Cool beans! I just saw the economy cam profile in action.
The electrical connector for the economy VTEC actuator is easily accessible behind the right side of the valve cover. So I connected my voltmeter to the connector's black wire with white stripe (positive) and to ground and went out for a short drive.
Observations:
- The eco cam profile is only active in 3rd, 4th & 5th gears
- Coolant temp must be over 145 F (edit added Nov. 23)
- It remains active through gear changes (upshifts)
- I saw it working as low as 1000 RPM
- It de-activates under deceleration fuel cut-off (DFCO)
- It stays active up to relatively high engine load -- with gradual throttle application -- up to ~65% load, according to the ScanGauge.
- This VTEC transition is much more subtle than the lean burn transition in my 2000 Insight. I played a little game where, without looking at the voltmeter/indicator, I tried to guess whether I could feel the in/out transitions and missed a bunch of them.
- I wasn't able to see the MPG difference on / off the eco cam lobes, because I wasn't driving on a flat road. Maybe a subject for a future test.
I may just have to dig up an LED and make myself an eco light.
