In order to give some of its cars a little more power and responsiveness, Honda created the VTEC system. The system has to do with how the pistons are moved within the valves of the engine.
VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Control. Honda created the system to improve the volumetric efficiency of its engines. Simply put, volumetric efficiency refers to the capability of the engine to move the charge in and out of the cylinder. The higher the efficiency, the better the engine will run at higher RPMs.
The first VTEC engines appeared in Honda vehicles in the 1989 model year in the popular Civic and CRX hatchbacks. Since then the engine has taken several forms, including a hybrid version as well as versions intended for use in the motorcycles Honda produces. The system was invented by Honda engineer Ikuo Kajitani.
The introduction of VTEC brought great benefits to the Honda lineup. Along with the capability to produce more power in a smaller engine, the technology also increased fuel economy considerably.
There are several different types of VTEC engines in use. The i-VTEC allowed the car to change the way the engine runs intelligently via the car's computer to improve performance. Honda also uses a SOHC (Single Over Head Cam) VTEC and a hybrid version of the i-VTEC engine.
There are times when the VTEC may not work. A cursory search of the Internet reveals that a low engine oil level can cause the VTEC to fail.
