Was at a traffic light today and raced a gold Volvo V70 convertible. I believe the car has a turbo and approx. 255 HP and 245 lbs. ft. torque. He got a slight jump off the line and I floored my TL and noticed a trans or engine hesitation at the red line from 2nd-3rd gear--that's when I couldn't catch him. The TL is quick but you can really notice the lack of torque and indecisive shift pattern on full throttle. I have 750 miles on the car and this was my first pedal-to-metal burst. Was it safe to to that at such low miles?

 

Sounds like maybe you hit the rev limiter.

 

I hit the limiter but was not shifting manually. When I hit the limiter the engine panicked and hunted for 2 different gears. Maybe it will think quicker after longer break-in.

Thanks for feedback[B]

 

You should be fine. 600 miles is the break in period... but some people do wait longer before hitting it hard... I deffinately didn't wait past the 600... exactly 600 I floored it... I had to feel it

 

Do you have an AT or MT?

Oh wait... based on the "indecisive" shift pattern comment, you have the 5AT ... come back w/ a 6MT and you'll get him.

 

good one. I would have had a good shot if I wasn't so afraid of gunning the new car (750 mi.) and shifting manually through the tiptronic. I really didn't get smoked. it was pretty close

 

As the 5AT, do you remember how fast did you drive when you felt that "hesitation"? Thanks.

 

If the trans was shifting in auto mode you didn't hit the rev limiter. Hard to say what might have happened. Your car will get quicker with more miles. I have a little over 5k and it is noticeably faster than when newer. The V70 shouldn't have even been close. Your TL should have beat it easily.

 

approx. 45-50 MPH. speed got to 73 before race was over

 

I agree with rontatuaf, you seemed not to hit the "rev limiter".


I assume you're not running uphills or downhills.


Around 45-50 MPH,
1st gear: 6600+ PRM (even using L mode, this speed is still hard to achieve)
2nd gear: 4200~5000 RPM, your engine should keep running
3rd gear: 2700~3300 RPM


At 73 MPH,
2nd gear: redline
3rd gear: 4400~4700 RPM, around VTEC point.


Acura says:
SS MODE: A variety of safety features help protect the engine and drivetrain from damage. The transmission will upshift from first to second automatically if the driver doesn't command an upshift in time. In second, third and fourth, the transmission won't upshift without a command from the driver; the ECU cuts off fuel flow to the engine if there is danger of over-revving the engine. The transmission will upshift itself to prevent engine damage in the rare situation where the fuel cutoff alone is unable to prevent further engine over revving (as could happen on a steep downhill). When downshifting, the transmission won't execute a driver-commanded downshift that would send the engine beyond redline in the lower gear. To prevent lugging away from a stop in a high gear, the Sequential SportShift transmission will automatically downshift to first gear as it comes to a stop, even in manual mode.




If you're not using SS mode, I don't know why your ECU would cut off your fuel flow.


Or, you felt this. The only senstaion could be "VTEC" at 4700, but the car should keep going and our SOHC VTEC is so "quiet". Perhaps, your engine is still new. Your car would be better and better after getting more mileage on it. IMHO.

 

I don't think you were racing a V70 convertable.

I didn't know they made convertable wagons?

C70 maybe?

"Choice of two engines: 242 hp, five-cylinder, high-pressure turbo producing 243 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm and a 197 hp, five-cylinder, low-pressure turbo producing 210 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm."

I don't think it comes in a MT either.

miiipilot

 

Were you moving before you started racing the V70? I find the Auto TL is much faster if you punch it straight off the line. Once you start moving it seems to hunt for the right gear unless in manual mode.

 

come to think of it, It was probably a C70 hp turbo with the high torque

 

race was from a dead stop (red light), but I did not punch it. a felt him out 1st and then punched it. that's where Ilet him get me

 

Now, if I could only override the fuel cut-off (rewire it somehow) then I would have automatic red line upshift. I think it should be there from the beginning, just like 1st to 2nd. You know, us 5AT guy don't pay too mutch attention to our RPM.

Any ideas?

 

Did u turn OFF the VSA first??? THAT is the KEY to winning races w/ this car, 'cause the VSA takes soo much power away from you. I have the 04 6MT, and honestly I haven't lost any road races like that. I've beaten a WRX back to back to back at 3 consecutive lights on one stretch of road, although I'd say that driver is an ass, otherwise that car should beat me on paper anyday. There really ain't a lot of people that's interested in driving fast off traffic lights around Boston, and since our car can do the 0-60 in about 6 or so, that's a decent number. Most of the times when I "race" off a traffic light, I don't even hit close to redline, usually shifting around 6k and never hitting the rev limiter. I've done it once in 3rd gear, when I bumped against the rev limiter, and dropped my speed like at least 3MPH or more, from I think 95 to 90MPH.

Next time, turn off the VSA when you "race" people, unless you're at a slippery situation, in which case you shouldn't even think about racing nothing. It helps a TON, trust me. Good luck.

 

A turbo pumping out more torque than you've got at 1/2 the RPMs has a decent chance of stomping your butt. Once you get up into the higher ranges, it will depend on how much both drivers want to beat up the cars. Also how crazy you want to be on the road. From what I hear Volvos are at max torque (depending on the engine) in the sub 2000 RPM range.

I also find the 0-60 numbers rather impossible. I know road and track with the 6MT was able to romp to 60 in about 5.7 secs which is great for a car of this size with FWD. The older type S (stock) was advertised at 6.6 for an 5AT. If giving the car another 10 ponies and 6ft lbs of torque equates to much better times with more weight, I am surprised.

A friend of mine has an older 5 speed maxima with is suppose to do about 6.7 seconds to 60, while the automatic was about a second slower. Point here being is I doubt a stock TL 5AT would do a 6 second run. An S60 is advertised to do it in about 6.16 seconds.

 

I am curious about how fast you are going in a 5AM to hit the rev limiter in 3rd... In my older CL S, I belive it was 108-109. Of course I was watching the road and my tach. I was not paying much attention to the speedo.

 

It might have been the V70R. If thats what it was, they have 300 horse AWD. The ultmate sleeper.

 

wait, what is V70 convertible? V70 should be a wagon , right?

 

Wait... Whats a VSA? how does it use up power?

 

Oh man... Thou shalt RTFM. (Some of these people are gonna eat you alive for that question...


Its the Vehicle Stability system for the car (the "traction control")...

Some light reading:

http://www.acura.com/models/model_sa...asp?module=tl#

Hope this enlightens...

 

Was it a new STI? Those things are insanely fast. I test drove one and it was faster than my big block Chevelle.

 

Can someone tell me what is a v70 convertible?!

or u guys talking about the c70 convertible?

for c70 :

Choice of two engines: 242 hp, five-cylinder, high-pressure turbo producing 243 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm and a 197 hp, five-cylinder, low-pressure turbo producing 210 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm

 

It was probably a C70 is the only convertible volvo. The C70 has a turbo. It might not have as much HP but I bet the torque is higher than the TL. Torque is what wins races not hp. hp will help you once you are over 100 but before that its all torque.

if you give the TL about 30-40 lbs of torque it would be a monster.

 

the hesitation is from you slamming on the gas. it took a second to find the right gear. it was probably in 5th cruising at 2k rpm or lower. if you smashed the gas at about 45 or so it might of thrown you into high 2nd or 3rd. So of course your going to get a hesitation. Plus you only have 750 babying miles on it.

 

there is only 5 lb-ft different between tl and c70, but the torque of c70 blow out much earlier than TL~ (243 lb-ft at 2400rpm, our tl is 238 lb-ft at 5000 rpm.)

and maybe TL is little bit heaviler:

TL Curb Weight
Automatic: 3570 lb
Manual: 3472 lb

C70
Curb Weight 3,450 lbs. 3,450 lbs.

 

I let him get a slight jump because I wasn't sure if I was gonna race him. Once He commited, I was on his sideview mirror most of the way. It probably would've been a dead heat

 

a dodge neon srt smoked me in irvine this weekend

 

Ha Ha!

 

My friend's porsche 911 turbo was smoked by a civic at 270km/h on a Hwy.

last month...

no kidding, for real~

 

Well, true.

You'd also need to be the Incredible Hulk to hold onto the wheel with all the torquesteer!

 

 

FYI: Your post (while 100% accurate) is considered to be blasphemous in a Honda forum. Keep your references to torque at a bare minimum.

 

You need to learn how to use the sportshift. These 04 TLs short shift the redline (at least mine does) in full D mode is SS mode. You need to learn to rip shifs right at the redline without hitting the speedlimiter. All the power is up top on the TL.

Oh, you only have 700 miles on your car. IT GETS ALOT FASTER AFTER BEING BROKEN IN. Mine wasn't nearly as fast new as it is now with 7200 miles.

 

Also, the turboed Volvo five-cylinders are way quicker than the HP or even torque numbers would suggest. I had a '96 850 turbo that Volvo said only had 222hp. When I floored that thing it was like, one second, two seconds, then OMG. My belief is that the factory lies about power and torque because of Swedish tax laws that go up rapidly based on hp(kwatts actually) and displacement.

 

Umm. Not sure where you're coming up with this info (e.g. "hp will help you once you are over 100"). It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Anyway, here's a good read on torque and horsepower. It's not perfect, but it's good info. It's interesting how many people talk about torque and hp without really understanding what they mean, how they're related, and what role rpms and gearing plays. Not to mention the fact that mfgs quote peak torque/hp at the crank and that doesn't seem to be understood either.

Anyway, enjoy.

http://vettenet.org/torquehp.html

 

No, lucky for me it wasn't a STI, just a regular WRX. Either way, if the dude knew what he's doing w/ the car, he should be able to beat my 6MT even w/ a slush box.

 

VSA is the Traction control system that Acura uses. Almost every decent car maker has those things in place these days, and the system will hold back your throttle when it senses wheel slipping/tire burning. Most of the car magazines all test the car w/ traction control OFF, for that reason. With the electronic throttle control on the TL, it's even easier to control the gas and bypass your lead foot. When I drive w/ the VSA on, I can definately feel the car being more sluggish. With the VSA off, the tires will chirp and spin even in second gear, if you're pushing the pedal down hard. Don't think you can win many races w/ the VSA on, unless you're racing w/ people way outside of your class, like some Echo/Prius.

I drive most of the time w/ VSA off, only using it at very snowy/wet conditions.

 

Missmyprelude has a great link that people should check out that discusses HP/Torque

It can help people understand while when one vehicle gets a good launch another may be able to overtake it...

All depends on where the engine makes it torque, gearing, the weight of the vehicle, etc.

I am sure with all the drive by wire systems we have out there, will now start discussions on how fast the system can respond to the operators demands.

I can see it now.. in 10 years we will say yeah but my drive by wire system responds in 1/10 the time yours does.. giving me a 1 milisecond advantage...