Throttle lag is a driver’s nightmare. Well, that may be a bit too much. But it can be annoying. Not only will a lagged throttle response annoy you, but it’ll also annoy the other drivers who are lagging behind you.
How To Eliminate Throttle Lag
The most common cause behind a lagged throttle response is a clogged fuel filter. So, staying on top of the filter’s cleanliness is an excellent place to start. If that doesn’t work, you can always go for a complete health checkup or check if your car’s running on a reduced fuel economy.
Be sure to notice any delayed response when pressing the accelerator because it can be a serious issue. It can be a sign of a big problem in your beloved ride.
What Is Throttle Lag?
As you press down on the accelerator pedal, your car will slowly increase its power output. That’s its throttle response. This term refers to how quickly your vehicle responds to your inputs.
But has this ever happened to you? You’re sitting in traffic, waiting for the green light to come on. But when it does, as you’re pressing down the accelerator, it takes your car forever to respond to your commands.
If you’ve ever felt like that, you’re familiar with throttle lag. Now don’t get it wrong. There’s supposed to be a slight delay between the input and output. The problem is when the delay is more than a ‘slight’ one.
Throttle Lag Causes
To eliminate a problem, we need to know what causes it. That’s the same for this case as well.
There are a few common causes behind a lagged throttle response. You should check to see if your vehicle is suffering from these problems.
No need to worry - there are some easy solutions to these problems. But we’ll get to that a bit later.
Dirty Fuel Filter
The first place you should look if your engine’s throttle response is delayed is the fuel filter. A fuel filter makes sure that your engine stays in tip-top shape by removing any debris that can harm your engine’s health. It also provides your car with improved fuel economy.
So, if your fuel filter isn’t in its best shape, it can cause various problems. One such problem is the delayed response of your engine’s throttle. This happens as the fuel tries to go through the filter, it has to get past the obstacles in the filter.
In such cases, the best possible course of action is prevention. If you regularly clean and maintain your car’s fuel filter, you won’t have to face this problem. But in the case that the problem’s already started, you may just be able to salvage the situation.
Faulty Components
Another part failure that can lead to throttle lag is a fault in the mass airflow sensor. You can locate this sensor between the throttle body and the air filter. The airflow sensor tracks the airflow that goes into the engine.
Its primary function is to regulate the ratio of the air and fuel mixture. So, if the sensor is faulty, the ECU can’t get the precise measurement of this particular information.
Because of this information asymmetry, the engine can’t function properly. As a result, there’s a delayed response when pressing the accelerator. Your best course of action would be to replace the sensor, which is pretty straightforward.
Reduced Fuel Economy
Did you know that there are several limiters placed on our bodies? They’re there to keep our bodies from any harm. There’s the same system in cars. The ECU modifies the acceleration rate to save fuel.
In modern cars, the ECU takes care of all the functions. So, if there’s any reduction in your fuel economy, the ECU sees it as a problem.
Since it can’t pinpoint the exact problem, the computer thinks that there’s a decrease in your engine’s fuel economy. So, it tries to mitigate the problem by increasing your throttle response time.
The best solution is to diagnose the problem. It may fix your problem.
How to Adjust Throttle Response
One common question amongst riders is how to increase throttle response. There are a few easy ways to reduce the delay in acceleration when stepping on the gas.
Throttle Response Tuning
If your car’s still running on its stock settings, the chances are that your ECU is limiting your engine’s throttle response. It does so to save you money on fuel.
If you want to adjust your throttle response, you have to remove some of the ECU’s limits. However, you may experience a reduced fuel economy.
Aftermarket Throttle Bodies
If you’re willing to spend a few bucks to adjust your throttle response time, aftermarket throttle bodies are your best bet. The aftermarket bodies inject comparatively more air volume and speed into your engine.
As a result, the engine can suck in more air. Moreover, because of the larger diameter, there’s less friction so that the air can retain its velocity.
So, when you press on the accelerator, the airflow can flow more smoothly, resulting in an increased throttle response.
How to Increase Throttle Response Motorcycle
The simplest way to improve your bike’s response is simple: tighten your throttle cable. There are a few other ways to enjoy increased throttle response.
In a brand new bike, the manufacturers allow about two or three millimeters of throttle free play. But as it gets older, the cable stretches to settle in their slots. As a result, your bike ends up with slacks.
If that happens, there’s a delay between the twist of your wrist and the acceleration. So, if you’re looking to adjust your bike’s throttle response, you simply need to tighten the accelerator or the throttle cable.
If you’re not confident in your mechanic skills, you can get the help of a professional.
Final Words
For most of us, our ride is our freedom. So, it doesn’t sit well with us when our liberty is constricted. One of the most common questions in the rider’s community is about how to eliminate throttle lag.
Hopefully, our article here has been of some help to you. Enjoy the ride of your freedom!
If you wanna know about the best throttle response controller , you might be interested in this article.
