Hi guys,

I used to have a civic si 1.6L 93 hatch - vtec engine 5sp (miss it to death) and recall vtec was really felt around 5600rpms

I'm about to get a 09 fit LX manual - with the ivtec engine, is there a certain point when the cam changes ?

I have not really driven one of the newer ivtec engines before

thanks for ur input

 

I think the iVtec actually comes in around 3500 RPM or so (it varies a bit based on throttle position and other factors known only to the computer). It's really pretty smooth, though. Not a big rush of power, but the engine feels pretty snappy over 4000 RPM (keeping in mind that it's still 1500cc moving a 2500# car).

Uncle Gary likes it!

 

To me it doesn't seem to have the obvious "kick" that the older VTEC engines did when it cuts in. I think maybe they tuned it for the power to come on more gradually.

 

Unlike the old D & B series engines that used VTEC, the Crossover point is much more variable so where your D16 might have kicked in around 5500rpm +/-200rpm, the i-VTEC system can come in much lower to provide torque at lower rpms. This means that you probably won't feel the power "Kick" like in the older VTEC engines because of the rpm range that you are at when it is engaged (especially under harder acceleration).

It's a better system... but less "fun" than the wail you could potentially get from the old system, especially if you have ever been in a B18C1 or C5.

~SB