I have a SOHC d16y8 vtec. Now im fairly new to hondas actually just got my first one like last week soo i kno nothing about them. Now how do i kno when my vtec is kicking in or even if its not if soemthigns wrong with it? what can i check and when and how does it kick in?

 

Well, you couldwire up a vtec light, but to me, that doesn't really seem worth the effort. The easiest thing that I can think of to do is listen for it. I've found one really easy way to hear vtec:
Find a rather large, pretty steep hill. The reason for this is that the rpm's will climb slower than they would on a gentle-sloping hill or flat ground. This means that the 1,000rpm or so vtec buildup (contrary to popular belief, vtec doesn't hit all at once... the transition is smooth) will take longer, so it'll give you more time to hear it. Now, if you have an automatic, lock it into second or third gear (select said gear on your shifter... it won't shift to a higher gear now) and drive up the hill. If you have a manual,just remember to shift before redine. You should hear the engine get noticeably louder around 4,000 rpm and continue getting louder until about 4800rpm. Once 4800rpm rolls around, vtec is fully engaged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-EYlAXfmCQ<-- vtec crossover on a k20 engine... it's quick, but listen for it at 6000rpm. It sounds the same in a civic.

https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_248922/tm.htm<-- vtec light installation guide

hope all this helps

 

Thanks alot man yes this really helped alot.

 

If your not throwing a check engine light it is working and sorry, not to call anyone a liar but unless you have a 3 stage vtec it does hit all at once, there is absolutly no resemblence in the way it sounds on a K20 and your Y8.....sad but true.

 

I didnt' mean that the engine and everything will sound the same, I just mean that's how vtec sounds (how the engine gets louder and throatier). It's easier to listen to it when you knowat leastsort of what you're listening to. And for the record, my car (d16z6) starts getting progressively louder until vtec hits (and I'm not talking about it getting higher pitched because of the climbing rpms).