Yes, this is the stupidest sounding thread title ever.


I have noticed that the rx8, or at least the one that I drive, seems to noticeably "tune" itself over the course of an hour or so during hard driving. I drove for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours this weekend, and for several periods off and on during that time this included some very hard driving with plenty of full throttle redlining gratuitous action totaling about 45 minutes or so of intensity for the trip. When I compare the performance of the motor at the start of the trip to the performance by the middle/end of the trip, I notice considerable improvements. This includes throttle response, engine note(this one is probly a placebo), and power output at high revs, as well as an overall improvement in the high rev ranges in general. Basically, everything feels more willing, more broken in, more immediate.

So I realize that this could partly be due to a placebo effect. After you have a few nice corners, hit a few straights with rock walls on both sides for reverb, your brain might start to get a little full of itself and get wrapped up in the moment. But still, it seems too noticeable to be all placebo.

I was thinking how this would effect possible dyno testing as well. Three runs through the rev range on the dyno would not be enough to equal the many dozens of full throttle runs through the range which I am talking about.

 

I can't speak to the 8 perse...but in my coupe I have found that after a few hours of tracking or spirited driving in the hill country the engine is much more responsive, delivers power more readily and purrs unlike any other time.

So fwiw, and in another car, I notice similar things.

 

i know what you're talking about. it's alive.

 

**** I know what you're talking about too. I think it's a combination of placebo and actual phenomenal. I also think the engine occasionally pulls a lot better then normal. It's like the fuel ignited in both rotor housings perfectly or something.

 

I too have felt this as well.

 

i too have felt this, and let me tell you it feels good!

 

weird....I guess it isnt just my imagination. Come to think of it, the suspension felt more stable and solid as well after continuous flogging.....

 

I believe they call that an "Italian tune up." Driving the crap out of our cars blows out some of the carbon and deposits in the engine. Also the car's computer is pretty smart so It may make adjustments to be more responsive to throttle inputs for more aggressive driving.

Edit: And yes your thread title fails.

 

I've noticed this when getting off the highway into more city type driving the car is a lot more jumpy and feels like it wants to go at the slightest touch.

 

Yes, it happens, and it isn't in our minds. It actually does significantly affect our 8s, more-so than other cars. The 'redline-a-day' moto is for engine health in general, but flogging our 8s is something that it REALLY DOES enjoy. I get better cruising gas mileage when I flog it regularly than if I granny drive it. Over the winter and all the slow snow driving, my mileage had dropped ~4mpg when the weather finally cleared up. I flogged the 8 the whole way to work and back home, and the cruising mpg bumped back up to where it was supposed to be.

If it's doing that for efficiency, it is certainly doing it for power as well. Try it. Drive for a week granny shifting and keeping the RPMs low. Then observe how unstable your idle is. Then flog it for a day. Observe idle again. It does improve noticeably.

In this rare exception, it isn't in your head

 

omg that's awesome






cops:

me:

 

i think its just the engine fully warming up, and fully lubed and what not.

 

I find this unlikely. driving it hard at 6000 + revs for thirty minutes or more would without a doubt heat up everything to optimum temp. I am saying it seems to take much longer for the change.

 

Your title ... argh ....


This OE ECU is a learning computer. so yeah if u drive the **** out of it it will adjust itself so yeah you can drive the **** outa it ...

 

awesome