Re: Nissan Z, step aside

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:07:35 -0700, Scott in SoCal
<scottenaztlan@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 22:31:51 GMT, still me <wheeledBob@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>wrote:
>
>>Most turbo's today blow heavy by about 2K RPM, so it's really not
>>"higher revs" anymore. Once you are off the line, it's cranking. I
>>have to admit, it took me over a year to figure out how to have it
>>blowing as you take off. 
>
>By brake-torquing it? :)

Nope. I haven't exactly diagrammed it, but my feet know the routine
:-) It's more like a rev just before takeoff to kick up the turbo,
then hit it fairly hard, then back off. The rev has to be just right
because you need the turbo spinning but you don't want to be clutch
slipping from a high rev when you actually hit it. At the same time,
you have to control the throttle (usually by backing off once you get
moving) to avoid spinning the tires as th boost kicks in. It's a
little bit of a balancing act. Sounds complicated, but your feet
figure it out after a while and then it's just instinctive like most
of serious driving. 

>Then turbos are different than belt-driven superchargers. My 2003
>Cobra had a 4.6L engine with a Roots supercharger, and its gas mileage
>sucked so bad I had to pay a $1000 Gas Guzzler Tax when I bought it.
>The fuel economy was MUCH worse than the normally-aspirated 4.6L
>engine in my previous Cobra (or in the Mustang GT). 

Well, one issue is matching engines, the other is driving style. If
the NA 4.6 has less power, then it's not an equal MPG test. Also, a SC
uses engine power to drive the SC which is much less efficient than
using the waste exhaust stream like a turbo does. The advantage is
that the SC has no lag. 

>>I think the real draw is the incredible torque in mid to upper range.
>>With most NA engines I've driven, they can pull pretty hard but the
>>pull is fairly straight then it drops off. With the turbo, as boost
>>builds, the pull just starts increasing as the boost builds, like an
>>invisible hand pu****ng you along.  
>
>Kinda like a Honda VTEC engine. :)

But much bigger in whoosh, depending on the application.