hey guys anyone who has read any of my post knows im super noob to civics and cars in general im 16 in about a week but does the 96 ex have a v-tec, from the chart in the sticky it says it does but im just trying to clairify cause it dosnt say v-tec on the head, also what is a v-tec controller is it worth the money to buy it if i do have a v-tec and what does it basicly do

thanks for any help
sorry for the noobieness ill understand it all one day lol

 

i know my car(1997 civic EX) is suppose to have the vtec in it but mine doesnt and i dont know why cuz the engine matches the VIN..But i heard that it is just a waterd down vtec and only gives you like 7 more hp...idk tho

 

whoa! you scared me! for a second there i could have sworn you said v-tech!

 

lol i did my bad musta hit "H" on accident

but that really didnt help me any 04civic

 

What car do you have? The VTEC found in SOHC engines is really more for MPG than for performance so i don't think a VTEC controller will help you that much.

 

I've got a 96 EX as well and for about a month after I purchased the car, I didn't even realize mine was a VTEC because like you noticed, it doesn't have it labeled anywhere to be seen. But when I went to replace the air filter and I looked up the size for the nonVTEC (thinking that's what I had), I bought it and realized it didn't fit. The VTEC has a square air filter and the nonVTEC is rectangular. Check your manual if you still have that, it should be listed on the specs page whether or not yours is a VTEC.

 

I have a 97 EX. It is a VTEC but it does not say VTEC on the motor. I'm pretty sure yours is the same. I don't know why but Honda did not put the "VTEC" label on these motors even though they are VTECs.

 

the 96-00 vtec civics DID NOT say VTEC anywhere on the valve cover. the simple ways to tell if the motor is VTEC or not:
1. All SOHC VTEC motors have their spark plugs on the lower half section on the valve cover. If your spark plugs are up on the top half, then its its not VTEC.
2. If you cant figure that out, look for the VTEC solenoid which is located normally on the left side or top left corner of the valve cover. it looks like this:



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