Not a problem. I will close the account, if I can figure out how. Or you can close it for me. If I’m getting “called out” for this…since I don’t remember calling anyone a name or threatening anyone…I think I’ll probably just bow out. If I couldn’t state my opinions on global warming (which doesn’t exist but is the reason for CAFE standards), unions (which is partly to blame for the demise of the American auto industry), or religion…well I don’t think I went there…yep. I’m out. No hard feelings, on my part at least.
It’s not a call-out. I’m not into suspending people. You’re newish, so I was responding to your observation. As you were! 
It’s all good. I do think I’m a little…”rogue” for this joint. Not a ton of sense of humor here. But that’s ok. Can you “delete” or “ban” me? I do not know how.
That’s a pretty lame attempt at trolling. I hope nobody takes the bait.
Even the wimpy computers they use for ECU’s still runs at 10Mips (Million Instructions Per Second) is NOT causing the lag. Something else is causing the lag. Pretty much all high-end sports cars these days are fly-by-wire. They wouldn’t be using it if it caused any type of lag.
I’ve driven manual transmissions over the last 50 years. My first throttle-by-wire vehicle ('07 Civic Coupe) made me relearn clutch operation due to the slight lag.
I have the same “problem” with my 2010 Kia Forte SX 2.4L I4 6 speed M/T (non-turbo). Turbo lag is an accurate description. It is my first throttle by wire vehicle. Un-learning 45 years of manual transmission muscle memory and learning to drive the Kia took a couple weeks! I stalled it twice getting off the dealer’s lot and 3 more times on the 15 mile drive home. I eventually discovered if I held 2,000 RPMs and engaged the clutch it would launch normally and not lag or stall when I increased throttle.
I have had to relearn clutch operation in my Yaris also. But I don’t think it’s throttle by wire lag so much as it is the torque characteristics of an engine that’s idling with the intake cam at full retard in atkinson cycle mode. This kills most of the intake manifold vacuum which means low idle fuel consumption because of low pumping losses. In otto cycle mode, there is a strong intake manifold vacuum and it acts as an effective idle speed governor. Any decrease in engine speed lowers the intake manifold vacuum (increases manifold pressure) resulting in an automatic increase in torque that makes clutching the engine without stalling the engine easier.
If I understand you correctly, would that make the lag a matter of variable timing rather than throttle operation?
It seems to me variable timing is designed to work better with a CVT transmission or 5-6 speed automatic transmission, and mating variable valve timing to a manual transmission might be what is leading to the new learning curve.
Considering that the market penetration of manual trans cars is down around 12% now, maybe the development engineers tasked with “tuning” the engine response spent most of their time on the automatics rather than the manuals?
Cars are tuned for the American market differently than the rest of the world because of our emission standards. Tuning the car so it is pleasing to drive takes time and effort best spent on the 88% of the cars you will actually sell. The 12 % of you with manuals will just have to get used to your cars.
Sorry, the cruelty of the market.
Huh, that’s weird - I find on Subarus (pre my 2018 anyway) that the throttle response is so fast I often accidentally “lurch” off the line. The 2018 Outback however, even with the 3.6R, is very sedate and smooth in accelerating.
I think variable valve timing was done more for the sake of satisfying CAFE standards than EPA standards.
It reduces idle and low load fuel consumption by holding the intake valve open for a part of the compression stroke allowing the piston to blow a part of the cylinder’s charge back into the intake manifold. Since the engine isn’t trying to pump its full displacement of air through the engine, the throttle does not have to restrict the air so much and so the engine does not have to do so much work sucking air past a nearly closed throttle.
Unfortunately, this makes the engine just as easy to stall as a two-stroke engine, which also has very little engine braking at part throttle, mostly because the crankcase has a very low compression ratio and because of this, the engine makes very little vacuum in the intake manifold.
The reason both two stroke and atkinson cycle engines are so easy to stall is not because “they don’t have torque”, it’s because the torque doesn’t automatically increase with a reduction of engine speed and this makes clutch engagement rather tricky.
But I got used to clutching two stroke engines on my two stroke motorcycles and I also got used to clutching my Yaris, still, I’ll do anything to keep from having to do an uphill start in this car. I hate doing a 2000 rpm clutch burning start in my car.
I don’t think the two can be separated. If you improve gas mileage, you reduce emissions.
Trading in a 2018 luxury SUV for a 1968 Yamaha 60 motorcycle with a two stroke engine would greatly improve your gas mileage, but it would be an emissions disaster as far as the EPA is concerned.
Since that scenario is highly unlikely, it doesn’t refute what mountainbike said. I think emissions reductions in general are the direct result of CAFE regulations, and are the prime reason for CAFE. Us saving money on fuel is a side benefit to the rule makers.
Before there was CAFE, there was EPA, and a lot of the early emissions system modifications actually reduced fuel efficiency.
The point is that you can have clean gas guzzlers and dirty fuel sippers.
Very little is done regarding the environment or any significant matter until a program can be developed to wring profit and political capital out of the effort. The long range well being of Main St USA is of little concern other than photo ops of anecdotal tales of grand success.
And losing the throttle cable was a no brainer. With cruise control and ECM control of the throttle being considered a necessity installing a mechanical throttle became redundant. A few lines of data replaced the costly material and labor involved with the throttle.
Here’s a good description of the multiple systems added to the latest Ram truck to increase mpgs, including a heated differential:
Apparently, VW is introducing a new engine that switches from Otto cycle to Budack cycle when the load is light. In the Budack cycle the intake valve closes before the piston reaches the bottom in order to reduce power for more efficient cruising. It’s not variable, it’s one cam lobe for Otto and another for Budack.
For a long time, I have imagined an engine that would throttle with the intake valve closing earlier or later depending on the power needed like the old Corliss steam engines and have no need for a butterfly throttle in the intake. This would need solenoid activated intake valves and they seem to not be ready for prime time for a car engine that can rev up to 6000 rpm.