anyone installed throttle controller

[russ1]

On their website Idrive Aust, they advertise a "throttle controller " for the Pb. Has anyone used this or similar? Berimah diesel also have a plug n go system. Some of the reviews (theirs and forums) seem positive, or is DPchip the better solution to turbo lag etc. Russ

[dreamerman]

I installed this throttle controller in my dual cab I sold recently.

https://chiptuning.com.au/chip-tuning-freepower-s-drive-throttle-controller-sprint-booster-blitz-style/

[Stinky]

On their website Idrive Aust, they advertise a "throttle controller " for the Pb. Has anyone used this or similar? Berimah diesel also have a plug n go system. Some of the reviews (theirs and forums) seem positive, or is DPchip the better solution to turbo lag etc. Russ

I have an iDrive in my NX Pajero. Same unit they list for the Challenger. All plug and play. Yes it does remove the delay in the fly by wire throttle. Heaps of different settings. What it will not do is reduce turbo lag. You are barking up the wrong tree thinking that it will. It purely changes the delay in the throttle.

Cheers, Mike.

[dreamerman]

I have an iDrive in my NX Pajero. Same unit they list for the Challenger. All plug and play. Yes it does remove the delay in the fly by wire throttle. Heaps of different settings. What it will not do is reduce turbo lag. You are barking up the wrong tree thinking that it will. It purely changes the delay in the throttle. Cheers, Mike.

Yes I agree, my experience the same. That is why I am not too keen to buy one for my NX.

[Guest]

I have one fitted to my challenger PC, certainly improves the get up and go. You don't notice the turbo lag as much but still there. Happy that i have put it on and run sports mode 3.

[nj swb]

I have an iDrive in my NX Pajero. Same unit they list for the Challenger. All plug and play. Yes it does remove the delay in the fly by wire throttle. Heaps of different settings. What it will not do is reduce turbo lag. You are barking up the wrong tree thinking that it will. It purely changes the delay in the throttle.

I don't dispute that throttle controllers improve the driver experience beyond more than any "placebo effect", and I agree that they can't reduce turbo lag. However, a simple understanding of the electronics shows that they cannot remove any "delay in the fly by wire throttle". If the delay is in the throttle pedal, that's before the throttle controller sees anything. If the delay is in the ECU, after the throttle controller, then again, an electronic box of tricks at the throttle can't alter that.

There are only two possible benefits they can provide.

First, by "amplifying" small movements to make it look like the driver is stomping on the pedal, they can alter "fuzzy logic" in the ECUs such that an otherwise gentle driver is getting the same response as an agressive driver e.g. the ECUs think the driver is a young enthusiast, not an old grandparent (no disrespect intended for either category of driver - I'm somewhere in between, and driving style alternates between the two). Some feedback available on this site suggests this can't explain everything that is being reported.

Second, the human foot can only push the pedal from idle to wide open so fast, so the amplification provided by these devices may push "adaptive learning" further than is possible by merely "stomping on the pedal". (In engineering terms, increasing the slew rate seen by the ECU). Some could argue this is "removing the delay", but I would argue the delay is in the human foot, not the "fly by wire throttle".

Now to be a devil's advocate: In my NT, without benefit of one of these modules, I feel that take-off from standstill (i.e. the traffic like grand prix) is worse with simply flooring the throttle than if I feed the power on gradually. Is there really a difference in the way the vehicle responds, or is it that my expectation is different, depending on how hard I knowingly press the throttle? Perhaps if I'm thinking I've pressed the throttle gently (and psychologically expecting gentle) but the ECU sees a wide open throttle then the way the vehicle responds will be much better than I'm expecting.

I'm not going to tell anybody that these devices are a waste of money, but I've yet to read a satisfactory explanation of how they make a difference.

[itsamitsi]

NJ is on the money BUT it does something, what exactly I don't know but it does make the vehicle more responsive to throttle input. I have an E-Drive unit and am very happy with the improvement. It was only about $80 odd bucks IIRC.

[Stinky]

I don't dispute that throttle controllers improve the driver experience beyond more than any "placebo effect", and I agree that they can't reduce turbo lag. However, a simple understanding of the electronics shows that they cannot remove any "delay in the fly by wire throttle". If the delay is in the throttle pedal, that's before the throttle controller sees anything. If the delay is in the ECU, after the throttle controller, then again, an electronic box of tricks at the throttle can't alter that.

There are only two possible benefits they can provide.

First, by "amplifying" small movements to make it look like the driver is stomping on the pedal, they can alter "fuzzy logic" in the ECUs such that an otherwise gentle driver is getting the same response as an agressive driver e.g. the ECUs think the driver is a young enthusiast, not an old grandparent (no disrespect intended for either category of driver - I'm somewhere in between, and driving style alternates between the two). Some feedback available on this site suggests this can't explain everything that is being reported.

Second, the human foot can only push the pedal from idle to wide open so fast, so the amplification provided by these devices may push "adaptive learning" further than is possible by merely "stomping on the pedal". (In engineering terms, increasing the slew rate seen by the ECU). Some could argue this is "removing the delay", but I would argue the delay is in the human foot, not the "fly by wire throttle".

Now to be a devil's advocate: In my NT, without benefit of one of these modules, I feel that take-off from standstill (i.e. the traffic like grand prix) is worse with simply flooring the throttle than if I feed the power on gradually. Is there really a difference in the way the vehicle responds, or is it that my expectation is different, depending on how hard I knowingly press the throttle? Perhaps if I'm thinking I've pressed the throttle gently (and psychologically expecting gentle) but the ECU sees a wide open throttle then the way the vehicle responds will be much better than I'm expecting.

I'm not going to tell anybody that these devices are a waste of money, but I've yet to read a satisfactory explanation of how they make a difference.

Great explanation.

[General Waste]

I know this is an old thread but I also am a bit confused as to how these things work, so thought I'd chuck in my experience.
I have a Hikeit X9 on my NW, it definitely uses more fuel, even in economy mode it will use slightly more fuel than when I switch it to off (despite having less throttle response in economy than off) but when it's on HI mode it definitely makes a big difference in how quickly the power comes on, no difference in overall power though as to be expected.

If I plant it when it's switched off the boost gauge moves relatively quickly to 18psi, but if I have it on HI the boost comes on so fast that the gauge maxes out at 20psi for a second before the ECU can bring it back to 18psi, which seems to be the maximum stock boost.
It doesn't come on any sooner in the rev range, maybe it's due to the revs rising more quickly that the boost pressure rises faster.

I don't use it in my daily driving as it uses more fuel no matter what mode it's set to and makes the throttle very touchy, however it is useful for towing heavy loads and going uphill, or towing heavy loads uphill.
Probably wouldn't have put it on the car as I don't tow much, but it was already installed when I bought it.

[MartinDanger]

The reason for this experience is for the following reasons:

1. The throttle/gas pedal is connected to a throttle pedal position sensor.
2. The sensor sends a “request” to the ECU depending on the position of the throttle pedal.
3. ‘The ECU decides whether to grant the request as is (actual throttle pedal position) or to modify it.
4. The delay that we experience is less of a delay and more of a denial by the ECU to grant the request as is.

The throttle controllers overcome the ECU’s attenuation of the throttle position we actually want. That way, when you floor it, you get actual 100% throttle.

If you have an OBD-II dongle and app, have a look at the readings for throttle pedal position and throttle position (they might use other names but similar). You’ll see that the pedal position will oftentimes be different from the throttle position.

If you have an auto, try flooring it when stationary when in drive with brakes on. I see my actual throttle position at 40ish% for a few seconds and then it ramps up to 60ish% all while the actual pedal is to the floor. It doesn’t get to 100% until a second or two after I release the brake and am moving.

[Ian H]

I have an iDrive on the lowest setting but it still packs more punch than the standard set up. I can't say I've noticed any increase in fuel consumption but I don't really monitor that.

[MartinDanger]

I have a Hikeit X9 on my NW, it definitely uses more fuel, even in economy mode it will use slightly more fuel than when I switch it to off (despite having less throttle response in economy than off) but when it's on HI mode it definitely makes a big difference in how quickly the power comes on, no difference in overall power though as to be expected.

The ECU probably smooths out your accelerator pedal inputs more than the throttle controller does even in economy mode. This helps fuel economy because it means that the throttle is held at a more constant level.

Not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but in the old days, if you were in 1st gear in a manual, and touched the accelerator pedal, the car would lurch forward and your foot would lift from the pedal. This would slow the car down abruptly which would throw you forward, hitting the pedal again. Car lurches forward, foot off car slows and so on. The good old bunny hop.

Nowadays, that doesn't happen nearly as often (or easily). I'm convinced it's because the ECU smooths out the pedal inputs. A real help driving slowly over rocky terrain.

[Keithyv]

The reason for this experience is for the following reasons:

1. The throttle/gas pedal is connected to a throttle pedal position sensor.
2. The sensor sends a “request” to the ECU depending on the position of the throttle pedal.
3. ‘The ECU decides whether to grant the request as is (actual throttle pedal position) or to modify it.
4. The delay that we experience is less of a delay and more of a denial by the ECU to grant the request as is.

The throttle controllers overcome the ECU’s attenuation of the throttle position we actually want. That way, when you floor it, you get actual 100% throttle.

If you have an OBD-II dongle and app, have a look at the readings for throttle pedal position and throttle position (they might use other names but similar). You’ll see that the pedal position will oftentimes be different from the throttle position.

If you have an auto, try flooring it when stationary when in drive with brakes on. I see my actual throttle position at 40ish% for a few seconds and then it ramps up to 60ish% all while the actual pedal is to the floor. It doesn’t get to 100% until a second or two after I release the brake and am moving.

Yes but how?
Look I know these things do SOMETHING but how can anything external (i.e. the throttle controller) overcome the ECU's attenuation (your words) ?
Maybe the ECU has a trick / hidden wire that these controllers toggle / apply a signal to to tell it to pull its finger out?
Otherwise I can't see how a device that goes in series with the pedal can has such an effect.

[MartinDanger]

Otherwise I can't see how a device that goes in series with the pedal can has such an effect.

As far as I know, some controllers have connections to both the pedal position sensor and the OBDII port. That's how they change the ECU mapping.

However, if the pedal position map is in the pedal position sensor (which is very possible), then a device in series with that sensor only will also work.

Putting all that aside, whether we can or can't see how something works, doesn't change whether it works. And we see posts on here saying that the throttle response is changed when the controllers are used. So one way or another, they change the pedal position mapping.

Whether they are a good idea or not is another matter entirely.

[gas55]

As I understand it, in fly-by-wire the pedal is connected to a transducer, or potentiometer, (I ain't no technician), so that as the pedal is pushed in there is a corresponding increase in the voltage induced and sent to the ECU and accordingly, more fuel sent to the engine.
If this is the case, it seems that these devices are only advancing or increasing the voltage by 10, 20, 30% compared to normal.
There just can't be any more 'neddies', And better fuel consumption???
As some one has pointed out, with the diesel, I have found that pushing the foot down steadily gets a better response than flattening it.