Reader Response Draft 4

The web page, "What is Honda VTEC and how it works," (Hevesey, 2023) introduces the concept of VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Electronic Lift Control), which is mainly used by Japanese automotive maker, Honda. VTEC makes use of rocker arms and camshaft to control the output power of the engine with a dual-profile camshaft that has two smaller outer lobes with a bigger center lobe. Principally, at low revolutions per minute (RPMs), the rocker arms are engaged with the two smaller outer camshaft lobes. Transiting to higher engine RPMs, the engine would see all three rocker arms on each cylinder fully engaged, actuating all three camshaft lobes, performing at their peak potential. VTEC was essentially made with the idea of maximizing mileage (Km/L) while still ensuring the vehicle is push out every bit of performance that is available in the engine through the action of the rocker arms and camshafts. 

Honda became a leader in the industry by introducing VTEC, a ground-breaking innovation that brings multiple benefits to drivers, mainly the balance of power and fuel economy and an increase of engine power, through its dual-profile camshaft and lift control with better exhaust emission controls.

With the dual-profile camshaft and lift control, VTEC can increase the engine’s maximum speed, which leads to higher peak power, as much as a 25% increase (Layosa, 2014). This is because as the engine revolution speed increases, the engine control unit signals a spool valve to channel oil pressure, activating a pin that will lock the other two outer rocker arms to the arm in the center. This will then force the two outer arms to react upon the center cam, leading to a longer duration, higher lift, and timing optimized for high-end horsepower (Honda, 2022).

The implementation of dual-profile camshaft and lift control in VTEC achieves the balance of power and fuel economy. At lower to mid-range RPMs, the engine can deliver improved fuel efficiency and torque for everyday driving conditions while at higher engine RPMs, VTEC is actuated to provide higher power and performance (Vin’s Automotive Group, n.d.). Depending on traffic conditions and demand, the driver has the option to stay within the low to mid-revolution range to gain fuel economy or drive at higher engine revolution range for more power and performance.

With emission controls becoming increasingly stringent worldwide, exhaust emissions are also improved through the application of VTEC. The overlap between exhaust and intake valves means that exhaust gasses will reenter the cylinder. For travelling at medium speeds with light engine loads like expressway travel, engine efficiency increases through driving the vehicle in the engine RPM range that will activate VTEC. The exhaust gas recirculation will, therefore, reduce the amount of fuel the engine requires to run the engine, improving fuel consumption (Layosa, 2014).

However, the application of VTEC in engines also includes drawbacks. This is mainly down to maintenance and issues with engine components. It is common for water pumps and thermostats to fail through mileage and over time, and it is expensive to fix should there be any issues considering the labor-intensive work and price of the original Honda parts (Sapko, 2022), as it involves removing the engine from the vehicle to be able to reach and access it. While VTEC solenoids in the engines rarely break down, it is common for VTEC to not engage at the RPM range when it should be.  This is due to VTEC mainly utilizing electronics to actuate, which is prone to issues occurring if wires are faulty or when terminal connections are loose (MotorTrend, 2010). In vehicle maintenance, handling of electronics is often more expensive and tedious as compared to mechanical parts as it requires a specialized expertise and expensive electronic components for replacement.

At the same time, although these issues mentioned are common on Honda VTEC engines, the advantages that VTEC brings to the table far outweigh the disadvantages that come with it. With that being the case, it is no wonder that many still choose Honda's VTEC engines. As long as owners do their due diligence in maintaining the health of the engine, these issues would not be in the picture. 

Honda inspired and became a leader in the automotive industry through innovation of fine-tuning and introducing its their take on variable valve technology that has brought about many benefits. These include the balance between fuel economy and performance. This is, coupled with the company’s boldness to actively implement a technology that was not common at that time in the late 80s, to a wide range of their vehicles in its lineup. This not only gave Honda credit for the technological advancements in vehicle power plants and a reputation for being an innovative manufacturer, but also presented it with an edge over their rivals.


References
Hevesy (2023, June 10). Honda's VTEC System explained (and what makes it so good). Slash Gear.
 https://www.slashgear.com/1310401/what-is-honda-vtec-how-it-works/

Layosa (2014, July 1). Mechanical design: What are the effects of changing cam timing on power output and fuel efficiency? Variable Valve Timing benefits & fuel efficiency. MISUMI Mech Lab Blog. https://us.misumi-ec.com/blog/variable-valve-timing-benefits-fuel-efficiency/

Perkins (2023, April 7). How VTEC changed the World. Road & Track. https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a43541298/how-vtec-changed-the-world/

Sapko (2022, October 24). Honda VTEC engine: longevity, problems, and specs. CarAraC.com. https://cararac.com/blog/honda-vtec-engine-problems-durability.html

Honda (2022, February 7). VTEC®. Honda Newsroom. 
https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-b50efa689496a1943cdccc46490f00df-vtec

Vin's Automotive Group (n.d.) Why is the Honda VTEC engine so popular? https://vinsautogroup.com.sg/why-is-the-honda-vtec-engine-so-pooular/

MotorTrend (2010, November 1). VTEC troubleshooting.  
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/impp-1012-vtec-troubleshooting-tricks-of-trade/


 




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