Originally Posted by redgoober4life
Meh.
Guy at the track ran a 17.4 as his best time with a 5 speed 94 accord EX (VTEC). I ran a 17.7 best time with an automatic '97 SE (no-vtec).
Both are slow.
It's mainly to keep the engine's power curve smooth. (although you'd only notice it back to back). I don't believe there is a mileage issue between the two (i think the non-vtecs get, maybe, 1 more mpg then the vtecs).
Exactly. My best time with my slushboxed 1997 SE 2-door F22B2 (non-VTEC) was 17.5. I ran it six times down the track one trip out to our race park and I have not been back since. I have driven it nicely, like my grandma would since then instead of trying to treat it as if it were a true race car, because it is not. Unless you have serious cash, the Accord is a grocery getter and that is all there is to it (built for economical and reliabilty issues). It can be turned into a relatively quick car, but dumping that much cash may as well be spent on something that is far quicker out of the box, IE: S2000, GS-R Integra, maybe a 350Z.
Long story short, the VTEC in the EX 5th Gen is rather pointless. 10-15 hp and less torque: I will stick with my F22B2.