Vantage 4.7 manual slow acceleration

Vantage 4.7 manual slow acceleration

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Discussion

R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Hello all, I've tried to search for something like what I'm experiencing but can't find a thing.

Accelerating hard in my manual 4.7 Vantage feels somewhat breathless through first and second gear. It feels like something is limiting the power/torque. As soon as I shift into third gear the rate of acceleration is noticeably faster. It's definitely not the traction control kicking in - the car isn't losing traction and there is no t/c light illuminating.

Anyone have any ideas?

No other performance car that I've ever driven has given me the sensation of a slower rate of acceleration in 1st and 2nd gear, it's rather odd!

Cheers.

Jon39

12,820 posts

143 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Have you recently test driven a V12 Vantage ?

wink



R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Haha nope unfortunately not!

Green9

155 posts

168 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Could it be a slipping clutch due to the higher drive-train torque loading of 1st and 2nd gears compared to 3rd?

R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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Hi Green,

Interesting. I know that clutches are a major weak point on the Vantage. On the MOT history of mine a previous Advisory was a heavy clutch, but when I came to buy it the clutch felt completely normal (for a sports car), leading me to think it had been changed in it's life.

There is certainly no other symptoms of clutch slip, and I must admit when the revs are rising as I accelerate in 1st and 2nd it doesn't feel like it's slipping but I guess it could just be very slight thus only affecting the acceleration rate rather than proper slip.

Would there be any other way to confirm if it is the clutch slipping?

Jon39

12,820 posts

143 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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R77C said:
Would there be any other way to confirm if it is the clutch slipping?

The old method is find an uphill road. At a steady speed going up hill, select a higher gear than is appropriate, increase engine revs then sharply release the clutch pedal. If engine revs remain high without the expected forward movement, the clutch is slipping.

Expect you already know, but if you do need a replacement, the twin plate version is wonderful for minimal extra cost.
If your car now has extra gear chatter, don't have the lightweight flywheel fitted with the twin plate clutch.


R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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Hi Jon, good idea and that's the only method I know for diagnosing clutch slip - tried it this morning and there's no rev rising whatsoever.

squirdan

1,083 posts

147 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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on many new sports cars torque is indeed limited in 1st and 2nd but I dont think thats the case with our cars (is with the new Vantage I think)

I had my 4.7 on track at Goodwood a few weeks ago and I would not say the acceleration was noticeably slow in those gears

dont know where you are located but my default suggestion is always: speak to James Appleby at DAE

R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
quotequote all
squirdan said:
on many new sports cars torque is indeed limited in 1st and 2nd but I dont think thats the case with our cars (is with the new Vantage I think)

I had my 4.7 on track at Goodwood a few weeks ago and I would not say the acceleration was noticeably slow in those gears

dont know where you are located but my default suggestion is always: speak to James Appleby at DAE
Thanks, I didn't think it would be limited in our era of Vantage. At first I thought it was my imagination, but the more and more I tried it, it's pretty obvious. The car is by no means slow in 1st and 2nd but the rate of acceleration is notably different as soon as you change into 3rd gear.

Will consult a specialist and see what they think.

Gene G

150 posts

98 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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I know on some Mercedes they don’t fully open the throttle body in the lower gears. If you have the ECU tuned you would then have a fully opened throttle body.

PatCub

244 posts

116 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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If you have a sportshift gearbox check the brake lights are not on. If the car thinks you have your foot on the brakes it will go into creep mode.

AdamV12V

5,012 posts

177 months

Wednesday 16th June 2021
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Can I ask - have you just bought the car and now thinking it seems slow in 1st/2nd or have you had it a while and previously not had such an issue?

I only ask because if you are new to the car you may feel the V8 is somewhat lethargic in its power delivery. Its not a fast free revving engine like the V12 or some other cars, more of a burbling brute. Thats not to say its slow, far from it, but it does have a laid back way of putting the power down.

leman600

223 posts

216 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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If you have an OBD reader then it could be worth driving and plotting some performance related variables.
Also the G meters may confirm your suspicions.
Turn the car to track mode or whatever. Might affect any braking and or the map being used. As you originally suspected traction control was by far the most logical culprit.
Certainly a strange one.
Good luck.


R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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Thanks for the replies all.

Adam - Bought the car about 1.5 years ago, but admittedly it doesn't get driven too much at all. I've always had that niggling feeling that it felt slower in 1st and 2nd but just put that down to my imagination/the road/me being used to other fast cars which I drive on a more regular basis. It was only last weekend that I was able to get the car out for a really good, full day of driving where I was able to test, and confirm my suspicions a little more. Honestly, as soon as I shift into third (foot to the floor, revving to the near the limiter in both first and second) the thing just takes off!!

Leman600 - I am certainly not sophisticated enough to do that haha!

Dewi 2

1,314 posts

65 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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Say you are driving in 2nd gear at a steady 40 mph, with a passenger. Without your passenger expecting it, you then floor the accelerator pedal. Is your passenger's head thrown back on to the head restraint? With a 4.7, it should be. If not, there must be something wrong.



R77C

Original Poster:

89 posts

191 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
quotequote all
Hello Dewi,

Oh absolutely their head would be thrown back into the headrest. The car definitely doesn't feel slow. Put it this way, upon changing into third gear it essentially feels like the car has gained a couple of extra cylinders. With all other N/A performance cars that I've driven the rate of acceleration gradually declines as you go up the gears; first gear being the most ferocious of acceleration, second a little calmer, and then third calmer still. The V8V will feel reasonably fast in 1st, roughly the same rate of acceleration in second, but then after changing into third it feels like a completely different beast.

Employing a G meter would actually be quite a good way of demonstrating what I'm feeling.