the ECU is
programmed to switch from the low lift to the high lift cam lobes when the conditions mean
that engine output will be improved. At the switch point a solenoid is actuated which
allows oil pressure from a spool valve to operate a locking pin which binds the high RPM
cam follower to the low RPM ones. From this point on, the poppet valve opens and closes
according to the high-lift profile, which opens the valve further and for a longer time. The
switch-over point is variable, between a minimum and maximum point, and is determined
by engine load. The switch back from high to low RPM cams is set to occur at a lower
engine speed than the up-switch to avoid a situation in which the engine is asked to
operate continuously at or around the switch-over point.
One can actually tell a VTEC simply by looking at the camshaft. Whereas most camshafts have
small primary and secondary lobes with which to push on the valves, a close look at a VTEC
camshaft reveals a bigger lobe centered between the two smaller, main lobes. At first, this idea
may seem entirely confusing, and the idea of big central lobe may seem to complicate more
than help, but with the proper system in place, that big lobe can make all the difference in the
world.

The point at which the VTEC lobes begin to act on the engine is commonly referred to as "VTEC
crossover". This is nothing other than the point at which the system is engaged,

When a VTEC does kick in, a small hydraulic pin is pushed through the three separate lobes, in
fact creating one large lobe designed to run at incredible effectiveness at high RPM. Usually the
crossover point in a stock car is somewhere around 5,000 or 5,500 RPM. Although aftermarket
products are sold which enable one to mess around with the point at which the VTEC is
activated.

However, a VTEC does not just simply turn on, a variety of factors have to be properly read by
the ECU and determined to be in the correct position before the system will work. Generally, a
VTEC equipped car's ECU will read oil pressure, which is of essential importance in the system,
engine speed and rotation, position of the throttle, water temperature, and several other factors
which may be different depending on which car is being analyzed.