What is powerband? Engine characteristics explained
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- čas přidán 5. 08. 2023
- Time to delve into the world of powerbands in cars. I'll not only explore how car engines perform optimally at specific speeds, affecting acceleration, but I'll also dive into a comprehensive comparison of various engine types. We'll break down the core concepts, making it easy to grasp how powerbands work. But that's not all - I'll take you beyond theory. Get ready for a thrilling on-road demonstration captured through a POV camera. You'll experience firsthand how different engine types, from the smooth performance of naturally aspirated and VTEC engines to the raw power of diesel and petrol engines, influence the powerband during real-world driving scenarios. We'll hit the road, and you'll see and feel the impact of powerbands in action as we go for a spirited drive.
My video provides insights into why powerbands, in their diverse manifestations, are a vital component in creating an exhilarating driving experience, whether on regular streets or race tracks. Get ready for an informative and thrilling exploration that you won't want to miss! - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Fantastic video as always Mick!
What I would like to add here, and especially for "slower" car owners is this.
Find out and remeber your top speed for every gear. Rev it out in second, third (and if you can in forth), and keep a note of top speed for each gear.
This way when you get to the situation when you need to accelerate fast, you know exactly whether you can downshift or not.
Let's say that top speed for 2nd gear in your smaller city car is 85 km/h.
You're driving at 60 and are in 4th gear.
If you need to accelerate fast and hard (due to traffic conditions), you know that you can downshift to second and floor it (because 60 is below 85, which is top speed for 2nd gear).
On the other hand, if you're driving 70, you might want to downshift to 3rd, because you will only have 15 km/h left in second, until you hit that Rev limiter. As Mick already pointed out, you need to find RPM range where your car "pulls" and where it does not.
Also, one thing to point out is that gearbox also changes the wheel torque. E.g. you will have much more wheel torque in 1st gear than in 3rd, because of how gear ratios are setup in you gearbox.
1st gear is all torque and no top speed. And 5th or 6th gear is all speed and no torque.
If you drove the bicycle, you can probably imagine how it works. Vehicle gearbox is very similar to that :)
That's why you will have a lot more pulling power (torque) in 2nd gear compared to 4th gear.
Just take care not to downshift above your rev range. It's called money shift. If your car is limited to 85 km/h in second, and you downshift to 2nd while going 100 km/h, your engine will be toast. Google money shift and please don't make that mistake.
Also, don't experiment with high RPMs while your engine is cold. Ensure that you've been driving for at least 10 minutes (or even 20 in winter).
Happy driving!
Phenomenal comment mate, thank you!
It's one of those things that just comes naturally for me, so I didn't think to include it in the video, but a great breakdown here someone could really benefit from!
I feel that my car becomes happy from 2200 rpm, anytime I need power I downshift to match this rpm and power comes no delay, is this the same working logic as powerband?
@@jackzheng6449 it's hard to say. Do you drive diesel or gasoline? If gasoline, is it turbocharged?
Some turbocharged cars can be tuned to give you full (or most) torque at specific rpm range (starting with 2k rpm for example).
Diesel cars have all the torque at specific rpm, and torque starts dropping from that point up in the Rev range.
Anyway, I would suggest that you avoid flooring car at low rpms (below 2k). Diesels might be fine with that (idk i never drove a diesel), but it's a no-no for gasoline engines. It is called engine lugging. It is basically forcing the engine to work harder when it's not in the "power band". It can cause carbon buildup and pistons to bash against sidewall.
I would say that if your car has power at specific (lower) rpm, feel free to floor it. Otherwise, downshift.
But I would still refrain myself from flooring the gas pedal if my engine would be below 2000 rpm, no matter if gasoline or diesel engine.
@@dsitum apprieciate it. my car is Maserati F160 3.0 twin turbo, powerband seems always starting at around 2200rpm until gear 5, higher gears(6~8) requires 2700rpm to get the same power response. Really lots of fun to discover.
Brilliant comment!
And comparison to bicycle is excellent, best way to understand it since you are the "engine" and have to suffer on your own skin if in wrong gear.
what a wonderful video. Foot to the metal in 5th gear at about 1800rpm but no response. That was my first experience with my manual when I was just new into driving.
Glad you liked it mate! Have to actually drive to get the most out of the car 👊
Same, especially on the highway, when you're trying to overtake a truck and end up blocking the entire fast lane. Fun times 😅
@dsitum 😂 I can admit when i first started driving i did this a few too many times
@@MickDrivesCars I had a girlfriend like a diesel car like that -everything at the bottom wasn’t much up top😂
VTEC for anyone that doesn't understand: cams shift and intake valves are opened more and for more time. More air gets in and more power is made. It can have a lot of power and still be economical when you don't need the power. Great video as always :)
Super interesting! Nice one Mick, would love to see a 6 months of ownership of the Megane RS, I wanna learn a bit more about the car!
Hopefully in the future 🤞
Absolutely mate! I've actually been waiting until it's closer to a year (November) but 100% that video is coming
@MickDrivesCars that works too! I still got my R50 mini, but I keep looking and looking to see what car I end up with.
I am currently looking at a DSG MK7.5 GTI, but I think I got another year before I pull the trigger on a car
I've been meaning to ask you - are you local? I haven't driven a mini in ages and would love to feature it (moving away from london in the near future)
Keep going mate - the car climb ladder is real :) I'm only getting started :)
YES!! This is the stuff! Brilliant video mate!
Thanks a ton mate!
thank you very much that's was very great to watch
Great to hear mate 👊
Beautiful presentation
Thank you very much!
I’ve been watching your vids man and I live in the US and you make me want a Renault 300 RS
this video is awesome im confused why is torque and hp differnet
You should make a video on money shifting and show us POV what happens when you go from three to two at high RPM. That would be epic.
You put out awesome videos. Well explained, relatable, and POV helps also. As far as driving in the ideal powerband, I would imagine it would be less fuel efficient. I would go as far as saying fuel efficiency is greatly impacted. Don't know if your car has the efficiency meter, but simply driving in Sport mode in my mk7 GTI leads to poorer mpgs. Are you in mph for any particular reason?
Can u please do a video on how to drive a turbo petrol engine and getting a decent mileage from it?
I've got about 4 videos in the pipeline at the moment but I will do something around MPG at some point 👍
great video, as always!
Ah too kind! 👊
5:06 hey it still accelerated as quickly as my Micra in 2nd lol
Do a pov video with ev and your opinion about driving an ev
Funny you should mention this - I've got an EV for the day when my car gets serviced this Friday. I'll make sure to squeeze out a few vids :)
EVs do have a power band. For a motor driven by a set voltage, it's just above half no load speed and half stall torque. In an electric car, most have a single speed. I will assume a computer limits the input power at lower car speeds. In something like a Tesla, I would imagine you are not getting full power until at least 70-80 mph, because a motor that wants to spin 120+ will have a terrible time being loaded to the maximum to pull from 30, so instead it's just easier to raise the power gradually as the car speed climbs. You will reach the no load speed eventually, which is why single speed electric cars usually have a limited top speed compared to the petrol or diesel engine equivalent. If you looked at the graph, you'd find it wasn't making the maximum power at the car's top speed.
On a multi speed car or bike, one difference between petrol and electric is ideally in an electric you want to cruise at an rpm that's ABOVE the power band, unless you really don't need much power at all - like on a long flat city street with no stop lights. On my electric bicycle mid drive, I keep the rpm high, and dip down into the power band. Although with that bike, you're using more of the available power than in a Tesla Plaid, where everything is effortless for the motor outside the drag strip.
With an ICE, you want to do your general driving BELOW the power band, otherwise you will waste fuel and wear out your engine components more quickly. With electric motors in general connected to a flat DC source rather than a sophisticated speed controller, you want to stay away from heavily loaded low rpm as these are what cooks the motor.
Beautifully explained and easy to understand. I think there is a gap in CZcams regarding contents like this, educational yet not going too technical. Hopefully I will see more content like this in your channel; making good use of high performance cars. I personally drive a Hyundai Elantra N, similar specs to your Megane RS.
How is Elantra going? Had any issues with it? I ordered my i30N DCT, and a impatiently waiting for it to arrive 😁
@@dsitum No issues so far, 3000 km on the odometer so far.
Beautiful thing with our N cars is that they have max torque between 2100 and 4k and something.
They are so finely tuned.
It's like a budget FWD BMW M car 😁
Also, the Hyundai Elantra N has almost identical or better 0-60 mph figures than the new Ford Mustang Ecoboost 2024!
Thanks mate! Glad I'm clearly making content people want to see :)
I did testdrive an i30n before I bought my car - close 2nd. Loved that thing but couldn't get on with the suspension.
Hi. I would like to ask if you have any ideas about anoise that is coming from the front left of the car,the noise os from outside,its like noking,iys after a drive and you can hear it when you drive slowly in to the parking and you use only the breaks. The dealer says ots noting aftert chaking the car 3 time,thay say its the same noise for almost all the Megan rs troppy 2022,do you know anything about it?
Is your car have this noise?
0:21
Can i send a video ?
Never had anything like this - shoot me a DM on instagram with the video I'll have a look
@@MickDrivesCars
Hi. I don't have Instagram.
Is there any mail i can send it to?
Sure - ibeinspire@gmail.com
I really should make a MickDrivesCars email
Is mobile charger a powerband?
Like an automatic car in mode sport/race in which the car has the best acceleration possible, the same applies to the manual one's... The driver should be choose the best gear based on the moment to achieve the maximum power possible. When the car feels flat is the best moment cause its produces the max power until you feel like the acceleration decreases and probably the rev limitator is the next step 😂😂
I've started working on a video about gears - this will be coming in a few weeks. You're talking about exactly the things that need to be in that video 👊
I don't think a diesel is quite that level. My Peugeot 2.0 HDI was 90 hp at 3000 and also 4000 rpm (because at 4000 there was a third less torque), and above that it dropped off towards the limiter at just over 5000. Probably 3000 would be the most efficient for max power then. I've driven diesels that pulled well to 5000 - where the computer kicks in to protect the engine. A Focus TDCI my parents owned, didn't do that much until 2500 to 4000 (although being my parents' car I didn't drive it super hard). I can't remember for the Fiesta 1.8 LX.
With a turbo, it's harder to measure because there is a lag until the power stabilises. If you were to floor it and hold the brake to set the rpm, you would get a different graph to an acceleration run in 1st gear.
i'd like to meet you once
Please mick
Get the yellow Megane back talk about the rs performance fujilight wheels
Please please please
Tim
Sorry Tim, I've tried but I can't force him to be on camera. He is a real person unfortunately 😂
Anyone see the white car in front go in the opposite lane 4:06 XD
I like to keep my Megane around 3-3.5k (when off the throttle) when going fast otherwise I keep it just above 1k