Vtec on engine block in 92?

[Dons92CivicVX]

How's it going all?
Questions from an ignorant new civic VX owner:
I just bought this car for the sole purpose of great gas mileage ('92 Civic VX, 5 speed manual, 3 dr hatch with 157K miles) which by the way is supposed to get me 55 MPG but I'm only getting 35 MPG so I have two questions:
The '92 Civic VX is supposed to come with a "Vtec-e" engine. I was told that Honda didn't begin actually inscribing the word "Vtec" on the engines of the Civic's until 1993, which would explain why my '92 doesn't have that inscribed into the engine if this is true. Would any of you know?
I just bought this car three weeks ago (again for the gas mileage only) and replacing the fuel filter, cold air intake, plugs, wires, and dist. cap hasn't improved my gas mileage ! I'm about to replace the oxygen sensor this weekend, and hopefully this will improve my MPG. I realize that the car won't give me 55 MPG w/157K on the engine, but perhaps 45-50? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[esp]

well most have u been driving your car harder now with the new parts, because that stuff is designed to not help gas mileage, makes you wanna drive your car faster and if you got a new fuel filter with an intake chances are you are going to burn more furl more quickly.

[Dons92CivicVX]

Hey all!
Seeing as only one person responded to my request (thanks ESP) I'm assuming that the rest of you aren't too sure about the correct answers to my questions. So, just in case any future newbie's have simular questions, and since I've found out the answers, I figured I'd post them--knowledge is key.

Regarding the letters "VTEC" being inscribed on the top of the engine block: In 1992, Honda introduced it's VTEC-E (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control-Economy) engine. A little research showed that Honda was most likely the first to introduce the VTEC engine into production on the 1991 Acura NSX in Europe, and didn't begin to stamp "VTEC" on their engine blocks until 1993 (on the Civic's anyway). The Honda Civic with VTEC was first introduced in 1992 (USA & Canada). There are two different engines. The VTEC(D16Z6) and VTEC-E(D15Z1). The VTEC is equipped with multiple cam lobes per cylinder, providing one valve timing and valve lift profile at low speeds and a different profile at higher speeds. Switch-over from one profile to the other is controlled electronically, and is selected by monitoring current engine speed and load.
If you are aren't convinced that your VX has a VTEC-E engine, simply look below the spark plugs to the far left of engine block, for an inscription regarding engine type. It should say: D15Z1. What this translates into is; 1500 SOHC 16 valve, multipoint Fuel injection, 90 Hp VTEC-E.

Now regarding possible poor fuel efficiency: Thanks to Josh, who has been gracious and patient with my questions, I believe I now have a good understanding of why my fuel efficiency has been suffering since I've purchased my Civic VX a month ago. But first I needed to understand the how's and what's regarding a VTEC engine. Below is a quote from "http://golum.riv.csu.edu.au/~ggul01/vtec.html":

"In general,normally aspirated petrol engines focus on either 'low rpm' or 'high rpm' performance, respectively resulting in either gutless top-end performance, or a loss in the low range output performance.

VTEC engines employ a larger third camshaft lobe, positioned between the primary and secondary lobes, with a third rocker arm bearing. at slower cruising speeds the smaller outer camlobes rotate- ensuring the engine breathes its air/fuel mixture more efficiently, but at higher revs the larger central lobe comes into play, opening the valves wider and longer, allowing a bigger charge of air/fuel to be sucked in.

The result is a dual personality engine, changing the timing and lift of the valves to combine good torque characteristics at low revs with high power at high revs."

What did this translate into for me? The VTEC-E in particular optimizes fuel at lower gear shifting. S, as suggested by Josh (an AF member), I have begun to use the "gear shift indicator" on my dash which has been telling me to shift at ~2000 RPM's. This didn't feel right to me when I first got the car, and consequently I was shifting at around 3K to 3500RPM's and my gas mileage was around 34 to 39 MPG. The car was designed to be shifted, as indicated, at around 2K RPM's. Already, since driving according to when the car indicates me to shift, I have increased my fuel efficiency. I must admit though, that is doesn't always feel right, and that sometimes, as Josh put it so succinctly..."sometimes the car feels like it couldn't get out of it's own way!"
I do want to add a final note regarding fuel efficiency: To optimize fuel economy check for proper tire inflation, good plugs, wires, distibutor cap and rotor, fuel filter, air filter, and (if your car has over 100K miles on it) consider a new oxygen sensor.

Hope this helps.
Knowledge is key; knowing Jesus sets you free...

Don

[S13GTR]

Yes It has vtec. I had a 92 si and it had vtec too. Not tryin to dis or anything but you are honda guys and you should know what a vtec selanoid looks like and where it is on the head. SOHC has it on the back of the head on the tranny side and DOHC has it over teh camcap behind the distributor. There is two puugs comming form the selanoid, one is a green plug with a single wire and the other plug is gray with two wires comming out.