So my '08 C4S 6 speed manual is relatively fresh in terms of miles but beyond the break in period. I've noticed a rather noticeable difference between 2nd and 3rd gear rate of acceleration. Both 2nd and 3rd, starting at approximately 3.5k rpms (and respective mph for each gear) and flooring it until it peaks at about 6.5k, the 3rd gear seems to have a greater "rate of acceleration" as compared to 2nd. While 2nd gear being a lower gear that "should have" greater rate of acceleration, by the "seat of the pants feel", the 3rd gear seems to pull the car harder and faster. I am pinned into the seat in 3rd as the car rockets forward, 2nd seems to be just OK.... It's counter-intuitive for sure.... Is it my imagination or is there an explanation for this?

 

nope, you are right. I remember it quite well too, as I had same exact feeling with my car. 3rd gear gas kick was pressing my back into seat harder than same kick on 2nd gear, that was the feeling. Softronic fixed that, subsequent exhaust mods improved torque even more.

as a first remedy you can try to reset your ECU to see if it will make any noticeable difference or not, may be car is just out of tune completely.

 

I don't see how the engine would know if it is 2nd or 3rd gear and be out of tune on one but not the other. All the engine sees is a load. I have a feeling it has something to do with the gear ratio's. Is the 6 speed a close ratio gearbox on the 997? Come to think of it, the 2nd gear is pretty tall and will take the car to beyond 60 mph so maybe it's just the actual gear ratio at play.

I remember my friend's NSX had a really tall 2nd gear and he used to hit almost 80 mph in 2nd. Some guys switched to the european close ratio trannies with the NSX.

 

not enough torque I guess so you feel less on 2nd than on 3rd.

 

The effect is even more pronounced in the Turbo . Third gear is the one where it separates itself from all the other cars and with modified turbos and sofware it refuses to let off in every gear . Even at the high RPM it's asking for more time and just grabs into the next gear.

i find the stock 997.1S kinda weak in every gear in contrast but its more seamless and quite fun to drive .Software , intake and exhausr help enough to add a nice flavor to the car but not so huge that one might expect a drastic change.

The new Dfi car has this immediate response though even when its stock but when I replaced the cats , headers, and mufflers with the FVD system it just opened up a lot of low end punch .

Some had posted that when they opted for the Tubi which is not a complete system that they noticed more high end power but the low end was lacking .I have not driven the 997.2 Tubi so I woild not know but this lack of low end is NOT the case when the complete system is changed .

FVD has the real deal .Impressive system.

 

did you do any pre- and post- dyno runs by any chance? Just would be curious to see how it looks like on a graph.

 

Nope I haven't . It's a separae topic but I somewhat have mixed feelings with dyno charts . I feel that when Porsche tests theur cars and releases Hp rating (even on the X50 and ppwer upgrades) they test the car in all climates and conditions . The dyno is more of a laboratory setting and even dynos themselves vary .

 

that`s understandable, I was more interested in particular pre- and post- difference of a curve shape on a graph than about any numbers on a side, really.

but I like your approach, it reminds me a notation of rolls-royce engine power -'sufficient'.

 

These cars are geared for competitions.
I would think a typical driver should be able to run them in 3rd and 4th on pretty much all major tracks.