Is Vtec safe on an older Civic?

Is Vtec safe on an older Civic?

Author
Discussion

Acuity30

Original Poster:

286 posts

25 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
Mrs has a 2012 1.8 iVtec as her daily which I drove for the first time yesterday. FSH serviced religiously every year. 80ish k miles. Just wondering if it's safe to be revving it up to 5000+RPM? I know it's designed to handle it and it sounds good when you do but I'm just not used to an engine revving out that much to get power out of it

Xenoous

1,453 posts

65 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
I rev my 2012 Renault to over 5k RPM regularly. Still running. Rev the nuts of the thing, it'll be fine.

vikingaero

11,206 posts

176 months

Thursday 22nd February
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I had a 92 Civic VTi 4 door that I used as an everyday driver and as a monthly track car for about 6 years. Fresh oil and filters and it was good to go.

aka_kerrly

12,490 posts

217 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
VTEC is an incredibly reliable system and the I- "intelligent" system is strictly speaking always active moving the cam & valve timing around to optimise the engine performance.

The engine in your Civic ought to have a rev limit around 6800rpm and produces maximum torque at around 4000rpm , going over 5k isn't going to upset it in the slightest.

  • Honda certainly have experience when it comes to VTEC and high revs, many Type Rs rev to nearly 9000rpm

Whataguy

1,030 posts

87 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
Should be fine, Honda had a great reputation for engines and they don't mind revs.

I drove my Ep2 civic through Germany at the red line 6k as it was gearing limited for top speed.

My 2.0 Accord only made good progress in you kept it between 4k and 6k. The gearing was well done, as changing up at 6k dropped you down to 4k in the next gear.

I've also driven the 1.8 civics and they make good progress towards the top end of the rev range.

sam.rog

905 posts

85 months

Thursday 22nd February
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Its fine. Probably drive a bit better after a decent thrash.

LimmerickLad

2,121 posts

22 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
Rev the thing until it hits the limiter and it will love you for it wink

Jader1973

4,287 posts

207 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
LimmerickLad said:
Rev the thing until it hits the limiter and it will love you for it wink
I had an EG hatch and knew exactly where the limiter was - about 500 rpm beyond the redline iirc. It regularly entered that zone smile

Super Sonic

7,249 posts

61 months

Thursday 22nd February
quotequote all
I have an 02 civic with the old d16 engine and regularly go up to the higher revs.
I had a 89 1.4 and after changing the cambelt I hit 70 in second. It didn't have a rev limiter but was well past the redline.

Heathwood

2,797 posts

209 months

Thursday 22nd February
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Just make sure the oil’s nice and warm then give it hell. Anything less is a disservice.

tozerman

1,201 posts

234 months

Wednesday 28th February
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Had a few of these as company cars (worked for Honda). IMO the 1.8 ivtec engine is a peach and loves to be revved.
When you see how the factory tested their engines (6 weeks continuously on a dyno at max revs/load) with zero wear measured) you will take great pleasure in revving it out as it suits...