Why do cars always feel faster after a good blast out

[Camaro91]

Just wondered if anyone else noticed this. I am a gentle driver but now and then I like to give the motor a bit more work to do than usual. The result is, it always feels more responsive afterwards. I'm thinking it could be the placebo effect.

I suppose theoretically it could blast away any excess deposits, I know with diesel gen sets you have to work them close to their rated load every so often and it stops buildups of gunk / soot on the injectors and exhaust valves (wet stacking) so...

[Graebob]

Psychosomatic I'm sure.

Although I swear the tappets calm down in mine if I give it the bks

[richyb]

My car feels like it runs better after I've washed it. Its all in my head. Its a pistonhead thing.

[v8will]

Italian mechanics!!! Drive the st out of it and problems will be fixed

After a week around town my little diesel Toyota always gets it's cobwebs blown out when it gets a proper run out.

[mybrainhurts]

Conversely, my ex used to get very rough after a good seeing to...

[robsco]

The technical term for it is the Italian tune up, if I recall correctly.

[Camaro91]

Haha, has a ring to it, I'll remember that one.

[Graebob]

I always thought Italian Tune Up was giving it a good thrashing before MOT time, to blast all the ste out of the cats/exhaust and thus get a more "accurate" exhaust reading?

Any excuse really

[Cotty]

Mine feels quicker when I come back from a meet late at night, I think its the cooler air, but it could be rubbish

[Gizmo!]

Graebob said:

I always thought Italian Tune Up was giving it a good thrashing before MOT time, to blast all the ste out of the cats/exhaust and thus get a more "accurate" exhaust reading?

Any excuse really

Exactly true.

Well... even if it isn't true, who cares? Any excuse for a good thrash...

[robsco]

richyb said:

My car feels like it runs better after I've washed it. Its all in my head. Its a pistonhead thing.

Completely agree! And its scientifically proven, reduced air resistance see

[Crafty_]

Cooler, or to be more precise denser air (e.g. mist/fog) will help the engine, turbo engines especially.

Probably not a good explanation but most ECUs continuously adapt to how the car is being driven, aside from the main ignition/fuel maps there are various "correction factors" that allow for some variance over the map values, these factors get altered according to the way its being driven, and environment (bad fuel, high temps) and lots of other things.
Drive it hard and the values get affected, giving the full performance of the car.
Drive it gently and trawl motorways and light throttle and everything gets toned down to help economy.

So it isn't you, it does happen

[briers]

I've been convinced my car feels faster after a thrash, in cold air, after washing it.

Luckily my current car has several maps based on the gearbox mode. You can really tell the difference. The normal mode keeps everything economical and revs down but sport mode gets a serious pasting when in use and changes much quicker and revs higher.

[davepoth]

Certainly with a carbed car, especially one in a non-standard state of tune, you'll find that the mixture will be not quite right for pootling around town. Driving it "properly" will clean up the plugs a bit, and will make it go better.

[richyb]

robsco said:

richyb said:

My car feels like it runs better after I've washed it. Its all in my head. Its a pistonhead thing.

Completely agree! And its scientifically proven, reduced air resistance see

60% of the time it works everytime.

[Sleepy nic]

richyb said:

robsco said:

richyb said:

My car feels like it runs better after I've washed it. Its all in my head. Its a pistonhead thing.

Completely agree! And its scientifically proven, reduced air resistance see

60% of the time it works everytime.

I love lamp!

[Turkey]

I think some cars have ECU adaptations, many don't. Mine felt a lot more perky after a blast to bed the new brake pads in - lots of hard driving through the gears for 5-10 miles, but as a Diesel a fairly basic ECU, I can't explain why. It might have been due to blowing off deposits, but the difference was quite big on part throttle pickup.