The V-Tech engine is a Honda innovation that was first unveiled in the 1989 Integra, and is technically known as the VTEC.
VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control System and was developed by Ikuo Kajitani, a designer at the Honda Tochigi Research and Development Center.
The VTEC system is a specialized system of valve timings. Each engine cylinder has at least two valves; an intake valve that allows the mixture of fuel and air to be burned to enter the cylinder, and an exhaust valve to allow the spent exhaust gas to leave the cylinder.
VTEC engines allow the inlet and exhaust valves to be simultaneously controlled for opening and closing through specific timing and camshaft lift capabilities. This has the effect of increasing horsepower without increasing engine displacement (volume inside the cylinders swept by the piston). Using VTEC, the flagship 1989 1.6 Integra engine was boosted from 140 horsepower to 160 horsepower.
