Its funny how we see threads for this at least once a week lol

search!

let car warm up.

3 bars for ap1, more for ap2 I hear. I drive a ap1 so I dont care to listen about ap2 bars.

 

it doesn't need 3 bars, at least for me it doesn't. not that I try to do this or anything, since it is bad for the engine, but I've gotten 2 bars and needed to turn onto a road w/ traffic and and gone into VTEC w/o realizing that my car was only warmed up to 2 bars.

and it has nothing to do w/ oil pressure. I'm at 85psi on a cold start. The ECU limits the redline because of the water temp sensor.

 

hmmmmm, interesting

 

i would have to respectfully disagree with your last statement. i am no expert but from all of the research i have done on this and all of the threads that start over this topic have the same conclusion, the vtec will not engage unless there is enough oil pressure. As the engine heats up the oil thins out and creates more pressure thus waiting until 3 bars(ap1) and more on the ap2.

 

It needs to be at like 2.5 bars, but obviously that cannot be measure with only reading full bars. It is easiest to wait until it is at a full 3 bars so you know for sure, but when it is almost at 3 bars but still at 2 bars sometimes you can put it into vtec.
Safe side, just wait until you 3 bars and go for it.

 

why would you try to use vtec when the engine was cold any way ?

 

well fyi, mine works fine at 2 bars, 01 ap1 gpw (cause we are special)

 

2 bars here. Tried it many times. Sue me.

 

I've had it cut out at 2 bars, and I've had it be perfectly OK at 2 bars. Our temp displays don't have very high resolution. It's probably somewhere around 2.5 bars. 3 bars is a pretty good safe indicator for my AP1.

And yes, it feels like the brakes are being applied.

 

Anyone know anything about the damage it could cause?