Hate 530i electronic throttle
Hate 530i electronic throttle
Author
Discussion

Baddie

Original Poster:

802 posts

246 months

Monday 30th July 2007
quotequote all
Can anyone help?

I've not-long bought an E39 530i Sport, and I REALLY don't like the drive-by-wire throttle. It seems to give 80% engine load for 30% throttle opening. While this makes the car feel torquey when pootling, and encourages you to change up early (so that's why modern BM's seem so economical!) it also makes the engine feel a little flat on wider openings, as well as making it difficult to modulate the throttle when cresting a rise or searching for limits of traction in the wet. It's not a patch on the wire throttle of my previous E36 328i, and just forget the E34 M5 I once owned, and is a slur on the otherwise fine sporting credentials of the straight six.

My question is: does anyone know if other throttle maps were available for this engine, either non-sport 530's or 330's? Is it possible to re-program the throttle like you can reset ignition/fuelling on a rolling road?

And, less importantly, does anyone have experience of extracting more power from it?

My car's got the manual gearbox, and it feels like the second half of the accelerator travel is only for telling the auto how many gears to shift down! Thanks.

ian_cab28

210 posts

246 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
I know what you mean I've seen other people commenting on this aspect as well. I have a manual 3.0l x5 and the sheer inertia of the car disguises this aspect but I do notice that you can tap it sharply at idle and nothing happens it definitely has that computer between your foot and the throttle body feeling to it (which there is!). Surely a remap must help in that the readings from the pot built into the pedal mechanism is passed to the ecu to drive the throttle valve and some advanced jiggering pokerey in here could sharpen the feel. Ian

ec523

127 posts

240 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
I had the same issue, and now it is gone. I had a remap and it now pulls wonderfully the flat spot has gone "almost" depends on how I put my foot to the pedal. Very smooth revs all the way to 6,500rpm. And when I don't want to rev a slight touch of the pedal will get me going.


Baddie

Original Poster:

802 posts

246 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
Who re-mapped it for you? Quite tempted, unless I sell it and just go for an E34 M5 biggrin

NickXX

1,647 posts

247 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
Simon at www.e-maps.co.uk will be able to help you out on it. I think it should be possible. Give him a call - he'll know whether you can do it or not.

ec523

127 posts

240 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
Baddie said:
Who re-mapped it for you? Quite tempted, unless I sell it and just go for an E34 M5 biggrin
I got mine done at B&W Chiptune/Chippeduk if you send me a PM I will send you the contact details

jay123

161 posts

237 months

Tuesday 31st July 2007
quotequote all
most newer bmw's have an adaptive throttle whichs behaves depending on how use the accelerator.

try resetting it by putting the key in the ignition, switching it to pos 1 wait 10 secs the start the car.

Baddie

Original Poster:

802 posts

246 months

Sunday 5th August 2007
quotequote all
Thanks all, will try.

jj.

588 posts

299 months

Sunday 5th August 2007
quotequote all
ARRhhhh, that makes sense now then. I thought it was just poor design of the accelerator pedal (have you seen how big/long it is..?).

My foot naturally rests on the lower part of the pedal, thus small flex of foot= large inputs of accelerator. I thought it was just my style.

But you’re dead right, 80% of acceleration in the first 30% of travel…

You learn something new every day…!
jj

ec523

127 posts

240 months

Monday 6th August 2007
quotequote all
jay123 said:
most newer bmw's have an adaptive throttle whichs behaves depending on how use the accelerator.

try resetting it by putting the key in the ignition, switching it to pos 1 wait 10 secs the start the car.
I thought they had that first on the e39's? or am I just wishing