MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: ChrisHumes on September 28, 2006, 12:40

Title: Acceleration pick up
Post by: ChrisHumes on September 28, 2006, 12:40
Is everyones car slow to pick up when you put the accelerator down? is there a way to improve this?
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 12:50
Depends on the gear and speed/rpm I guess.  Not noticed it being particularly tardy though - seems to pick up well in most situations.
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: Jigwar on September 28, 2006, 13:25
Quote from: "ChrisHumes"Is everyones car slow to pick up when you put the accelerator down? is there a way to improve this?

I've been surprised by the RPMs that some people speak about going up to when accelerating, but am beginning to get the idea why now......

.....If I'm sitting behind another car and we're both waiting for a 60mph lorry to move out of the way ahead, then when we can accelerate most cars will go away from me because I'm in 5th and pick up is quite slow. But if i'm at the head of the queue and the way becomes clear then pop it into 4th and pick up is a lot better, right up to 80+.

Not sure I'd change down at 70, but I'm sure some people do and I think you've got to have those revs up to get good acceleration.

Steve
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: roger on September 28, 2006, 13:28
Quote from: "ChrisHumes"Is everyones car slow to pick up when you put the accelerator down? is there a way to improve this?

Change down or fit a Turbo.   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  Presumably you are not thinking you have a problem - like a blocked Cat?
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: aaronjb on September 28, 2006, 14:08
Quote from: "Jigwar".....If I'm sitting behind another car and we're both waiting for a 60mph lorry to move out of the way ahead, then when we can accelerate most cars will go away from me because I'm in 5th and pick up is quite slow. But if i'm at the head of the queue and the way becomes clear then pop it into 4th and pick up is a lot better, right up to 80+.

Hell, I'd be going into 3rd at that speed I think!

Use the revs & gears, that's what they're there for  s;) ;) s;)  If you want good pick up you want to be starting off over 3000rpm for sure, closer to 4000rpm really..

If you haven't seen the limiter at least once, you're not trying hard enough  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 14:41
The 2 I quite happily take to 6k revs.... she likes it  :-) :-) :-)

In the Celica - its not until you hit the 6k revs that the 'Lift' from the VVTL-i actually kicks in, and gives you that little boost  :-) :-) :-)

Oh, and the Type R - mad at around 7.5k revs !!!  :-) :-) :-)

The Megane is not worth mentioning  :-) :-) :-)
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 15:40
These cars do need 'working' to get the best out of them, they are far from sluggish but you cant sit back and expect the power to be on tap as you would with a larger engine.

as said, change down, dont let the revs drop and they can be very rewarding.    s:) :) s:)
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 17:15
if you hit the limiter are you causing any damage? or is that what it's there for  s:idea: :idea: s:idea:  

does everyone elses car judder when you hit the limiter?

( yes i am a filthy noob  s:( :( s:(  )
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Post by: markiii on September 28, 2006, 17:21
when you hit teh limiter it cuts fuel

thats why it judders
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: red_leicester on September 28, 2006, 17:30
Quote from: "aaronjb"Hell, I'd be going into 3rd at that speed I think!

Agreed!  For decent acceleration at 70 you need to be in third.  Should get you up to 90 in no time   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:D :D s:D
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 18:14
In my previous car ie pre-facelift I frequently dropped into 3rd from 5th at 70/75mph for some quick acceleration up to about 90. The H&S exhaust sounded great also.

With the 6-speed I find dropping into 5th doesn't have enough punch so 4th is better. Besides, the FREE increased sound without the air inlet pipe is also better.
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Post by: Anonymous on September 28, 2006, 20:37
I'm not surprised: 1st-5th is the same in both pre and post facelift cars  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
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Post by: red_leicester on September 28, 2006, 21:48
Funnily enough, only this morning I was playing about a bit and drove at around 6000 rpm in second for a while along a quietish road.  Just to get the juices flowing (in the engine, not mine) for a while after a few miles of traffic.

It reminded me how eager and 'sound' this engine feels right up at 6000 rpm.  Kind of like a large Jap motorbike engine.  (And nothing like my old Alfa 147 which felt as though it was going to explode into thousands of pieces if you held it at 6000 rpm!)

I think it's a great motor, and is happy to be pushed right up the redline.
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Post by: ChrisHumes on September 29, 2006, 07:18
i think thats my problem, i change up too soon. i will try to change my driving style. since i put the H&S and the apexi on, it sounds that your at higher revs and a lot louder (obviously) so I tend to change up.
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Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 09:56
Quote from: "ChrisHumes"i think thats my problem, i change up too soon. i will try to change my driving style. since i put the H&S and the apexi on, it sounds that your at higher revs and a lot louder (obviously) so I tend to change up.

I know just what you mean - I'm the same - 'sympathetic driving' I think it's called!!

I think we must all be at least over 30 in this thread -  I bet nobody under 25 would be having this problem!!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

At 18 I was mercilessly thrashing the pants off every car I had!
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Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 10:25
I may be a young scaliwag at 25 but it does amaze me that some people buy a car like this and then never see the noisy side of 6krpm.

I recall someone coming on here and saying how he was getting 43mpg because he was careful not to go above 4.5k and stuck to 60-70mph on the motorway.
While I'm not condoning excessive speed, I find these comments depressing. I guess on a sunny day the MR2 is a nice car to gently cruise around in, but driving like this you will only ever experience 20% of the fun you can have with this car.

The MR2 is a SPORTS car. It is designed to be driven at speed and on the powerband. Provided it is serviced regularly with good quality lubricant and warmed up gently I see absolutely no problem in this.
Personally I keep below 4k until she's warm. After this and on a country road blast I try and keep my rev's around 4k-5k as this seems to be the most responsive range. There's no point aiming for the limiter each time you floor it though as by that time you are past the peak of the power curve anyway. Oh and the noise - wonderful, it's like Jackell and Hyde compared to it's sedate self on my motorway commute.

For God sake everyone - drive the car as you know she wants to be driven!!  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:    s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:
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Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 10:50
Well put!

I hate to see people afraid to use the gearbox for its purposes! I'm no racing driver, I have virtually zero skill levels compared to others on this forum I'm sure, but the vvti engine (when properly warmed up) responds best at revs in the 4-5 range. It's not about excessive speed either. If you want to drive at 100mph down a motorway there are far better cars than an MR2 for the purpose. Get it on twisty roads, keep the revs at a decent level, and dive in and out of those bends like there's no tomorrow. That's where the fun is.

Of course, I say all this but at the moment it's still theoretical. My one and only drive of the car (so far) was in stop-start rush hour traffic. I think I got it into 3rd gear at one point...

Si

PS I'm also just the wrong side of 30. Just!
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Post by: spit on September 29, 2006, 11:02
Quote from: "Diapason"I'm also just the wrong side of 30.

Is there a wrong side? No-one told me  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Sympathetic driving - I like that term.
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Post by: Wabbitkilla on September 29, 2006, 11:25
Sympathy is like many things relative.

One persons sympathetic driving may be another's howling around the lanes. Look at Top Gear and compare James may with Hamster!

So i guess you should adopt the style relevant to the road / conditions / your mood. I can quite easily squeeze high 40's mpg from the 2, and in the same day be way down and squeeling the tyres.

I think you've spotted the problem, since the car is now louder, your brain is telling you you should change up even if it's a bit early. Re-educate you driving and you will be happy.

Oh, and age is subjective too, at one time i hated the idea of being over 30, now i'm pleased i'm under 40, but for how long?
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 11:50
Quote from: "ChrisHumes"Is everyones car slow to pick up when you put the accelerator down? is there a way to improve this?

Remove the brick from under the pedal  :-) :-) :-)  j/k

enjoy the fact that the Nova boy next to you at the lights, is gonna have to change up before you do  :-) :-) :-)
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 12:09
Quote from: "projectneon"enjoy the fact that the Nova boy next to you at the lights, is gonna have to change up before you do  :-) :-) :-)

I wouldn't worry about Nova boy. When I discover such a character is beside me at the lights, I make a point of taking off slowly, smoothly and in comfort. You've nothing to prove to such uncouth individuals.  s:) :) s:)  

Of course, as a Lexus driver, I can't let the Beemers away with anything. Luckily, half the Beemers on the road over here seem to be 316's, thus minimising embarrassment for me!

Si

PS I was rather spectacularly overtaken by an RS4 with UK reg over the weekend. Now *that* had some impressive acceleration.
Title: Re: Acceleration pick up
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 12:12
Quote from: "Diapason"I wouldn't worry about Nova boy. When I discover such a character is beside me at the lights, I make a point of taking off slowly, smoothly and in comfort. You've nothing to prove to such uncouth individuals.  s:) :) s:)  

Si

PS I was rather spectacularly overtaken by an RS4 with UK reg over the weekend. Now *that* had some impressive acceleration.

I cant resist the Nova boys, its just too tempting.

Yep those RS4's shift !
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Post by: northernalex on September 29, 2006, 12:37
Quote from: "Diapason"PS I'm also just the wrong side of 30. Just!

You're 29?

 s:) :) s:)
Title: acceleration and pick-up
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 13:21
whats that about over 30s!!. my wife offered me a s**g or an MR2 for 61st birthday (her words not mine) said it would me last longer!!. got  a bog standard 2000. now fitted with apexi induction and H&S exhaust. i love hammering it around the back roads of linconshire the noise when it hits 4500and round to 6000 revs is stunning. find a good twisty back road wind it up and enjoy. having owned an elan and a TVR in my youth. this is the best back lane scratcher i have driven, that includes my  son-in-laws new 911 carrera s loverly car but needs A roads to get the best out of it then you get the cameras!!!
Title: Re: acceleration and pick-up
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 14:09
Quote from: "mick"i love hammering it around the back

Oo-er!
Title: ACCERATION
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 14:56
yer spot on, i'm not ready for a mum truck to drag the grandchilden around
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Post by: northernalex on September 29, 2006, 16:17
mick, i gotta marry a woman like your wife.. buying me a car for me bday, just what I need  s:) :) s:)
Title: acceleration
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 16:38
i will pass on your comments and see if she is open to offers!!
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Post by: mr2mark on September 29, 2006, 18:18
Hi ..... I have just de-pre-catted my 2000 mr2 and the throttle response at low revs is very noticeably higher . Ive also recently fitted an induction kit what sits in the left air intake . These two modifications have seriously improved that "flat" low end power........ The next thing will be to remove the main cat .... cant wait !!   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:
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Post by: markiii on September 29, 2006, 18:25
woukldn't bother with teh main cat, you will lose low end torque
Title: acceleration
Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 18:29
yes she's open to offers, but she comes with baggage- 2 horses, 3 goats, 12 birmingham rollers and a jack russel
Title: Re: acceleration
Post by: aaronjb on September 29, 2006, 19:23
Quote from: "mick"12 birmingham rollers

Any relation to the Bay City Rollers?  s;) ;) s;)

Anyway ahem.. sorry, back on topic folks  s:) :) s:)
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Post by: heathstimpson on September 29, 2006, 22:53
Quote from: "Wabbitkilla"Oh, and age is subjective too, at one time i hated the idea of being over 30, now i'm pleased i'm under 40, but for how long?
Yes I'm getting ever closer to that next major number too  s:? :? s:?    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
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Post by: Anonymous on September 29, 2006, 23:40
Tell me about it.

I planned for this MR2 to see me well into my, er 40s....  ...Provided it can be fixed soon...grrrr  otherwise (are you listening MrT) it'll not see my 39th - my nerves can't take another car with baggage. *

* it replaces a smart roadster coupe which, I am convinced was given to me to test as a prototype...  mind you it was running as sweet as a nut when I part ex'ed it, unlike my shiny Mr2 after just a couple of weeks grrrrr....
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Post by: Anonymous on September 30, 2006, 11:27
I've just come from a 265bhp Impreza with a stated 0-60 of 4.8 seconds - and unless you were charging around empty back roads at 120mph at midnight ( which was undeniably fun but ridiculously dangerous and shocking expensive on fuel and tyres)  the thing was exceedingly dull.

...rest assured I will be exploring those upper rev limits...