Grimmer
Well-Known Member
I've wondered about the possibility of the ECU fiddling with throttle inputs on my car as well. In more than just second gear mine would momentarily "faint" just as the clutch was fully engaged. Like you, I would always try to get the clutch fully engaged before pouring on any throttle (gentle or otherwise) to minimize slipping.
I never did check the clutch switch (but I probably should). I didn't usually get multiple hiccups, but at least one little one at nearly every shift (higher gears mostly drowned them out). That is what also gave me the thought that the clutch might be slipping on its own ever so slightly then grabbing all at once in the last moment.
However, so far as I can tell it wouldn't make much sense for it to be slipping without any power being applied. If it were, then when I add throttle it should slip easily.
I also have another theory: When upshifting, the RPM drops and the ECU holds it at the appropriate RPM for the next gear for a few seconds before dropping to idle. My theory was that if I shift faster than the RPM can drop on its own, the transmission would be slower than the engine and they would try to meet in the middle resulting in an unpowered "overshoot" / hiccup.
Best thing to smooth it out for me so far has been to get into the throttle just a bit earlier. This will smooth out the clutch engagement, but can be very tricky not to go too soon or too hard (especially in heavy traffic). Done correctly it will mildly accelerate through what used to be the "hiccup" completely eliminating it without very much additional clutch slippage. However, if you get on it too soon or too hard it will definitely result in excess slippage. Also, accelerating when shifting in heavy traffic usually launches me into somebody's bumper, so it is best to make very lazy shifts that coordinate with the ECU holding the RPM for the next gear while in heavy traffic.
The PP2 revised throttle mapping and swapping out the clutch helper spring for the lighter tension Steeda spring has also helped it drive more naturally (or at least more closely to my existing muscle memory / coordination). Relearning for this car has been a bugger due to the multiple drive modes and the default "normal" mode having such a timid band in the low RPM.
PP2 helped because it removed the timid band from the low RPM, and the Steeda spring helps because the effect of the helper spring camming over center (switches from push down to push up on the pedal) during the clutch engagement is minimized by the lower spring tension. I probably should find out how to loosen the clutch a tiny bit (shorten the slave cylinder push rod) to shift the clutch engagement below the cam over point of the helper spring.
I never did check the clutch switch (but I probably should). I didn't usually get multiple hiccups, but at least one little one at nearly every shift (higher gears mostly drowned them out). That is what also gave me the thought that the clutch might be slipping on its own ever so slightly then grabbing all at once in the last moment.
However, so far as I can tell it wouldn't make much sense for it to be slipping without any power being applied. If it were, then when I add throttle it should slip easily.
I also have another theory: When upshifting, the RPM drops and the ECU holds it at the appropriate RPM for the next gear for a few seconds before dropping to idle. My theory was that if I shift faster than the RPM can drop on its own, the transmission would be slower than the engine and they would try to meet in the middle resulting in an unpowered "overshoot" / hiccup.
Best thing to smooth it out for me so far has been to get into the throttle just a bit earlier. This will smooth out the clutch engagement, but can be very tricky not to go too soon or too hard (especially in heavy traffic). Done correctly it will mildly accelerate through what used to be the "hiccup" completely eliminating it without very much additional clutch slippage. However, if you get on it too soon or too hard it will definitely result in excess slippage. Also, accelerating when shifting in heavy traffic usually launches me into somebody's bumper, so it is best to make very lazy shifts that coordinate with the ECU holding the RPM for the next gear while in heavy traffic.
The PP2 revised throttle mapping and swapping out the clutch helper spring for the lighter tension Steeda spring has also helped it drive more naturally (or at least more closely to my existing muscle memory / coordination). Relearning for this car has been a bugger due to the multiple drive modes and the default "normal" mode having such a timid band in the low RPM.
PP2 helped because it removed the timid band from the low RPM, and the Steeda spring helps because the effect of the helper spring camming over center (switches from push down to push up on the pedal) during the clutch engagement is minimized by the lower spring tension. I probably should find out how to loosen the clutch a tiny bit (shorten the slave cylinder push rod) to shift the clutch engagement below the cam over point of the helper spring.
Sponsored
Last edited:
