The motor in my car is rather healthy, i.e. no smoke no leaks (except the fixed PS pump), I have a BFI with cover, twin 2.25 exaust, serviced as if i have an obsesive compulsive disorder .
The car pulls nice and isnt a slug but I have noticed that performance and all over response is so much sharper and instant while the car is warming up, as soon it comes to temperature it gets sluggish.
Exactly the symptoms I have Jovica, and I don't have any idea what's causing it...
It seems to shift much faster when cold, and hold gears well, but when it warms up, I really need to hit the kickdown switch for it to drop back to first, even at around ~30km/h. It's really annoying.
I hope there can be some sort of fix. Let me know if you find anything, and I'll do the same..
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 05:10 pm, by: David Vaughan
Could it be that when the car is cold it needs to shift down earlier and hold gears longer because otherwise it can not produce the power you are demanding? In that case, when it warmed up it would tend to hold the existing gear rather than shift down (cars like this rarely choose 1st if they can avoid it) and to shift up earlier if you have not "programmed" the ECU to believe you like to hurry all the time. If you are driving in traffic much, the ECU will tend to believe you are mostly a soft driver no matter what you think yourself. Is it that your main chance to drive harder is before you reach the traffic in the mornings, while the engine is colder? By the weekend, the ECU thinks you are a sop anyway.
If this conjecture is related to what is happening to your car, then using that "sharpness" when cold is not doing your engine and gearbox any good.
Jovica Galovic Tinkerer UZZ31 Limited V8 1/2FSG 1/2 Black Primer
I tend not to give it until its warm by all means, but i have been in situtations when a bit of get up is needed and its certainly noticable when the engine is not up to temp.
An ecu/ect reset does help for about a day but it goes to "normal" after.
Gets annoying sometimes cause i count on the get up and go and it aint there.
BTW TT boys/girls dont tell me get a TT cause Ive had one before and i like the V8 much more.
? would a aftermarket ECU make a difference along with shift kit.
It's never good to rev the engine when cold. I suggest you reset the ECU and do some spirited driving for 20 minutes after that. Easiest way to reset is to disconnect the battery for at least 20 minutes. Reset the gearbox as well when you're at it. You basically go through all gears (5 secs in each gear) at stand still.
If that does not work then chip it. You'll never have a sluggish V8 again after that.
You can see that I honestly don't know what could be wrong but the above just might fix it. ECU Reset explained: http://soarercentral.com/sc-forum/messages/10/21.html?1098228107
EDIT: I'm too slow. YES, the Unichip and the shift kit will help. Start with the chip as you may have to wait for the shift kit.
Jovica Galovic Tinkerer UZZ31 Limited V8 1/2FSG 1/2 Black Primer
Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 05:49 pm, by: David Vaughan
Seconding Benny.
My V8 is similarly equipped to his and I have no problems with sluggishness and from all reports neither does he. Compared with the conjecture I outlined, I have a few chances every drive to hit it up to 90 or 100 or so joining main roads as well as getting out of roundabouts on 80 roads so my ECU continues to pay attention.
If you do find yourself in traffic a lot, see if it helps (when retraining) to keep the ECT switch in Economy while idling about in traffic and switch to Power just before you get a chance to open up or while driving on free road.
A chip will basically give the car quite a bit more response in low and mid rev ranges.
Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 05:51 pm, by: Dan McColl
Just a thought, If you put on the brakes or the headlights while the battery is disconnected then this should remove any residual voltage from the system and should allow the ECU to reset without waiting 20 minutes. You could just buy a GTR nissan. Or one of these.
Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 06:59 pm, by: Lew Radbourn
Jovica; Mate as pete has said above fuel and timing is a good thing. what order to do it in???? i would actually do the shift kit first. get mike from MV to do a 1.5kit for you get him to explain why a 1.5 over a stage 1.0
you may as well protect the box before putting more power through it to rebuild a box is slightly more than fitting a Unichip in as pete has said above.
i always think of strengthening the drive line (shift kit) before placing it under more stress. cheers Lew
Jovica Galovic Tinkerer UZZ31 Limited V8 1/2FSG 1/2 Black Primer
Keep in mind that a shift kit is there all the time. Try to just drive off from the lights smoothly, and bang! it just whacked into gear. No more smoothness such as you are used to. It isn't for everyone, especially if a lot of your driving is commuting.
The car is designed to have smooth changes and to reduce wear/tear on the drive train. The shift kit changes that. Yes, it does reduce wear on the clutch pack if you have and use a lot of power, but it does that by transferring the wear and tear to the rest of the drive train.
See if you can have a drive of one first, and try driving it sedately before you make your mind up. You have to live with it 24/7, not just when you are hooning.
Monday, August 08, 2005 - 12:24 am, by: Morgan Cross
I was in the same position, I ended up getting a new throttle sensitive stage 1.5 shift kit.
After about 2 weeks, it felt as if it wore in (Or I just got used to it?) But if you are just cruising, it's not that bad but when you floor it, it'll spin into 2nd and shift VERY firmly into 3rd.
After a while though, you'll forget about the rough changes entirely, it feels natural to me now.
However, that'll only make the shifts feel faster, I'd say you should get a Unichip to get a nice healthy 10% power gain across the rev-range, the improved fuel economy should be nice too
Previous
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Or one of these.
