just for fun i put in a vtec indicator light.

followed these instructions:

http://www.hazone.com/hvlight.htm

but the ecu is actually near the passenger's left foot. just pull back the carpeting and you should see it.

btw, i have a 99 accord 2.3L I4 w/manual transmission.

here's the stuff i used:



bought this led w/holder and resistor pre-soldered:

http://www.radioshack.com/prod...61&cp

and i decided to put it right next to the cruise control button, so i popped out one of the tabs and made a hole in it. put in the led and crimped it onto some speaker wire using butt connectors.



put it in my car, running the wire behind the dash. spliced into the green wire w/yellow stripe (also using butt connectors) and attached the ground to a nearby bolt.

here's the final product:







i was very surprised at how often vtec is activated. nearly every time i accelerate it goes on, and stays on until i'm up to cruising speed. it seems to kick on just over 2000 rpms, which is also much lower than i thought.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xluben &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i was very surprised at how often vtec is activated. nearly every time i accelerate it goes on, and stays on until i'm up to cruising speed. it seems to kick on just over 2000 rpms, which is also much lower than i thought.</TD></TR></TABLE>

VTEC engagement is variable on your car, and will engage anywhere between 2300 and 3800 rpm, depending on vehicle speed, load, throttle position, etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philadd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

VTEC engagement is variable on your car, and will engage anywhere between 2300 and 3800 rpm, depending on vehicle speed, load, throttle position, etc.</TD></TR></TABLE>

thanks, good to know my car is normal

this graph:

http://i80.photobucket.com/alb...b.jpg

as well as my pre-conceived notions (reading as well as how my car feels) made me think that vtec was kicking on above 4k.

(it still feels like it gets a boost of power right at 4-4.5k rpms even though vtec is on before that, i guess that agrees with that dyno graph, but for other reasons).

 

That boost is just torque pulling you though the power band that's what the f series are made for torque

 

hmm... might do it... just for fun

 

kinda ricey....actually really ricey

 

i like electronics like that. i think it's pretty neat.
It's not a big honking light so it's not bad
And props for being able to do your own electrical work.
The only thing I would have done is not used butt connectors and soldered the connections. If that wire ever comes loose at the ecu it could be problems. Also I would have switched it so it's not irritating at night.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ilikehonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">kinda ricey....actually really ricey</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, i was trying to make it the least "ricey" as possible.

the led holder and decent size resistor make it so it's not super bright, and i tried to mount it in an inconspicuous location.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ross 4107 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i like electronics like that. i think it's pretty neat.
It's not a big honking light so it's not bad
And props for being able to do your own electrical work.
The only thing I would have done is not used butt connectors and soldered the connections. If that wire ever comes loose at the ecu it could be problems. Also I would have switched it so it's not irritating at night.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i have no idea how i would have been able to solder onto the ecu wire, there is very little space under there.

i had the seat all the way back and still wasn't really able to fit my shoulders betwen the dash and the seat. plus really hot things and my car interior isn't something i'm really comfortable with.

i could have very easily soldered the wires onto the resistor, but it didn't really matter. butt connectors will hod fine, and if those come undone it won't do anything except disable the light.

if the ecu wire does come un-hooked im not sure what would happen, probably could be bad, but they're crimped tight, so i'm not too concerned.

a switch would have been really easy to implement and if i wanted i could still put one in quite easily. if it gets too bothersome i'll throw one on, but that led setup isn't all that bright.

also, i could just pop out the tab and move it to the other side of the cruise control button, then the steering wheel blocks it from my field of view.