Better acceleration with foot not to the floor?

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Is it just my car, just my imagination, or does anybody else sometimes feel like they get better acceleration with the pedal not quite to the floor?
I'll pull out onto a main road on the way home sometimes and I don't want to spin the tires so I don't quite floor it and the car takes off like a rocket.
The traction control light comes on, I can feel the car pulling hard to one side, and altogether it feels like it is making noticeably more power than when I just floor it. Doesn't happen all the time, but enough that I am wondering what could be going on.

 

[Haltech]

Each of our cars react different. I think you're learning the characteristics of your car and using it to your advantage

 

[jp4130]

If the light comes on at part throttle my guess is you do not have enough traction for full throttle. The light will only come on in a straight line when the wheels start to spin. Around corners is a whole different story.

 

[MazdaManiac]

I've actually noticed this on every Mazda I've owned and two of my Hondas.
If you "work" the throttle to about 90%, the car feels like its jumping out of its skin, but if you mash it that extra 90%, it actually feels like its slowing down.
On a turbo car I can understand it, but on a stock, N/A car it makes no sense to me.
I have theories, but no real data.

Its not a traction issue - its actually the sensation of less power. My datalogs on my '8 when it was new show nothing, but the feeling was definitely there.

 

[mrlilguy157]

i completely agree...

 

[Rotus8]

It's because it is trying to kick down the transmission, but it can't because it's a manual.

 

[Smiling_Jim]

It could be the EMS computer...

It senses WOT at high rpms and maybe backing off ignition or cam timing to save the engine.

Since several drivers have noticed it, I am pretty that's the cause.

 

[MazdaManiac]

It senses WOT at high rpms and maybe backing off ignition or cam timing to save the engine.

Since several drivers have noticed it, I am pretty that's the cause.

Except that would show up in the EMS datalogs which, in my case at least, it does not.
I suspect it has something to do with resonance and the motors Ve, but it doesn't show up in the airflow calculations, either.

 

[sierra248]

I think its in our heads, i know what your feeling also, most cars Ive ever owned have this feeling, next time your on the highway, set your cruise at around say 50 in 4th and press the accel button, feels damn fast huh, now feel how hard its actually pressing the gas down, barley at all. I think its just a sense thing, never proved or disproved just something I think. Only real way to prove it would be a pain to do part throttle runs vs full throttle runs, I'm betting full wins every time, unless something is wrong with the car, which as we all feel it isn't the case.
Just my 2 cents.
Tom

 

[CX-7owner]

The CX-7 bogs when you floor it from a stop, varying the throttle gets the best acceleration, and if you give it lots of power at stop making a sharp right on a FWD, it will almost always come on because that is a situation of low traction.

 

[sleeper3]

I have kind of noticed this too. here's my 2 centavos... don't know if I am way off base or not.

2 other guys at work have speed3s and one of them was telling me that not only boost, but also throttle position was limited in 1st gear. I'm not 100% sure this is the case, but if it is, then this would make sense. say it's limited to 75% @ wide open throttle. that means you're getting the same plate position if you're on the floor or three quarters of the way. obviously when you're 3/4 throttle, you're expecting less, so it feels like more.

I'm not sure. maybe someone who knows more can interject.

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

The point of the traction control system activating was that the car was detecting wheelspin, which indicated (to me) a greater level of power being delivered to the wheels. The definite increase in torque steer is another indication of greater power levels being produced.
Note that I usually notice this pulling onto the same road, at the same time of day, so it isn't variations in road conditions that are causing it.
I'm wondering if it has something to do with the open/closed loop mode of the ECU. At some point as you push down the throttle the car goes from one mode to the other. Is it possible that some of our cars make better power at the point of max throttle opening before the mode changes?
If this is the case, maybe we need to consider ways to "fool" the engine into staying in part throttle mode.
Can someone with more experience with car ECUs and turbo systems think about this for a day or so and give some feedback?

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

2 other guys at work have speed3s and one of them was telling me that not only boost, but also throttle position was limited in 1st gear. I'm not 100% sure this is the case, but if it is, then this would make sense.

If I understand it correctly, this is half correct. First and second gear limit boost. Throttle position is limited in low gear when the wheels are turned. This is absolutely my least favorite of the "improvements" to driving quality that Mazda made. It almost got me rear ended pulling onto a busy street because I expected the car to take off a certain way as I turned and stepped on the gas but the damn computer closed the throttle on me until the wheels were almost completely straight. Suffice to say, I learned to line the car up so I am at a 45 degree angle instead of 90 when sitting at a corner waiting to pull out on busy roads.

 

[CX-7owner]

It's FWD, with all of that power, you would have been spinning wheels, and that's DSC, DSC measures wheel angle, TCS only deals with wheel spin, DSC slams on the brakes for you and limits TQ.

Just disable it before you cut someone off next time.

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

It's FWD, with all of that power, you would have been spinning wheels, and that's DSC, DSC measures wheel angle, TCS only deals with wheel spin, DSC slams on the brakes for you and limits TQ.

Just disable it before you cut someone off next time.

That's the point. I could have controlled the wheelspin myself using the throttle and gotten smoothly out into the flow of traffic if the freaking computer hadn't taken over.
Is this function really fully defeated by pushing in that button? If so, I will make it a habit as part of my start-up routine.

 

[Falconx84]

I think its in our heads, i know what your feeling also, most cars Ive ever owned have this feeling, next time your on the highway, set your cruise at around say 50 in 4th and press the accel button, feels damn fast huh, now feel how hard its actually pressing the gas down, barley at all. I think its just a sense thing, never proved or disproved just something I think. Only real way to prove it would be a pain to do part throttle runs vs full throttle runs, I'm betting full wins every time, unless something is wrong with the car, which as we all feel it isn't the case.
Just my 2 cents.
Tom

thats because its drive-by-wire (smash)

but what you're saying makes sense with a "traditional" setup

 

[CX-7owner]

That's the point. I could have controlled the wheelspin myself using the throttle and gotten smoothly out into the flow of traffic if the freaking computer hadn't taken over.
Is this function really fully defeated by pushing in that button? If so, I will make it a habit as part of my start-up routine.

Yeah well it's totally different if you hit water, or just have major wheel spin, and possibly lose control etc.. the light doesn't come on all the time, but it does work without telling you. 250Tq+ at the front wheels is a lot to handle.

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Yeah well it's totally different if you hit water, or just have major wheel spin, and possibly lose control etc.. the light doesn't come on all the time, but it does work without telling you. 250Tq+ at the front wheels is a lot to handle.

I'm not a racer, I just like going fast down winding roads, so I like the stability control (I'm pretty sure it has saved my butt at least once) for the most part. I just don't like the low speed turning throttle limits. I wish there was a way to just disable that portion of it. I want it to kick in when I'm going fast enough to potentially do some damage, but leave me alone at low speeds. (yes, I am mentally kicking my feet and having a tantrum right now). Waah!

 

[Kosh]

Does anyone else notice less or no tq steer with tcs and dsc off? I haven't driven with either driving aid on since I learned how to turn it off and I forgot what tq steer was.

 

[nig3]

Ive noticed this too, in third gear if i part throttle it the tires will break looose!! but if i floor it they wont?