brobo

So today I am going to install a vtec light in my 99 civic ex 5sp and this works for 96 to 2000.
First YOU NEED THIS from the shack

Parts from Radio Shack:
Package of 330 OHM resistors Part# 271-1113
5mm LED of your choice, I choose a high brightness led 5mm part#276-0017 i like it bright
Roll of 18-gauge wire (solid core part# 278-1223 )
Heat Shrink Tubing Part# 278-1627B ( I already had some )
Tap-in clips Part# 64-3052

bought a soldering iron cause my other broke
40 watt
also choose 60/40 rosin- core solder cause i t think its the best
for small objects

i used a clear dark blue cd case instead of the other crappy folder tabs like other diy

First you need to remove 2 screws located here



THEN REMOVE THIS COVER


This is what it looks like


REMOVE THESE SCREWS


Dont yank out but move the speedo till its loose and slide out



STOP AND UNPLUG ALL WIRE DONT YANK OUT AND RIP OUT CABLES AND CONNECTORS




Now that the speedo is out pop out these clips




Also do all the black plastic Blacks one to sorry no pic

no it looks like that

DONT FOR GET TO DO THE LITTLE LIGHT BULB OUT



Now it looks like this


Now take the black cover off speed the thin plastic with lights
and find empty location and take strip out i used the top left corner on



Now you need all these tools







a clear cd case




Now cut out a square or circle i used circle in pic but i used a square.


Now use inner cd holder
and cut out square

Now cut out so it covers the dash hole


NOW BECAREFUL and supper glue it on side no on front because u will se the glue if u mess up



NOW PRINT OUT IN Microsoft Paint font size 10 and lettering but white letter and black background


Cut it out so its center with hole
like this




Then hot glue the paper on use the glue only on corners not inside


I dont have next pics but u have to make led with the transistor and put it in the hole on rest of the speedo and either glue or tape the led in middle of the hole

and have wires coming out



now put the speedo together and put back in car like this and plug all wires in

now run positive wire to passenger side of car and find this

the ecu is there but u have to use force to pop out the cover and no u cant break it just yank


unplug the first 2 plugs toward u



Open the cover and locate the GREEN wire with YELLOW stripe. This is the VTEC wire. WARNING: There is also a YELLOW wire with GREEN stripe. This is the Fuel pump wire. When you have found this wire, use a wire tap and connect the wire from the ecu to the LED.

usaually for civic's it the grey plug but i could be wrong




THEN FIND A GROUND SO I USED THIS RIGHT BY SPEEDO AND GROUND WILL WORK





THIS IS A BAD PIC BUT


TO MAKE SURE VTEC LIGHT WORKS
turn ignition all the way before cranking postion and if the light lights up u did it wrong and have to find vtec wire not the fuel pump wire

THANKS


BROBO

tjg312

good tut, similar procedure too for the 7th gens. did it on my 03 civic as well.
personally i was lazy though and just drilled a hole into one of the little clips that are under the radio that you replace with the fog light switch. kinda funny when you're driving around and a random light starts shining and everyone's like wtf is that!?

brobo

yea i wanna post a video but the car has a bad oil pan gasket
so i just got the gasket and now im gonna install and record because i had my girlfriend wit me and she was like wtf is that?


so ill post a video as soon as i can

02civicsi02

Its nice work but dont get me wrong i just dont see why anybody would want a vtec light.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

beacuase 99% buy the car just because it is V-TEC, but nobody did do the homework to know that the D17 (different than your K) you do not feel the V-TEC kicking in, so they desperate and come to the internet whining "why I cannot feel the V-TEC. Why, oh why it is not working, what should i do?"
And then since the passengers do not feel the V-tec, install V-tec lights so they can tell them that the V-tec (-E) is engaged and everybody says: oooooHHHH!

02civicsi02

Lol another reason why they try to sell vtec cars for a hole lot more than the non vtec. You can find a 94 civic ex for 3000 and a 00 civic dx for 2000 lol. And while they try to sell the vtec civic they always say the word vtec before they tell you wat the car really is like its a vtec 94 honda civic. VTEC isnt that great.

lollygagger

Where's the video??? lol

tjg312

here's a video I made awhile back when I kinda ghettoed one into my 03 EX..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nR-nyeAqHI

surprisingly it kicks in VERY early, and like already said you can't even really feel it kick in(although you can definitely hear a big different in sound when it kicks in for me, when I got the civic it came with an unknown exhaust system)
before I always thought that kick you feel in the powerband at almost redline was it kicking in, but it actually goes on around 3k rpm, at least for our VTEC-E

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Haha, I think i like tjg312's vtec light better
Short and simple

I got a SRI for my car, and I can hear VTEC kick in at around 4k RPM
Doesnt do much, sounds louder, but i dont feel pushed back into my seat.
i can just be like "OOOH **** VTEC JUST KICKED IN YO!"

02civicsi02

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

woops! forgot an important part.
Brobo,
Despite the jokes, thanks for sharing a DIY.
That's good to have people contributing

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Btw, since you bought so many items from radio shack, how much did it cost you?
Like $20?

and also, the LED calculator I used says 470~550 ohm resister, how come you got 330?

tjg312

I threw in a 330 ohm too when I did mine and never had a blown LED or anything, although its VERY bright... like my whole car interior turns blue and apparently it's kinda blinding for the rear, middle passenger... probably gonna throw in a couple more resistors personally

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

I was thinking about doing one like yours tjg321,
However, I'm going to put a 470 ohm resistor, with a blue LED bulb, low output, not too distracting.
gonna put it on the little plastic cover that covers the 3 bolts on the rear view mirror, behind the dome light

brobo

the video is coming up because like i said my car leaks oil and i am waiting to get it fix but will have it by sunday thanks and i dont give
a crap if some elses is better because why dont u go just do his and quit bitching
and the speedo looks alot better because i edited my vtec light and it perfectly lights up like a check engine light

just like ricers
oh look at that ricer and his fart cannon
you know what maybe he likes fart cannons
who cares thats my point and thanks to anyone who doesnt say like oh the tj....'s guys light is better

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Wtf?
I did not even bash on you for your light, its a great DIY
but some people, including me, do not like to touch their cluster

I just saw his vid and thought a small little LED somewhere else in the car would be a simpler idea than to remove the dash and do all that work for a VTEC light

Plus, I have a 03, so i doubt theirs any room on the cluster to make a VTEC light in the first place

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

chill down, both!
Like i said, it's good to see a contribution from a new member.
Who searches can find both ways to do and can decide which to choose from.
I will still keep my opinion of what for, but it is a DIY that many wants nonetheless

brobo

im calm but i understood he was being offensive

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

I am perfectly fine

If you think "I think someone else's similar idea is better for my car"
is offensive, that is totally not my problem

and besides, i like the DIY, I just have different ideas and uses for it.
maybe someone might see this thread and go "hey, i wanna make my car have underglows that turn on when my vtec kicks in"

Truth is, the main point of the thread is a light to turn on telling you when VTEC kicks in
You had it inside the cluster with a little "VTEC" sign on it, and i commend you for doing so, great job.
I can't do that with my car, so i saw the other guy's video, and thought "hey cool, maybe I can just use a plain old LED stuck somewhere else instead"
I honestly don't know why you're getting mad

and i asked you a simple question that you have so conveniently overlooked: