ecu face slap - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

ToxicSneakers · 09-15-2012, 05:49 AM

With 25xx miles on my stock AT FR-S it seems to me like the ecu just got busy.

Feels like the power train has "opened up" and there is more low-end torque and faster rev-up. In Sport the up-shifts are very quick and snappy and the accelerator is feeling more direct and connected. There is a new "throat" note to the exhaust escape sound.

I'm wondering if this is a planned/programmed (post break-in period) performance factor, or, rather, a random driver-dependent, or vehicle-specific thing? I've no idea what happened, but YEAH!

Others with a similar FR-S experience?

Grishbok · 09-15-2012, 06:00 AM

Congratulations, youre engine is starting to wake up. It takes a while for a brand new car to really start wearing itself in properly, just like training shoe. Wait till you get to 5/6k, youll love it.

jeebus · 09-15-2012, 11:23 AM

IMO, a car's motor feels kinda poopy when it's brand spankin new.

TuxedoCartman · 09-15-2012, 06:13 PM

Could it maybe have something to do with the weather cooling off as well? I noticed during the peak of summer mine did not run as well on hot days; so now that fall's here, I'm expecting to get a lot more enjoyment out of mine.

Grishbok · 09-15-2012, 06:40 PM

If you havent driven many new cars, it takes a few k miles for the everything to really start coming together, throttle response increases dramatically, the computers learned what it needs to, everything is settling in nice and proper. Brand new cars are what we call "Feels Fluffy" until a few thousand miles when that starts to go away.

Bristecom · 09-15-2012, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TuxedoCartman

Could it maybe have something to do with the weather cooling off as well? I noticed during the peak of summer mine did not run as well on hot days; so now that fall's here, I'm expecting to get a lot more enjoyment out of mine.

That's a good point too. Ambient temperatures do have a pretty noticeable effect on performance. It's always funny when the first cool day comes around after summer and I'm like woah, where did all this power come from!?

ToxicSneakers · 09-15-2012, 08:24 PM

^ No, this is a very marked change: makes me think it is ecu programming, and I wonder what is the trigger?

FYI I have been driving and tracking since 1958, have owned more than 20 vehicles, at least half of them new purchase. Some of my cars have been high performance and/or sports/gt , manual, turbo, supercharged, etc.-whatever. I only use a/c to de-humidify, or run for a few minutes each week, preferring open windows.

My FR-S has about 70 AX runs so far, and an dealer oil change at 2000 miles. On track it is assists off and manual shift, and around town easy going, or Sport/paddles if low traffic density.

I guess I would like to hear from someone definitively about ecu programming. The only other things coming to mind are converter burn-in or previously restricted cam advance (particle contamination), or some self-curing vacuum or pcv issue.

I am very happy with the performance gains whatever the basis for improvements. I just wish I could tell readers how it occurred and could be shared.

LSxJunkie · 09-15-2012, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRSowner

If you experience better throttle response and more power during cooler weather, it might because you are no longer running the A/C...

Yeah. Denser air would have nothing to do with that.

xAgentzero13 · 09-15-2012, 09:18 PM

no break in engine is all BS! The trunk monkey comes to your house in the middle of the night and breaks in your engine himself! Doesn't matter about 1000 miles

xAgentzero13 · 09-15-2012, 09:20 PM

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek"]Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles - YouTube[/ame]Heres your 100 miles right here!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek"]Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles - YouTube[/ame]

Yruyur · 09-15-2012, 09:21 PM

I think many car felt fully broke in at 5k. There are days like today where everything just feels perfect about the car. There are other days where the car feels bogged down without a lot of pick up.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Silverdub · 09-15-2012, 10:16 PM

A vw 16v from the late 80s early 90s would make extra power after 60k miles over a new one. I believe it was top gear that ran that test. It does feel that much better!

TuxedoCartman · 09-15-2012, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRSowner

If you experience better throttle response and more power during cooler weather, it might because you are no longer running the A/C...

Nah, I had the AC off during summer when I was driving hard (and yes, suffered for it!) There is a noticeable difference in power and response during 100+ degree days, and days when it's in the low 80's or 70's.

For the OP, I imagine it's a combination of the engine loosening up and cooler weather. I've never owned a naturally aspirated car that is as sensitive to warm weather as this one (and i've owned quite a few myself). Perfect time to buy it, though, huh?

SLEEPER WRX · 09-16-2012, 12:37 AM

Hey TuxedoCartman

Where can I get a cat with three eyes?

09-15-2012, 05:49 AM	#1
ToxicSneakers Deleted Join Date: May 2012 Drives: FR-S Location: Minneapolis Posts: 242 Thanks: 106 Thanked 117 Times in 55 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	ecu face slap With 25xx miles on my stock AT FR-S it seems to me like the ecu just got busy. Feels like the power train has "opened up" and there is more low-end torque and faster rev-up. In Sport the up-shifts are very quick and snappy and the accelerator is feeling more direct and connected. There is a new "throat" note to the exhaust escape sound. I'm wondering if this is a planned/programmed (post break-in period) performance factor, or, rather, a random driver-dependent, or vehicle-specific thing? I've no idea what happened, but YEAH! Others with a similar FR-S experience?

09-15-2012, 06:00 AM	#2
Grishbok Volunteer Fire and Rescue Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Ambulance... sideways. Location: No. VA Posts: 546 Thanks: 97 Thanked 350 Times in 166 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Congratulations, youre engine is starting to wake up. It takes a while for a brand new car to really start wearing itself in properly, just like training shoe. Wait till you get to 5/6k, youll love it. __________________ It's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow.

09-15-2012, 11:23 AM	#3
jeebus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2015 Mustang GT (on order) Location: San Diego Posts: 904 Thanks: 114 Thanked 471 Times in 208 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	IMO, a car's motor feels kinda poopy when it's brand spankin new. __________________

09-15-2012, 06:40 PM	#5
Grishbok Volunteer Fire and Rescue Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Ambulance... sideways. Location: No. VA Posts: 546 Thanks: 97 Thanked 350 Times in 166 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If you havent driven many new cars, it takes a few k miles for the everything to really start coming together, throttle response increases dramatically, the computers learned what it needs to, everything is settling in nice and proper. Brand new cars are what we call "Feels Fluffy" until a few thousand miles when that starts to go away. __________________ It's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow.

09-15-2012, 09:20 PM	#10
xAgentzero13 Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: genesis coupe Location: central florida Posts: 153 Thanks: 15 Thanked 74 Times in 25 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek"]Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles - YouTube[/ame]Heres your 100 miles right here! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek"]Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles - YouTube[/ame] Last edited by xAgentzero13; 09-15-2012 at 09:22 PM. Reason: link

09-15-2012, 06:13 PM	#4
TuxedoCartman Banned Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: '13 86 Location: Exiled to Las Vegas Posts: 646 Thanks: 305 Thanked 579 Times in 220 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Could it maybe have something to do with the weather cooling off as well? I noticed during the peak of summer mine did not run as well on hot days; so now that fall's here, I'm expecting to get a lot more enjoyment out of mine.

09-15-2012, 08:24 PM	#7
ToxicSneakers Deleted Join Date: May 2012 Drives: FR-S Location: Minneapolis Posts: 242 Thanks: 106 Thanked 117 Times in 55 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	^ No, this is a very marked change: makes me think it is ecu programming, and I wonder what is the trigger? FYI I have been driving and tracking since 1958, have owned more than 20 vehicles, at least half of them new purchase. Some of my cars have been high performance and/or sports/gt , manual, turbo, supercharged, etc.-whatever. I only use a/c to de-humidify, or run for a few minutes each week, preferring open windows. My FR-S has about 70 AX runs so far, and an dealer oil change at 2000 miles. On track it is assists off and manual shift, and around town easy going, or Sport/paddles if low traffic density. I guess I would like to hear from someone definitively about ecu programming. The only other things coming to mind are converter burn-in or previously restricted cam advance (particle contamination), or some self-curing vacuum or pcv issue. I am very happy with the performance gains whatever the basis for improvements. I just wish I could tell readers how it occurred and could be shared.

09-15-2012, 09:18 PM	#9
xAgentzero13 Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: genesis coupe Location: central florida Posts: 153 Thanks: 15 Thanked 74 Times in 25 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	no break in engine is all BS! The trunk monkey comes to your house in the middle of the night and breaks in your engine himself! Doesn't matter about 1000 miles

09-15-2012, 09:21 PM	#11
Yruyur Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Scion fr-s asphalt M/T Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,192 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 1,631 Times in 941 Posts Mentioned: 96 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I think many car felt fully broke in at 5k. There are days like today where everything just feels perfect about the car. There are other days where the car feels bogged down without a lot of pick up. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2 __________________

09-15-2012, 10:16 PM	#12
Silverdub Boostin' Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: FRS-T Location: Montreal Posts: 1,042 Thanks: 337 Thanked 489 Times in 241 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	A vw 16v from the late 80s early 90s would make extra power after 60k miles over a new one. I believe it was top gear that ran that test. It does feel that much better! __________________ My custom turbo build up thread!

09-16-2012, 12:37 AM	#14
SLEEPER WRX Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: 2013 BRZ Location: San Jose Posts: 193 Thanks: 2 Thanked 134 Times in 72 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Hey TuxedoCartman Where can I get a cat with three eyes?

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