Originally posted by clickwir
So yes, VTEC does add more power... but it's original idea and design was just to make the engine more fuel efficent at higher RPMs.
no. more efficient at LOW rpms.
has anyone here ever heard a 350 with a lumpy cam in it before? it spits raw fuel out the pipe and idles like it's running a horseshoe shaped crank.
at cruising, the small lobes on a VTEC cam provide for better fuel economy... no need for a big, thick lobe to feed lots of air and fuel into the cylinder when you're cruising or putting around town under 50mph.
but with that smallish lobe, your fuel economy is great, birds are singing, the sun beans down and smiles upon the earth... until you want to get on the highway.
so, instead of increasing displacement (being fuel inefficent), why not make the motor rev higher? well, you need a cam that can breathe at high rpm... and that small cam wont cut it. so why not have a switching system? you get your low-rpm efficiency, while you get more power for the times you need it. plus, you dont have to put up with feeling like driving a GM product with a 350 and a lumpy cam.
by knowing the formula for horsepower, it's easy to see why Honda went this route, with fuel economy in mind, but having a bit more power on tap when needed.