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Is VTEC noticable in a 1.8?

6390 Views 61 Replies 27 Participants Last post by  shinybadrobot
Hi all,

I'm an EP3 owner, and have just bought a 1.8 ES for my wife. Took it on my first good run (on my own ;)) last night and could not notice VTEC engage.

In my EP3, it's very noticable, the car screams into life.

My question is, is it less noticable in the 1.8 new Eigth gen variants?

thanks in advance
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You may want to give this link a read buddy. Makes good reading.

http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/R18A/index.html
Take a look at the Wiki:

VTEC - Civinfo Wiki

The VTEC in your 1.8 is very different to that in the 2.0 in that it's all about economy rather than power.
No, not if you mean a surge of power, it is suppose to be a seamless transition..
I don't think he knows... someone let him down gently.
I don't think he knows... someone let him down gently.
I made the same mistake :(. Go lightly guys.
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Take a look at the Wiki:

VTEC - Civinfo Wiki
This.

I blame Honda...
They market it as VTEC, they should call it EcoTEC or something (im no marketing wiz)
But no one seems to explain to new buyers that they dont have a small CTR block under the hood!
Thanks for the replies guys.......... firstly [smilie=sadlook.gif] :facepalm:

This.

I blame Honda...
They market it as VTEC, they should call it EcoTEC or something (im no marketing wiz)
But no one seems to explain to new buyers that they dont have a small CTR block under the hood!
I agree with you. I do feel slightly disappointed but I knew I wasn't buying a performance engine so ah well.
Its still a great engine mate. I enjoy driving my CTS GT like the first day i bought it back in April. So many things you can do to the car. Dont be too upset buddy.
I knew I wasn't buying a performance engine so ah well.
No but you thought you were buying a VTEC engine that's similar to the CTR engine, and no one told you otherwise! :(
It's not your fault and it's a reasonable question to ask (albeit asked a billion times before!)

A few people argue that they have VTEC and they can feel it 'kick' blahblahblah, but you yourself know they VTEC kick, which is what raised your question (not the VTEC badge)
There is (apparently) a noticable feel when it changes over, but if you feel that when accelerating you're driving too slow ;) hehehe
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This.

I blame Honda...
They market it as VTEC, they should call it EcoTEC or something (im no marketing wiz)
But no one seems to explain to new buyers that they dont have a small CTR block under the hood!
Or, say, ETEC :p
As far as I know we have I-VTEC (at least thats the sticker saying I have on the back of my car ;D ) and not "normal" VTEC in our 1,8er Civics,which makes a pretty big difference, read this article, guess everythings explained there.

VTEC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
No.

If you leave it in 2nd and put your foot down it's no slouch. But I doubt even that is comparable to a CTR.

If the 1.8 feels slow to you though - try a 1.4 lol ;)
If the 1.8 feels slow to you though - try a 1.4 lol ;)
It's not that it feels slow. It is replacing a 140bph Celica for the wife, and feels slightly heavier but around the same speed as that (Parkers treats it as almost identical 0-60).

My point was that it doesn't have what I call "VTEC kick", and thanks to the kind chaps on the forum I now know why
No worries; glad you got it answered. Was just trying to underline their point by making an example of my own experience.
I wasn't saying it's slow kat! :D

Just making a point that the VTEC switch-over is when you leave "dawdle" mode, someone accelerating half throttle then flooring it wont feel a 'kick' at any point in the rev range, as it shouldn't be in "eco" when moderately accelerating
But if you drive along at a steady 30 in 4th and put your foot down, you may well feel the switchover :)
I agree that they should use a different term for the i-VTEC system. I'd have thought it would be likely to hurt them the other way round, if I was looking for an economical daily driver and didn't know much about it, I think the idea of a "firebreathing VTEC" engine might put me off. Seems like silly marketing to me.. but then lots of things do :S
The 1.8 moves over to high output cam at 3500rpm or when you floor it. It changes the exhaust valve timing. Its transition is not obvious but its benefit results in 140hp peak power, quite a bit from a NA 1.8.
I agree that they should use a different term for the i-VTEC system. I'd have thought it would be likely to hurt them the other way round, if I was looking for an economical daily driver and didn't know much about it, I think the idea of a "firebreathing VTEC" engine might put me off. Seems like silly marketing to me.. but then lots of things do :S
But the other side is that if marketed as VTEC, it sounds like an affordable "baby" typeR vtec engine to a younger audience!
If you get me ?
IBut if you drive along at a steady 30 in 4th and put your foot down, you may well feel the switchover :)
Yes, that makes sense. Maybe I should try it... I usually drop it down to 3rd though first...
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