Can the electronic throttle help save the engine?
 

The other day, while taking a sharp corner quickly, I shifted out of third gear, blipped the throttle, and went for second. However, when I got back on the throttle, the engine didn't provide any thrust! A quick glance at the tach showed 2000 RPM, as I had hit fourth instead of second. (dork!)

I've heard the electronic throttle can prevent the engine from gagging on too much throttle opening if such a thing occurs. Anybody else have any thoughts on this?

I try to be conscious about lugging the engine, but I have my moments of stupidity.

This has happened to me too buddy. Stupid isn't what I call it, rather careless ;) Anyways, what would an electronic throttle do to aide that? Isn't our throttle electronic already? I think I read it here that we have a "drive by wire" system. Is this correct?

I'm not absolutely sure about this, but it's definitely possible that the PCM limits throttle opening based on engaged gear and vehicle speed. It would make sense, as you said, to prevent the engine from gagging on too much air/fuel mixture.

Other very nice features of ETC (electronic throttle control) include easier implementation of TCS and DSC (ETC limits throttle when PCM senses wheel slip), cruise control (no pedal actuators required to modulate pedal position to maintain speed), and packaging (no mechanical cable required).

Also, for the automatic transmission vehicles, ETC can modulate throttle during a shift to improve shift quality and acceleration continuity. The one funny thing about ETC and auto trans vehicles is that manufacturers are "playing" with the torque demand map so that WOT (wide open throttle) occurs at lighter pedal position. For instance, if a vehicle has a pedal with 14 degrees of travel, the PCM might be programmed such that WOT is attained at 6 degrees. The problem is that the response may be extremely sensitive for the first 1/3 of pedal movement, and completely flat for the last 2/3. That is very bad in my opinion, but they are trying to make the vehicle "feel" faster than it actually is. IMO, it is better to mimic a mechanical throttle response.

Xyntax: We do a have throttle-by-wire system. The electronic throttle would perhaps sense that the foot is asking for too sudden an increase in RPM that the engine couldn't provide under load, and would then limit the throttle opening at the throttle body.

In my case, maybe I should have a complete automatic-drive-by-wire system so I can think of a destination and the car will take me there! Oh yeah, we have the Metro Transit system for that.

Interesting info RX8_Buckeye. I'm amazed I haven't been aware of the electronic throttle's during driving. It sure doesn't have that mechanical springy feeling of my RX7's throttle though.