So I've always been wondering why my vtec engages so low.. I figured the person before me changed the ecu or tuned it or something..

Not sure on 6 cyl but I know on 4cyl you actually loose power with vtec before 45

I beat base models by 3-4 cars and Ive even beaten a type s by a car 1/2

Anyway thanks in advance..

 

Interested to here some answers as well

 

Do you have any facts or dyno sheets to prove that your car engages VTEC at 4k? It's difficult to tell on the J series since it's a much smoother transition compared to B series.

 

It is very obvious when it is engaging on my car.. I drive my buddys base model and I can barely even hear or feel it .. I am 100% sure it engages at 4k i have been driving hondas for a while now and can feel the power gain and hear it..

 

It's really not. The J series has a very smooth VTEC transition. Unless you're really focused on listening for it you just can't hear it. As far as I know there's only 1 ECU option. Unless you've got that I really know think the VTEC engagement can be lowered.

 

Being this car is my first Honda, I'm not 100% sure, but it sounds like mine kicks in around 3500 or so, at least that's when my car starts to be loud, seems like no noise then screams somewhere between 3 and 4K. I have a basic understanding of it, is there a set point it should engage or multiple factors?

 

Educate yourselves.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/change-vtec-engagement-857211/

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/tl-type-s-powerband-vtec-632480/

 

If your vtech kicked in at 3-4k rpms do you realize how awful of a ride that would be?

I hit 3500 rpms coming off of a red light how would the car be able to maintain the vtech engagement through out the gears while still be a smooth "luxury" car?

 

Okay well all i know is at 37-4g my car picks up and changes sound completely and power is night and day

 

VTEC: All the lag, no turbo.
VTEC: Like waiting for bad sex

I definately get where you're coming from, best way I can describe it is past 3500 my car switches from making no noise to BWAAAAAAA. I'm used to pushrod engines that make over 300 ft lbs under 3000RPM so this VTEC stuff is definately new to me.

 

OP, your VTEC doesn't engage at 4K. You're probably hearing the butterflies open up. VTEC engages at 4700RPM for the base TL, both 5AT and 6MT. Unless you have some 1-off ECU (I bet against it) that changed your VTEC engagement, you're being fooled.

You're 20. How have you been driving Hondas a long time? Lol.

 

LOL! Pure noob here. He probably thinks he has a dohc motor too.

 

Lol. That's awesome. I miss being able to truly accidentally spin the tires right off of idle.

I think the thing past 3,500rpm is the switch from the long runners to the short runners. I can't tell when my actually goes on the big cam, the only way of telling it's functional is the fact that it pulls without fading off to the revlimiter.

FWIW to the others, the SOHC engines only have vtec on the intake lobe, physically not enough room for the hardware to do the exhaust as well so it's not as dramatic when it engages. Now if only Honda could catch up to the other manufacturers and instead of an on/off, it would have many, many points in between, keeping everything in it's optimum power/mpg/torque range.

 

The new RL has VTEC on both the intake and exhaust side. Check the thread on V*6*P There is something going on. Almost positive the J37a4 heads can be swapped and we can enjoy "DOHC-like" VTEC. Of course the heads aren't cheap, but I'm sure the swap would be worth it.

 

I have exhaust and I can still barely tell when vtec engages. Other than like said. No fade to rev limit (which my car sees on a normal basis )

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question229.htm