What is the point of VTEC on an automatic?

sillymofo

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Of course we're talking about Hondas, in the automatics, the shift point is set either before or at the RPMs where VTEC would kick in, so what's the point? :confused:
 

TLfromAI

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Jun 22, 2002
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Last time I checked automatic transmissions had variable shift points. That being said I drive an Accord V6 VTEC and when it gets past 3500 rpm you can hear the VTEC kick in.
 

ThisIsMatt

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Aug 4, 2000
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Well let's see...I manually control the shifting of my auto honda every day. And it does have a finite number of gears, so once in top gear it could reach rpms where vtec would enable...









...if I had vtec.
 

sillymofo

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Originally posted by: ElFenix
ever floor it?
To my limited understanding, the VTEC kicks in at around 4700 RPMs, and the first gear shifts at around 4500, tried that many times.
 

ElFenix

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Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
Originally posted by: ElFenix
ever floor it?
To my limited understanding, the VTEC kicks in at around 4700 RPMs, and the first gear shifts at around 4500, tried that many times.

wtf are you flooring a new car for?
 

sillymofo

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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
Originally posted by: ElFenix ever floor it?
To my limited understanding, the VTEC kicks in at around 4700 RPMs, and the first gear shifts at around 4500, tried that many times.
wtf are you flooring a new car for?
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird

I don't think I've ever seen an automatic go to redline before shifting... My Acura TL S doesn't, my SVT Lighting doesn't, and my Volvo 960 didn't.... Now, I'm not totally flooring it, but I'm getting down there.
 

sillymofo

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Originally posted by: BD231
What is VTEC exactly?
Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control, A Honda proprietary system in which cam timing, valve duration and lift is varied according to the needs of the driver -- fuel economy (normal driving) and power (pedal to the metal). Each cam has two profiles and rpm determines the shifting from one profile to the other.

Here's how it works.
 

sillymofo

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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).
oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird
No, that's not it, what I'm saying is it shifts BEFORE the VTEC kicks in... hence the post. => Transmission shift gears before the VTEC shift cams, is that better?
 

ElFenix

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wow did they ever mess up on what vtec stands for. original vtec isn't electronic at all. just operated on oil pressure to change the cam profile. its supposed to be variable timing engine control. what they said sounds more like toyota's name for it.
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird

I don't think I've ever seen an automatic go to redline before shifting... My Acura TL S doesn't, my SVT Lighting doesn't, and my Volvo 960 didn't.... Now, I'm not totally flooring it, but I'm getting down there.

all the autos with tachs i've ever driven have shifted at the line when floored. that includes my old roommate's CL
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
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Is that in all gears, or just low gears?

I've gotten a little too into the Acura off the line before, and it's scary. The front wheels seem to jump up and down, and you lose steering capabilities... And that was only around 5k rpm. I've mashed the accelerator on the highway before, and it went pretty high, up around 6.5k, but red isn't until 7k+.

Mashing the accelerator off the line in the lightning will cause you go entirely out of control. Rear end swings out, it's wild. But again, on the highway, it seem to shift around 5k when you're really into it, and red is at 5.2k, so that's just short of redline.

Edit: And my Volvo 960 3.0L I6 was REALLY wierd. It redlined at 6.5k, but always shifted by 5k, even if you had the pedal waaaay down.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
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Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird

I don't think I've ever seen an automatic go to redline before shifting... My Acura TL S doesn't, my SVT Lighting doesn't, and my Volvo 960 didn't.... Now, I'm not totally flooring it, but I'm getting down there.

Why the fvck would you buy a lightning and NOT floor it?
 

eshtog

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Jun 7, 2001
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I have a 98 4cyl honda accord with vtec and when I floor it, it switches at redline even in 1st gear
 

johnjbruin

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Jul 17, 2001
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Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird

I don't think I've ever seen an automatic go to redline before shifting... My Acura TL S doesn't, my SVT Lighting doesn't, and my Volvo 960 didn't.... Now, I'm not totally flooring it, but I'm getting down there.

you sure have a really weird foot. i hav floored almost all cars i have driven and taken all of them to redline many many times.
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
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Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
No, not the new car, my other Accord, the '99 coupe (v-6 also).

oh ok. your car doesn't wait until redline to shift? weird

I don't think I've ever seen an automatic go to redline before shifting... My Acura TL S doesn't, my SVT Lighting doesn't, and my Volvo 960 didn't.... Now, I'm not totally flooring it, but I'm getting down there.

Why the fvck would you buy a lightning and NOT floor it?

If you floor it from a standstill, you won't go anywhere. You might spin around in circles, or semicircles, or run into the car sitting next to you at the light... but you won't go fast. You have to take it easy... There's another lightning owner on the board who can back me up on this.
 

boomdart

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Jan 10, 2004
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VTEC engages at 3,500rpms on your J30A1 engine, but there are a few determining factors as to whether or not it will engage such as; car speed, throttle position, atmospheric pressure, engine oil temperature.

Just don't be surprised if you never feel it "kick-in." You are in an accord, not a Prelude or RSX(i-Vtec).