Best New Technology Award
Contender #5: Honda's i-VTEC engine technology
by Jim Kerr

Honda technology is always at the cutting edge: designed, refined, implemented, and produced to perfection. The latest Honda technology to hit the streets is actually an improvement on their VTEC (Variable valve Timing and lift Electronic Control) engine technology. They call it i-VTEC (the i is for intelligent) and Honda presented it to the Technology panel of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada at their annual Car of the Year testing as a candidate for the year's "Best New Technology".

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Currently i-VTEC technology is available on two Honda products; the 2002 Honda CRV and the 2002 Acura RSX. Two complimenting systems are part of the i-VTEC system. Variable valve lift is accomplished by using two rocker arms and different camshaft profiles to change the opening of the valve. The other technology is a computer controlled variable camshaft actuator that can vary a camshaft up to 50 degrees relative to crankshaft angle. Let's look at each in a little more detail.

Varying the camshaft in relation to the crankshaft is done with engine oil pressure acting on an actuator located on the end of the intake camshaft. The computer varies the oil pressure to change the rotation of the camshaft on its drive sprocket. This changes the valve overlap. Valve overlap is the amount of time both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. Retarding the camshaft decreases the amount of overlap, while advancing the camshaft increases overlap.

Valve overlap plays an important part in engine operating characteristics. Very little overlap gives the engine a smooth idle and good slow speed torque, but it hinders high rpm engine performance. A large amount of overlap allows excellent engine breathing at high rpm but causes a rough idle and poor performance at low rpm. By varying the camshaft rotation and amount of overlap, the engine can have excellent performance at both low and high speeds.

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Variable valve lift is accomplished by opening the valves with two different rocker arms and camshaft lobes. In the past, Honda operated VTEC engines with three rocker arms: two to open the two intake valves and a third that could be locked to the other two causing them to follow a different camshaft profile. With the new "two rocker" design, only one valve is opened at lower engine speeds. This causes the intake air fuel mixture to swirl, optimizing combustion at lower engine speeds. At a rpm programmed into the engine computer, oil pressure is used to lock the two rocker arms together. Now both valves open together but follow the higher camshaft profile the second rocker arm follows.

On the Honda CRV and 160 hp Acura RSX, only the intake valves are operated using this system. On the 200 hp Acura RSX Type S, both the intake and exhaust valves use this technology. Like the VTEC system first introduced on the NSX, this operation of both intake and exhaust valves provide maximum horsepower and torque.

Increased performance is one advantage of the i-VTEC system. The torque curve is "flatter" and does not exhibit any dips in torque that previous VTEC engines had without variable camshaft timing. Horsepower output is up, but so is fuel economy. Optimizing combustion with high swirl induction makes these engines even more efficient.

Finally, one unnoticed but major advantage of i-VTEC is the reduction in engine emissions. High swirl intake and better combustion allows more precise air-fuel ratio control. This results in substantially reduced emissions, particularly NOx. Variable control of camshaft timing has allowed Honda to eliminate the EGR system. Exhaust gases are now retained in the cylinder when necessary by changing camshaft timing. This also reduces emissions without hindering performance.

Currently, the Honda CRV and Acura RSX models are the only 2002 models on sale in Canada that meet Tier 2 emission standards which come into effect in 2004. Honda's i-VTEC technology gives us the best in vehicle performance. Fuel economy is increased, emissions are reduced, driveability is enhanced, and power is improved. It is a good possibility to win AJAC's "Best New Technology".

Jim Kerr is a master automotive mechanic and teaches automotive technology. He has been writing automotive articles for fifteen years for newspapers and magazines in Canada and the United States, and is a member of the Automotive Journalist's Association of Canada (AJAC).

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