Power-Band / ECU vs. Power restrictor with AT

[KAlex122]

Hi, it's not the first time that the subject gets discussed in general. My distinct question would be how should the torque/horsepower lines in the power restrictor menu look when driving AT (which typically revs out any gear) to lose the least amount of time against MT?

Could somebody draw me a line or describe it with words? Thank you!

Then i could evaluate myself every time if a car should be restricted by ECU or power restrictor to get closer to the right power-band-picture.

Thank you!

 

[TumeK5]

...or just learn MT.

 

[KAlex122]

...or just learn MT.

Not the question here.

I have my reasons to not drive MT at the moment (only used it to gold the last master licence test in the McLaren Formula car).

 

[TumeK5]

Not the question here.

I know, but you're reading into the situation way to deep.

 

[KAlex122]

I know, but you're reading into the situation way to deep.

Not native in English. Could you explain what you mean? I'm a bit lost.

 

[eran0004]

Hi, it's not the first time that the subject gets discussed in general. My distinct question would be how should the torque/horsepower lines in the power restrictor menu look when driving AT (which typically revs out any gear) to lose the least amount of time against MT?

Could somebody draw me a line or describe it with words? Thank you!

Then i could evaluate myself every time if a car should be restricted by ECU or power restrictor to get closer to the right power-band-picture.

Thank you!

Try both alternatives and see which is faster for you. Power restrictor gives you a little flatter power curve, but in return you get a higher PP score, so if the race is PP-limited it really depends on what you do with the remaining PP.

 

[lbpomg95]

Limiting the ECU gives you more power at the same PP-rating
Using the power restrictor gives you less power but more torque spread.

Using the ECU is almost always faster.

 

[eran0004]

Limiting the ECU gives you more power at the same PP-rating
Using the power restrictor gives you less power but more torque spread.

Using the ECU is almost always faster.

It gives you more peak power, but not necessarily a higher average power output. It depends on how closely the gears are spaced.

 

[Meythia]

Try both alternatives and see which is faster for you.

Should be something that would be anyones first idea.
Especially since the results can be different just by changing gear ratios, or by driving a different car.
It might also be beneficial (in case of a PP limit) to reduce both values instead of only one to a higher degree.

 

[bread82]

ECU limiting retains the shape of the power and torque curves, in other words it shrinks them evenly across the rev range.
The Power Restrictor restricts torque from the high rpm range spreading downwards, more restriction erodes the torque curve more. This changes the shape of the torque and power curves.

For either AT or MT, you want the highest average power in the rev range you are using. The rev range you are using depends on: i) Gear ratios, and ii) When you shift. AT shifts when it wants, and MT can be shifted whenever you want.

Therefore it's a case by case basis, but one situation I can think of where AT would be inferior to MT, is when you have a power dropoff just before redline, and the AT insists on revving the gear all the way, using the bad section of the power curve. Whereas an MT user could have correctly shifted earlier and maximised the average power in use.