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Throttle Response is Terrible on these cars

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  #1  
Old 07-31-2011 | 05:38 PM
adr3naline fix's Avatar
adr3naline fix
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Throttle Response is Terrible on these cars

A simple blip to rev-match a downshift has IMO ridiculous response time. Are there any tricks to make this throttle response FASTER? I'm not talking about RPM vs. pedal travel, I'm talking about the literal time from blipping that pedal to the time the engine goes "Oh sh*t, I think he just hit the pedal, I'm going to rev now".

This is not a case of "press the pedal harder", this is a case of heel-and-toe'ing the car is almost useless due to the long throttle response time.

Sorry, I'm a little frustrated. Any thoughts/methods?
 
  #2  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:20 PM
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You should think about getting a Sprit Booster.
 
  #3  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:21 PM
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Try pressing the sport button
 
  #4  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:35 PM
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Not sure what it it with yours but mine responds quickly when shifting or heel to toe shifting
 
  #5  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:40 PM
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I notice the same thing when in first gear starting off. I feel as sometimes I press the pedal and it doesn't always respond quickly and makes for a rough start or makes the engine stumble. Then when I try to compensate and press the pedal harder it over compensates and revs too high.

Does the remapping of the throttle maps with the Spring Booster really worth it?
 
  #6  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:46 PM
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-=gRaY rAvEn=-
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yup
 
  #7  
Old 07-31-2011 | 06:55 PM
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I've heard about the only solution for the throttle lag is the Sprint Booster, but even that is not the greatest solution.
 
  #8  
Old 07-31-2011 | 07:00 PM
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Alta's Accessport also remaps the throttle, if you choose to load that option.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rt-thread.html

Dave
 
  #9  
Old 07-31-2011 | 09:52 PM
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What do you have an r56 or r53? If it is a r56 there is such as turbo lag......though it is not a lot it is there.
 
  #10  
Old 07-31-2011 | 10:23 PM
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Originally Posted by -=gRay rAvEn=-
yup
I would guess you were responding to my question of if the Sprint Booster was worth it?
 
  #11  
Old 08-01-2011 | 06:33 AM
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A tuner can also readjust it, similar to the sprintbooster, but it is adjustable(the sprintbooster).
Part of what you are feeling comming out of first gear is also heat soak in the summer...
 
  #12  
Old 08-01-2011 | 07:56 AM
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Even with a Sprint Booster or a remap to help with throttle response, the heavy oem flywheel will
limit engine response to the pedal, especially on the S models.
 
  #13  
Old 08-01-2011 | 09:32 AM
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Sprint Booster helped quite a bit for me. Still a little bit of lag from off-throttle, but if I'm above 2000rpm the SB makes rev matching smooth.

Lighter flywheel would probably make it 100% right, but I can't even drive the car with the SB off now. I hit the button to turn it off unknowingly, and I thought my car was broken.

If you're close enough to a tuner to get a tune, that's probably a better option because you can get the same effect PLUS some power gains.
 
  #14  
Old 08-01-2011 | 09:53 AM
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This is not something a sprint booster can fix. The OP is talking about the lag associated with a drive by wire throttle system. Even with a sprint booster, the lag is still there. I do have a sprint booster, and although it did wonders for the programmed lag in the throttle body, it did nothing for that split second difference between when the throttle is pressed and the engine actually responds to the input. There is something lost in translation without the mechanical connection between the go pedal and the throttle body.
 
  #15  
Old 08-01-2011 | 09:57 AM
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I noticed the same when I first started driving mine, I just adjusted my driving style. But it was awkward at first.
 
  #16  
Old 08-01-2011 | 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Spooled
This is not something a sprint booster can fix. The OP is talking about the lag associated with a drive by wire throttle system. Even with a sprint booster, the lag is still there. I do have a sprint booster, and although it did wonders for the programmed lag in the throttle body, it did nothing for that split second difference between when the throttle is pressed and the engine actually responds to the input. There is something lost in translation without the mechanical connection between the go pedal and the throttle body.
Good point, important distinction. The SB helps but it's still not as responsive as my old cable controlled sportbike throttle.
 
  #17  
Old 08-01-2011 | 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by cristo
Even with a Sprint Booster or a remap to help with throttle response, the heavy oem flywheel will
limit engine response to the pedal, especially on the S models.
+1

There is lots of delay after the heel toe blip that is caused by the heavy flywheel. In another car I have moved to a low mass flywheel and it has helped a lot. Not exactly sure what Mini has in terms of low mass flywheels. That was the only way of really dealing with dual mass flywheel mass slowness.
 
  #18  
Old 08-01-2011 | 10:56 AM
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yep, throttle response is slow.

long intake tract, and either the supercharger or turbo

heavy flywheel

it takes a little getting used to, but once I adapted I stopped noticing...

mind you if I'm dropping a lot of speed I skip gears downshifting - 5th or 6th to 3rd for an off-ramp is quite normal.

(and when skipping gears I do double clutch, just out of sympathy for the wee little synchros...)

cheers,

Charlie
 
  #19  
Old 08-01-2011 | 11:05 AM
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Unfortunately any vehicle with a drive by wire configuration such as the mini's have a pretty bad throttle lag, any other vehicle I have worked on has a similar problem. Unless you can locate a new Pedal position sensor with a amplifier already built in (which I would be interested in as well) or get the mods as stated by the other knowledgeable users above it's kinda a "gotta deal with it or engineer it" problem. In all reality the chip/programmer is your best bet for the money.
 
  #20  
Old 08-01-2011 | 01:43 PM
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My Audi has a lightweight flywheel, and that is probably what spoiled me. This throttle response is terrible.

Originally Posted by Porthos
What do you have an r56 or r53? If it is a r56 there is such as turbo lag......though it is not a lot it is there.
R53. Not power response, throttle response. I'm talking about the time it takes the engine to response to the pedal being pressed.



As to the other responses - I guess I'm screwed unless I toss in a LW FW. Which I won't be doing to this car, I just wanted to leave it "stock". This is supposed to be my daily driver! ha
 
  #21  
Old 08-01-2011 | 01:46 PM
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I dont get it? I push the sport button and about spool off the line..
 
  #22  
Old 08-01-2011 | 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Boosted_Mini
I dont get it? I push the sport button and about spool off the line..
I'm not referring to the power lag, I am referring to the period of time from the pedal being pressed to the engine starting to rev - throttle response.
 
  #23  
Old 08-01-2011 | 11:15 PM
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Considering that the brief second is substantial, I was wondering how do you all start moving at a traffic light if you're first in line? I hit the Sport button, put it in first and cover the clutch with my left foot. When the light changes, I'm immediately on the throttle. I'll never be as quick as Jensen Button or Mark Webber but I usually get my car moving before most of the others to my left/right.
 
  #24  
Old 08-01-2011 | 11:51 PM
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I started easing up on the clutch as the perpendicular traffic's light goes yellow, and try to hit the friction point as soon as my light turns green. Then I mash the throttle, chirp the tires, and try to forget about the cost of a clutch job
 
  #25  
Old 08-02-2011 | 02:29 AM
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Originally Posted by adr3naline fix
My Audi has a lightweight flywheel, and that is probably what spoiled me. This throttle response is terrible.



R53. Not power response, throttle response. I'm talking about the time it takes the engine to response to the pedal being pressed.



As to the other responses - I guess I'm screwed unless I toss in a LW FW. Which I won't be doing to this car, I just wanted to leave it "stock". This is supposed to be my daily driver! ha
I would have to be in the car with you becuase this seems to subjective to really deem a throttle response isse. I have never had a problem with my car and drive by wire. Acctually both of the cars that I had that were drive by wire were just as resonsive as my cars that were cabled. Though at least with a cable driven car you could always tighten the cable and get a little more response out of it that you can't do with the new system.
 



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