The inner workings of Vtec, yo

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I figure every time after saying or typing Vtec, you have to include "yo". Anyway, My vtec (yo) stopped working a little while back... which is annoying as hell, so today I set out to fix it (not really knowing what I'm doing). I also figured that people might be getting sick of seeing pictures of s13s and such (and even then, there seems to be a lack of anything technical right now), so here I am writing about it.

There she is boys, the mighty 2.2l Vtec, yoThe solenoid and module is located (in the above picture) to the rear of the distributor. Note, these pictures are older. You can see the solenoid sticking its head up, now to the right of the distributor.

I've been told reasons for Vtec not kicking in yo, include: dented oil pan, restricting the oil pickupblown oil pressure sensorfaulty VSSlack of oil pressurefaulty secondary butterfly componentdirty supply screenand in extremely rare cases, faulty solenoids

I figured I'd tackle the easiest one first, and also the cheapest, the dirty oil supply screen. I also figured I'd take everything apart, so I could get an idea of how everything works, and go from there. Besides, the car has almost 230k on it... I figured it would be a little dirty by now.

So that's what the module looks like after you unclip all the electrical connections, and remove the 3 bolts holding the module to the head.Next up, I removed the solenoid from the module.That is the screen. This picture is after I cleaned it up a little bit. She was pretty coked up with old gummy oil. I finished her off with a Q-tip.There is the Vtec solenoid, yo! In order to make sure it worked, I made a little jumper wire, and put one side on the positive side of my battery terminal, grounded the solenoid to the other side, and touched the positive wire to the solenoid wire. If it was stuck before, it isn't anymore. That much current going through it definitely forced that spool valve open, and some oil shot out. After cycling it a few times, I determined it was good.Supply oil on one side, output on the other.

I bolted the 2 halves back together, cleaned everything up real well (on the module, and the head), and bolted everything back together. After changing the oil, I started the car up, checked for leaks, let it warm up, then took it for a ride. Vtec is back, yo.

[Looneybomber]

A vtec aint a vtec without vtec yo! Good thing you got that *insert young kid slang word for car here* running mad tyte like whoa.

[frapjap]

dayum! Thats tight, dawg! You went all mad scientist on that Vtec yO!

[IanS]

Good old gunky oil.

Looks like you need an engine flush. That oil is pretty dark.

PS, when was the last time you found some vomit?

[240sxdriftSRT-4]

great write up and Vtec, yo FTW!

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Good old gunky oil.

Looks like you need an engine flush. That oil is pretty dark.

PS, when was the last time you found some vomit?

Well, the first pics were pre-seafoam (a LONG time ago), and the latest ones are literally RIGHT before I changed the oil.

Last time I found vomit in my car was about 2 weeks after Torry put it there. It doesn't smell anymore. I had to take my damn door apart though.

[mmm240]

That's good shiit yo. You should try some o that mobil clean 5000 yo. It's got detergents and thangs yo.

[arabdrifter]

..good right up

[PapaSmurf2k3]

That's good shiit yo. You should try some o that mobil clean 5000 yo. It's got detergents and thangs yo.

The car has 230k on it... what did you expect? Chrome?

[mmm240]

I'm saying for the future man. It'll clean yo shiit up... yo

[Logan76]

All you need is a 100lb bottle of NAWZ hauled on a snall trailer behind you. oh boy, im a Honda owner also

[asoomal]

OMG! That's the VTEC solenoid?

A guy came in today looking for that gasket that goes on the VTEC solenoid, and he didn't know what it was, and I thought it was the IACV solenoid, asked my co workers, they said the same thing, but couldn't find a listing on the computer. It looked exactly like that:



Should've went on NICO earlier :P

[xekushnr]

Now all you need is a 5" tach mounted to the dash and a 180mph speedometer. You know, just in case.

[Chris28]

So the solenoid "turns on" when it sees a certain oil pressure? That's cool. A friend of mine just boosted his Integra gsr, and boost and when you get boost and vtec to hit at the same time, man it's crazy haha.

Vtec is really cool, but I would never want to rebuild a honda head.

[BoostWanted]

So the solenoid "turns on" when it sees a certain oil pressure? That's cool. A friend of mine just boosted his Integra gsr, and boost and when you get boost and vtec to hit at the same time, man it's crazy haha.

Vtec is really cool, but I would never want to rebuild a honda head.

you do realize you said cool and honda in the same sentence, right?

[DrifterXRPS13]

Vtec just kicked back in yo!

Nicely done, i have none vtec on my DA so just pretend that vtec kicks in yo! my B18 has "torque" to make up for lack of vteck (yo)

[Mr1der]

it has as much torque as the VTEC B18

I wish I had VTEC on my exhaust cam too

[gammer_ghn]

So can someone make vteck kick in yo at lets say 2k Rpm??? Or it will just stall the car?

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

There would be no point, and you would lose a ton of torque, and possibly stall it or have lean misfires.I know, I once thought to myself a long time ago " Why not have V-tech on all the time yo?"Such were the days...

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Well, typically, a cam defines an engines powerband. A low lift/duration cam will result in a smooth idle, and decent low amounts of power. A high lift cam makes for a lumpy/unstable idle, but higher amounts of peak HP in the upper RPM ranges. This is why you see all these "variable valve timing and lift" type systems on cars... its kindof like having the best of both worlds.

[MastaYu]

nice vtec yo!

[Looneybomber]

So the solenoid "turns on" when it sees a certain oil pressure?

Yup, that's exactly how it works. On an s2k, it engages at 6k, but only if you're into the throttle. If you only apply a little throttle, vtec won't engage even if you are over 6k in an s2k.