Sometimes feels like there's no pull at all at higher RPMs

radiantm3 · 03-20-2009, 12:41 PM

Is this common for turbo cars? It might just be me.

If I accelerate hard right from the start, the car pulls very hard all the way into the upper rpms. You can feel it die down up top, but it's pretty linear. But I noticed when I drive normally and then push the gas down hard at around 3000-4000rpms in 2nd gear, It's like there's no torque at all. It feels random sometimes. And I noticed the same thing in both my 135 and 335 so I don't think there's something wrong with both cars. The 135i has the Dinan stage 2 as well. Thoughts? Enlighten me?

My guess would be that my body is associating the gobs of torque in the low end with accelerating fast so when I don't feel it, the car feels slow.

peppebmw · 03-20-2009, 01:00 PM

I have experienced this as well. I thought something was wrong with my car. Feels a little better with JB+.

gnpower · 03-20-2009, 01:01 PM

Plenty of pull with mine. Maybe you are getting used to the power?

Judge · 03-20-2009, 01:13 PM

I run a stock 135i and find it delivers the most power when downshifting from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd. Of course the downshifting sends the rpms into the stratosphere but that is the point, right?

Addict...Nah Im A Junkie! · 03-20-2009, 02:21 PM

Do you have your traction control turned on or off? If off, fully off or just the 1 second push off?

radiantm3 · 03-20-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addict...Nah Im A Junkie!

Do you have your traction control turned on or off? If off, fully off or just the 1 second push off?

It's on, but I don't think it's a TC issue. Wouldn't I see the light flash? And I don't feel any cut in power.

SpeedballTrix · 03-21-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnpower

Plenty of pull with mine. Maybe you are getting used to the power?

QFT

When I first got my 135 I almost never pushed it because it felt so fast.
Within a month or two I found myself struggling not to throw mods at it because I can squeeze every ounce of acceleration out of her and still want more. The 135 just eats up speed and asks for more.
I'm not saying the car isn't fast, I'm just saying it's so easy to drive fast (unlike a 350z or S2000, in my experience) that you get used to it very quickly and find yourself confident to find the edge and dance on it.

BForbes · 03-21-2009, 11:42 AM

You folks got really use to that power quickly!

M3R1 · 03-21-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnpower

Plenty of pull with mine. Maybe you are getting used to the power?

arok · 03-21-2009, 11:59 AM

well here's why you guys feel it "losing out" at the top end
From BMW:
Nominal output hp/rpm 300/5800
Max. torque lb-ft/rpm 300/1400-5000

our max torque drops off at 5k... so you no longer feel the same "pull"... I've read somewhere that the track guys here shift before redline by a few hundred RPM b/c that puts you in the best part of the powerband of the next gear...

for me, the car is fast enough... i can break speed limits before I can look for cops lol...

BForbes · 03-21-2009, 12:39 PM

^^Makes sense. I wonder if that was done for engine longetivy and reliablity. Or, it could've been done to save the //M cars embarassment. :-)

radiantm3 · 03-21-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedballTrix

QFT

When I first got my 135 I almost never pushed it because it felt so fast.
Within a month or two I found myself struggling not to throw mods at it because I can squeeze every ounce of acceleration out of her and still want more. The 135 just eats up speed and asks for more.
I'm not saying the car isn't fast, I'm just saying it's so easy to drive fast (unlike a 350z or S2000, in my experience) that you get used to it very quickly and find yourself confident to find the edge and dance on it.

Yea I could just be used to it. It could also be the fact that the Dinan upgrade is tuned to reduce boost as you get into the higher RPMs. I'm not saying the car doesn't feel fast. There's just a significant difference between the lower RPMs and the higher in the first couple gears. All that torque in the lower RPMs feels like it disappears and the car "feels" slow after that point.

arok · 03-21-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BForbes

^^Makes sense. I wonder if that was done for engine longetivy and reliablity. Or, it could've been done to save the //M cars embarassment. :-)

I think it was for daily drive-ability. torque down low makes it easy to drive around in traffic, stop&go and etc...

white911 · 03-21-2009, 05:52 PM

Read the Dinan site, it is designed to reduce boost at higher RPMs. Any responsible tuner should approach their program with some degree of caution. Some add a tune on top of the Dinan to defeat that longevity feature. It seems that the higher boost near red line raise cylinder temperatures beyond acceptable limits. On the track the car has plenty of pull without approaching redline. There is really no need to run it up to redline. When I get a chance I will take some data (stock configuration) comparing segment times. Right now my focus is on the Porsche, so it could be a while.

Mega Man · 03-21-2009, 06:45 PM

I agree with the OP, and majority of the rest of the posts. I thought maybe I was getting used to it. I remember the HP/TQ graphs from the brochure; the sudden drop off.

Whatever the case, two things are certain: a stock 135i doesn't feel as fast months after you've bought it from the first time you "punched it," and there is a sudden loss of torque a little after 5k RPM.

imported_mega · 03-21-2009, 07:14 PM

jb3 will fix it

it's the tune that's doing it

infinitekidM2C · 03-22-2009, 12:35 AM

one word...Procede

rcracer_tx · 03-22-2009, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imported_mega

jb3 will fix it

it's the tune that's doing it

More power= more fun

03-20-2009, 12:41 PM	#1
radiantm3 Apex Everything! 976 Rep 4,378 Posts Drives: 2007 Honda S2000, 2017 GT350 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cedar Park, TX iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 E92 M3 [9.35] 2014 BMW i3 [10.00]	Sometimes feels like there's no pull at all at higher RPMs Is this common for turbo cars? It might just be me. If I accelerate hard right from the start, the car pulls very hard all the way into the upper rpms. You can feel it die down up top, but it's pretty linear. But I noticed when I drive normally and then push the gas down hard at around 3000-4000rpms in 2nd gear, It's like there's no torque at all. It feels random sometimes. And I noticed the same thing in both my 135 and 335 so I don't think there's something wrong with both cars. The 135i has the Dinan stage 2 as well. Thoughts? Enlighten me? My guess would be that my body is associating the gobs of torque in the low end with accelerating fast so when I don't feel it, the car feels slow. __________________ 2011 E92 M3(Sold). 2007 Honda S2000 (Track Car). 2016 Cayman GT4 (Sold). 2017 Shelby GT350 (AKA Crowd Killer). My pet project: https://stickershift.com
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03-20-2009, 01:00 PM	#2
peppebmw Lieutenant 21 Rep 412 Posts Drives: 2023 BMW X3 M40i Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: middle of CT iTrader: (1)	I have experienced this as well. I thought something was wrong with my car. Feels a little better with JB+. __________________ 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth 2021 Jeep Wrangler JLU Sport S 2022 RE Continental GT 650
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03-20-2009, 01:01 PM	#3
gnpower Lieutenant 18 Rep 475 Posts Drives: BMW ///M Sport 135i Join Date: May 2008 Location: Red Sox Nation iTrader: (0)	Plenty of pull with mine. Maybe you are getting used to the power? __________________ ///M 135i
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03-20-2009, 01:13 PM	#4
Judge First Lieutenant 38 Rep 395 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	I run a stock 135i and find it delivers the most power when downshifting from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd. Of course the downshifting sends the rpms into the stratosphere but that is the point, right?
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03-20-2009, 02:21 PM	#5
Addict...Nah Im A Junkie! Captain 34 Rep 786 Posts Drives: 09 135i, 98 M rdstr Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Do you have your traction control turned on or off? If off, fully off or just the 1 second push off? __________________ '09 135i 6MT : Space Grey/Black ette : Cold Weather Package : Sport Package : Glacier Silver Aluminum Trim : iPod and USB : Nav : HD radio : Premium hi-fi system
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03-21-2009, 11:42 AM	#8
BForbes Moderator 559 Rep 4,240 Posts Drives: BSM 135i/AW E90 M3 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Orlando, FL iTrader: (0)	You folks got really use to that power quickly! __________________ - 04 Honda S2000(gone)
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03-21-2009, 11:59 AM	#10
arok Captain 46 Rep 987 Posts Drives: BMW F30 335i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Mateo, CA iTrader: (1)	well here's why you guys feel it "losing out" at the top end From BMW: Nominal output hp/rpm 300/5800 Max. torque lb-ft/rpm 300/1400-5000 our max torque drops off at 5k... so you no longer feel the same "pull"... I've read somewhere that the track guys here shift before redline by a few hundred RPM b/c that puts you in the best part of the powerband of the next gear... for me, the car is fast enough... i can break speed limits before I can look for cops lol... __________________ 2013 BMW 335i M-Sport
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03-21-2009, 12:39 PM	#11
BForbes Moderator 559 Rep 4,240 Posts Drives: BSM 135i/AW E90 M3 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Orlando, FL iTrader: (0)	^^Makes sense. I wonder if that was done for engine longetivy and reliablity. Or, it could've been done to save the //M cars embarassment. :-) __________________ - 04 Honda S2000(gone)
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03-21-2009, 05:52 PM	#14
white911 First Lieutenant 16 Rep 355 Posts Drives: 135I - white/coral red - sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: California, MD iTrader: (0)	Read the Dinan site, it is designed to reduce boost at higher RPMs. Any responsible tuner should approach their program with some degree of caution. Some add a tune on top of the Dinan to defeat that longevity feature. It seems that the higher boost near red line raise cylinder temperatures beyond acceptable limits. On the track the car has plenty of pull without approaching redline. There is really no need to run it up to redline. When I get a chance I will take some data (stock configuration) comparing segment times. Right now my focus is on the Porsche, so it could be a while. __________________ Alan 08 135I (AW/Coral Red - delivered 3/15/08 -- 13 Audi S4, 83 SC (trackster), 90 C2 (Sally's Carrera), 04 Avalanche Blingmobile
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03-21-2009, 06:45 PM	#15
Mega Man エアーマンが倒せない 271 Rep 2,041 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (7) Garage List 2009 135i [0.00]	I agree with the OP, and majority of the rest of the posts. I thought maybe I was getting used to it. I remember the HP/TQ graphs from the brochure; the sudden drop off. Whatever the case, two things are certain: a stock 135i doesn't feel as fast months after you've bought it from the first time you "punched it," and there is a sudden loss of torque a little after 5k RPM. __________________ 1ADDICT \| Black Shadowline Grills \| KW V2 \| CP-E Tow-Hook Plate \| CP-E Catback Exhaust \| Tow-Hook \| Evolution Racewerks Intercooler \| ER Charge Pipe \| HKS SQV IV \| ER Intercooler Shroud \| BMS Oil Catch Can \| COBB Access Port \| APEX ARC-8 \| EAS OE Performance Brake Upgrade \| SLeK Carbon Fiber Hood \|
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03-21-2009, 07:14 PM	#16
imported_mega Colonel 123 Rep 2,200 Posts Drives: various bmw's Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: neverland iTrader: (0)	jb3 will fix it it's the tune that's doing it __________________ You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape. Driving e82, e72, e85, R53 Gone but not forgotten.. 1974 2002, many various 3s.
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03-22-2009, 12:35 AM	#17
infinitekidM2C Major General 4207 Rep 5,728 Posts Drives: 2019 M2 Competition Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2019 M2 COMPETITION [9.50] 2008 135i (my old car) [7.39]	one word...Procede
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