Back in the carb days, mashing the accelerator gave you a bit more power - in my Estelles/Rapids an extra choke opened up and you got a bit of extra boost:cool:.

My question. In these days of drive-by-wire throttles and ECU's, does pushing the pedal to the metal give you a 'bit extra' still or is it no different to 'mostly pressed'?

TH

its progressive, so putting the accelerator down to the floor will give you more pwoer than just pushing it down two thirds of the way

Sometimes; depending on how the FBW is engineered it might have an "accelerator pump" like a twin choke compound carb.

I've heard that some car manufactures have the maximum power at 3/4 throttle and then it remains static all the way to floor - that way the customers thinks the car is faster than it really is, as the majority of people never floor it. Don't know if there's any truth in that...

I've heard that some car manufactures have the maximum power at 3/4 throttle and then it remains static all the way to floor - that way the customers thinks the car is faster than it really is, as the majority of people never floor it. Don't know if there's any truth in that...

There is.

They are tuned so that pedal travel isn't linearly proportionate to the resulting throttle [1] to make them feel more powerful than they actually are.

I've noticed in a few cars that going from 3/4 to flat seems to make no difference in accelleration.

[1] Yes , I know diesels don't have a throttle in that sense but you know what I mean.

OK, so on modern diesel Skoda's (fab/Oct/Superb) are they a linear throttle, or a 'cheating' 3/4 one?

TH

My PD140 octavia cheats!

I heard that most modern VAG cars cheated. Haven't driven enough to make any comment through.

Mines certainly doesn't feel any (much) different from 3/4 onwards but thought it may just be running out of puff...

Give it try next time Tailhappy

ECUs are often programmed to allow a temporary overboost on turbo models when you mash it.

And perhaps the fact that 'full throttle' doesn't require the carpet pile to be flattened is more to do with ensuring that full throttle is always easily obtainable, rather than trying to con drivers.

Good answers - thanks.

My Dad in his '87 1.3 Peugeot loves taking bigger and badder metal on. He took on a Porshe 911 turbo the other day at the Langleybury lights and he pressed so hard on the loud pedal that his bum was off the seat! He had a momentary advantage, but perhaps it is a good thing his car has only 60 BHP as the carpet pile under the accelerator pedal is heavily worn!

TH

I've always found my car feels more powerful at 7/8 throttle than it does at full throttle...

well my octy dsg certain goes quicker at full throttle!

but thats becuase of the kick down button under the pedal

my old vx is cable throttle so that does also go faster mashed to the floor, but then the tb's cause the cd player to skip!!

Looking at the results of vag com mine defo doesn't alter the throttle angle any higher past about 2/3rd of pressing the throttle pedel

My PD140 octavia cheats!

Really, mine doesn't appear to:confused:

Looking at the results of vag com mine defo doesn't alter the throttle angle any higher past about 2/3rd of pressing the throttle pedel

That would seem to be a pretty definitive answer.

how does it cheat?

Not quite cheating, but fooling the driver that half way depression of the accelerator is half full throttle angle... which is isn't.

There is.

They are tuned so that pedal travel isn't linearly proportionate to the resulting throttle [1] to make them feel more powerful than they actually are.

I've noticed in a few cars that going from 3/4 to flat seems to make no difference in accelleration.

[1] Yes , I know diesels don't have a throttle in that sense but you know what I mean.

I think the good doctor might be right.

Mine has an accelerator cable and my Felly picks up a lot quicker if you edge the pedal down progressivly rather than stick it down all at once.

Never tried with mine,don,t really need to.

Its only something I've really noticed on the motorway when I've needed to gun it a bit in order to join faster moving traffic in the outer lane

Must be a VAG thing as my Focus is definitely quicker at full throttle compared to 2/3rd's.

Mine seems to be at full throttle also at around 2/3 of travel. Its still hard having owned it all this time to remember this, so I do find myself occasionally mashing the pedal down.

Never tried with mine,don,t really need to.

but wouldn't that be down to the whole WOT being somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 of the pedal travel thing?