Throttle Responce

[bwolfe84]

I tried searching but i couldn't find what i was looking for. I want a better throttle responce but i dont know SH*T about cars. I upgraded my bike but i dont even know where to start on my car.

anybody got any ideas?

[Redneck4csa]

I don't think there's much you can do because of the drive-by-wire...

[Xinshadow]

There are a few things you can do to improve throttle response of the car, but almost all of them are going to involve shedding weight.

You can:

1- install a lightweight flywheel. A lightweight aluminum flywheel from fidanza (best choice I've heard from those who use it) is about 7lbs lighter than the beefy factory unit. This means that with the LFW the engine will rev quicker, but will also drop revs more quickly, so thats the flipside.

2- Lighter rims. Having lighter rims means that the wheels have less weight to push around when transferring power, so you'll see some gains in throttle response this way as well

3- Blitz Drive-by-wire computer. Blitz sells a computer that piggybacks onto the factory ECU and can control a limited amount of settings for the DBW system in newer Tcs. I haven't heard from anyone who has used this so I can't say whether its effective or not, but it is another option.

Of the three, the lightweight flywheel is going to give you the best bang for your buck, and its what I'd recommend.

[Redneck4csa]

There are a few things you can do to improve throttle response of the car, but almost all of them are going to involve shedding weight.

You can:

1- install a lightweight flywheel. A lightweight aluminum flywheel from fidanza (best choice I've heard from those who use it) is about 7lbs lighter than the beefy factory unit. This means that with the LFW the engine will rev quicker, but will also drop revs more quickly, so thats the flipside.

2- Lighter rims. Having lighter rims means that the wheels have less weight to push around when transferring power, so you'll see some gains in throttle response this way as well

3- Blitz Drive-by-wire computer. Blitz sells a computer that piggybacks onto the factory ECU and can control a limited amount of settings for the DBW system in newer Tcs. I haven't heard from anyone who has used this so I can't say whether its effective or not, but it is another option.

Of the three, the lightweight flywheel is going to give you the best bang for your buck, and its what I'd recommend.

So, you're saying that it's weight that causes the small delay? It has nothing to do with the way the ECM is programmed to respond to throttle input?

[navylife59]

I believe that he is pointing out that the only thing that you can do to improve WOT responsiveness is via shedding weight. This is true for any vehicle. You can easily test this by loading up your Buds and head'n for tha suds (Root Beer for you, your the DD). Now compare that with an empty car. Big difference.

To really affect the off-idle performance would require a piggyback controller to tweak the off-idle fuel/air settings. This provides marginal reduction in actual DBW delay. There are a few stand alone units that can actually control the DBW system (they claim). The most effective method is to retro fit manual throttle body and switch to a stand alone EMS.

Is your tranny a grinder or a slushbox? The throttle response on the auto is sluggish compared to the manual. The main reason is that the transmission control module. It is set for smooth shifting and gas mileage, not performance. This creates an inherent delay as it and the ECM try to figure out what the intentions of your pedal inputs are. Try driving '07 Camry SE V6. It goes off to la-la land sometimes, 2~3 seconds before it realizes that pedal-to-the-metal means get your arse going! That is all software and not system design driven.

[bwolfe84]

ok, navy,

is there a way to reprogram the system to "respond" faster to what i am "inputting" on the throttle?

[Redneck4csa]

I believe that he is pointing out that the only thing that you can do to improve WOT responsiveness is via shedding weight. This is true for any vehicle. You can easily test this by loading up your Buds and head'n for tha suds (Root Beer for you, your the DD). Now compare that with an empty car. Big difference.

To really affect the off-idle performance would require a piggyback controller to tweak the off-idle fuel/air settings. This provides marginal reduction in actual DBW delay. There are a few stand alone units that can actually control the DBW system (they claim). The most effective method is to retro fit manual throttle body and switch to a stand alone EMS.

Is your tranny a grinder or a slushbox? The throttle response on the auto is sluggish compared to the manual. The main reason is that the transmission control module. It is set for smooth shifting and gas mileage, not performance. This creates an inherent delay as it and the ECM try to figure out what the intentions of your pedal inputs are. Try driving '07 Camry SE V6. It goes off to la-la land sometimes, 2~3 seconds before it realizes that pedal-to-the-metal means get your arse going! That is all software and not system design driven.

Thanks for clearing that up, Navy. I was pretty sure you couldn't just shed sound unwanted poundage and expect the problem to go away. Is there anything you don't know? lol

[Xinshadow]

ok, navy,

is there a way to reprogram the system to "respond" faster to what i am "inputting" on the throttle?

There is in the sense that when the car is new, the ECU will take some time to pick a predetermined shift (for autos) and throttle response pattern based on the driving style of the person behind the wheel, which is a big reason with modern cars they say they should only have one driver for the beginning phase of their lives. The DBW system in the tC is pretty basic, so it's basically picking from a "granny" mode and an "aggressive" mode based on the kind of throttle input it's given over time. I made sure to show my 09 some pretty hard driving (including a few autoX events) after it's break in period up to the 3,000 miles or so its at now to make sure the computer made the right choice

If you want to reset the system, just disconnect the battery for about 15 minutes and go step on the brake pedal a bit to make sure you drain the system. Hook it back up and start her up, and that will clear the ECU of any pre-programmed throttle map selections. Accelerate aggressively for a while and it will select that preset.

And yes, I was suggesting that the problem can only be mitigated, not solved completely, by shedding weight. Shedding weight in general (carbon fiber, ect) is good, but shedding weight specifically from the drivetrain (flyhweel, clutch, pressure plate, acc. pulleys, shifter, wheels) is ten times more effective in helping the engine to rev up faster. I would advise against a lightweight crank pulley though, they screw up the harmonic resonance in the engine and can lead to some very bad times.

Anyway, with the right preselect even on a stock car the DBW hesitation on a manual is so minuscule in fractions of a second that it's not really noticeable even when racing. Keep in mind the STI, Mazdaspeed 3, Evo-X and Civic SI are all DBW cars and they do just fine for themselves in terms of speed and handling

[Redneck4csa]

Keep in mind the STI, Mazdaspeed 3, Evo-X and Civic SI are all DBW cars and they do just fine for themselves in terms of speed and handling

I belong to an STi forum. Most of the guys there hate the DBW.

[navylife59]

Blitz makes a DBW module that interfaces, I believe, at the TB to alter signals to promote faster response times and more aggressive throttle increase. This is untested on Scions and may only make a difference in autos where Throttle response is more aggravated by DBW. A powerful piggyback and a good tuner could do the same.

Most people loose the DBW system not for throttle response, but for making more power (larger TB) and for better tuning.

[Redneck4csa]

Blitz makes a DBW module that interfaces, I believe, at the TB to alter signals to promote faster response times and more aggressive throttle increase. This is untested on Scions and may only make a difference in autos where Throttle response is more aggravated by DBW. A powerful piggyback and a good tuner could do the same.

Most people loose the DBW system not for throttle response, but for making more power (larger TB) and for better tuning.

BLITZ Throttle Controller: Scion tC [10405] - $339.00 : HPAutoworks!, Your High Performance Auto Parts Solution

[navylife59]

Ouch! $339.00. Hope that it performs better than the camcon controller did for VVT-i tuning. Good work on finding the link Redneck4csa.

[Redneck4csa]

Ouch! $339.00. Hope that it performs better than the camcon controller did for VVT-i tuning. Good work on finding the link Redneck4csa.

Ouch indeed. But as you know Navy, you have to pay to play. And no problem on the link. I'm here to help. That's why I became a premium member.