Pulling away?

Silverblue · Post by **Silverblue** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:59 pm

Hi just wondering if anyone else has notice that when pulling away it feels like some of the power doesnâ€™t reach the wheels or maybe is lost because the clutch doesnâ€™t grip.

I have heard the clutches can go on these cars even if you havenâ€™t done many miles, but through the rest of the gears the car seems to pull fine. I have Eagle F1 types on the back and some older Dunlop on the front so maybe I need some F1 for the front too. My car has about 32000k on the clock

neilw · Post by **neilw** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:18 pm

for 1sec once you floor it it hardly moves just rolls forward and thinks about it, then I find you get a rush of power. Probably nothing to worry about. I think its been discussed before.

Del_GTi · Post by **Del_GTi** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:24 pm

Yeah the GTi is a bit rubbish at pulling away from a standing start.

You have to give it a boot full of revs.

Silverblue · Post by **Silverblue** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:58 pm

that's ok then its not just me

andyg · Post by **andyg** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 8:02 pm

Its for a few reasons. Firstly the clutch is usually stiff, and not great. Secondly its 16v so the power doesn't kick in till later in the rev range. And finaly the GTi has VVT (variable valve timming), similar to hondas VTEC system.

With VVT the idea is you get a powerful engine AND one that has decent economy/complies with emission laws. In the low rev range (1k-3k) the car has relativly low power. But once you start going into 4k - 6K the valves open up more (they are fully open at about 5k). If you listen you will hear as the engine revs through the range, the note of the engine steps up a few notches between 3.8k and 5.5k and usually the car "springs to life".

So like the others say, if you want a fast start you have to rev it a fair bit.

Silverblue · Post by **Silverblue** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 8:49 pm

thanks i keep that in mind

Si_GTi · Post by **Si_GTi** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:30 pm

I've always found its very hard to hook up a good standing start - good meaning maximum thrust/grip + minimum wheelspin!

I read once upon a time that the best point in the rev range to achieve a good standing start from is halfway between the level at which peak torque is gained, and the level where best power is recorded. In the example of our GTi's, the peak torque (152Nm) is at 3300rpm, and peak power (125bhp) is at 6500rpm. Both these figures are from the VW brochure. So a point roughly between these two boundaries should, in theory, provide the best launch, if you get the clutch action spot on! About 5000rpm do you reckon?

Silverblue · Post by **Silverblue** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:38 pm

cheers

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:51 pm

Si_GTi wrote:I've always found its very hard to hook up a good standing start - good meaning maximum thrust/grip + minimum wheelspin!

I read once upon a time that the best point in the rev range to achieve a good standing start from is halfway between the level at which peak torque is gained, and the level where best power is recorded. In the example of our GTi's, the peak torque (152Nm) is at 3300rpm, and peak power (125bhp) is at 6500rpm. Both these figures are from the VW brochure. So a point roughly between these two boundaries should, in theory, provide the best launch, if you get the clutch action spot on! About 5000rpm do you reckon?

Having done that before I can safely say you get a bit of white smoke and the smell of burning rubber

(that was done at my work)