PRODUCT DETAILS
SpeedFactory Racing Titanium VTEC Eliminator Pin Kit - Honda H Series
Building an H series Prelude motor for the strip and want VTEC locked on solid, with no way for it to drop out when you're deep in a run? This is the kit for it. SpeedFactory's titanium VTEC eliminator pins lock your H series rockers together so the engine stays on the high cam the whole time, no solenoid doing the switching, no wiring that can let you down at the worst moment. Before you get excited though, here's the honest part: this is a race-only piece. It's made for drag motors that spend their life at high RPM and barely idle, not for a street-driven Prelude. If that's the kind of build you're working on, keep reading.
Straight Up: Race Cars Only
We're not being cute about this, don't put these in a street car. Locking VTEC means your H series runs the aggressive high cam lobe all the time, which is perfect for a drag car that's always up in the RPM and only on the line for a handful of seconds. Try to drive that around town and you're running the high lobe down at low RPM where it has no business being, and it'll grind through your cam lobes and rocker pads fast. Build it into a dedicated race car and it's exactly what you want. Daily it and you'll regret it.
The Real Reasons Racers Lock VTEC
There's solid logic behind doing this, more than one reason actually. For starters, these pins are titanium and come in 37% lighter than your stock pins, pulling 8.3g off every rocker assembly. That's weight gone straight out of the valvetrain, which helps your valves keep moving the way they should and holds off valve float when you're really wringing the motor out. On top of that, you wipe out any chance of a wiring issue or a tired VTEC solenoid kicking you out of VTEC mid-pass, and when that happens at the track, your run's over. And here's the one people don't see coming: with the VTEC system out of the picture, you actually free up oil pressure to your bottom end and your camshaft spray bars. More oil exactly where you want it.
What's In The Kit And Your Setup Options
You get 8 pins to lock VTEC on any H series VTEC engine. You've got some choices on how you finish the job. Your VTEC solenoid can stay put, since an installed solenoid that's never activated just sits there doing nothing, working the same as a block-off plate, or you can run an actual block-off plate, whichever you prefer. Your lost motion assemblies (LMAs) are the same deal, leave them in or pull them out, both work fine. We'll tell you which way we lean in the install notes.
Read Every One Of These Install Notes
Don't skim this section. SpeedFactory has run these pins in their own race cars for years with no trouble, and following these guidelines is the whole reason why. Stick to them and you'll get the same results. Ignore any of them and you can chew up a cam lobe and rocker pads quick, so slow down and do it properly.
Cam Lobes And Rocker Pads
First thing, take a good look at your camshaft lobes and rocker pads. They've got to be smooth and healthy, no scuffing, no scoring, no pitting anywhere. If you spot any of that, sort it out before you install these, because putting them on top of already-damaged surfaces is the quickest way to wear them out.
Oil And Valve Spring Pressure
This one bites people, and it's not even unique to locking VTEC, it's just as true with the VTEC system working normally. Aggressive aftermarket cams and high-seat-pressure springs will tear up your cam lobes and rocker pads if your oil isn't carrying serious high-pressure additives. Here's what we run:
- Oil with high ZDDP, 1200+ ppm. We've had great luck with Torco SR-1r, SR-5r, or TR-1r.
- Valve spring seat pressure between 85 and 100 lbs, that's the range that's treated our race cars well.
- Push much past 100 lbs of seat pressure and you'll get accelerated wear, so resist the urge.
Valve Lash (Don't Get This Wrong)
Set your valve lash correctly or you'll pay for it with early cam lobe and rocker pad wear. On an H series (same as B series), measured at the VTEC lobe, your minimums are:
- Intake: 0.006" minimum
- Exhaust: 0.008" minimum
Never run tighter than that. It feels backward, we know, but going tighter on the lash here will hurt your cam lobes and rocker pads, so set it to these numbers at minimum and don't go under them.
LMAs And The VTEC Solenoid
You can run your lost motion assemblies in or out, we've done it both ways without issue. Here's the trade-off so you can decide: leaving them in lets them work as a helper spring, but it holds the rocker pads against the cam's base circle. Taking them out keeps the oil film from getting wiped off that base circle, which helps prevent wear, so that's the route we'd go, pull them. As for the solenoid, like we said, one that's installed but not activated does nothing, same as a block-off plate, so run it either way.
Spray Bar Oiling Mod (Do It)
One last thing we really push any time you're running a locked VTEC, single, or dual lobe setup. Weld shut the cam lobe oiling holes in your spray bars that you're not using anymore, then open up the ones you are using to .078" with a 5/64" drill bit. That sends more oil and cooling to the exact lobes and rocker pads now doing all the work, and it pays off, clearly less wear and a lot more life out of these high-wear parts.
Fits These Engines
This kit works on H series VTEC engines, which is the Prelude crowd. If you're running an H series with VTEC, check your engine against the list below before you order.
- 1993-1996 Honda Prelude VTEC
- 1997-2001 Honda Prelude Base/Type SH
What You Get
- SpeedFactory Racing titanium VTEC eliminator pin kit for Honda H series VTEC engines
- 8 locking pins
- Titanium construction, 37% lighter than stock pins (8.3g per rocker assembly)
- Reduces valvetrain weight to help prevent valve float at high RPM
- Removes the risk of VTEC dropout from wiring or solenoid issues
- Increases oil pressure to the bottom end and cam spray bars
- VTEC solenoid can stay in place or be replaced with a block-off plate
- LMAs can stay or be removed (removal recommended)
- Race and drag use only, not for street cars
Note: SpeedFactory Racing titanium VTEC eliminator pin kit for Honda H series VTEC engines, 8 pins per kit. Fits H series VTEC engines found in the 1993-1996 Honda Prelude VTEC and 1997-2001 Honda Prelude Base/Type SH. Titanium pins are 37% lighter than stock (8.3g per rocker assembly), reducing valvetrain weight to help prevent valve float at high RPM, removing the chance of VTEC dropout from wiring or solenoid issues, and increasing oil pressure to the bottom end and camshaft spray bars. This is a race-only part intended for drag applications with high RPM operation and limited idle or low-RPM use, not for street cars. Proper installation is critical: inspect cam lobes and rocker pads for any scuffing, scoring, or pitting; run oil with 1200+ ppm ZDDP (such as Torco SR-1r, SR-5r, or TR-1r) and valve spring seat pressure of 85 to 100 lbs; set valve lash at the VTEC lobe to a minimum of 0.006" intake and 0.008" exhaust; LMAs may be left in or removed (removal recommended); and the VTEC solenoid may be left installed and inactive or replaced with a block-off plate. SpeedFactory also recommends welding shut unused cam lobe oiling holes in the spray bars and enlarging the used holes to .078" with a 5/64" drill bit for improved lubrication and longevity. One kit per order.