Drive by wire?


twobjshelbys

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,289
Las Vegas, NV
Is it mechanical throttle and trans linkages or is this a computer controlled system? With the trans I would guess computer and would bet throttle is too.

Electric power steering and water pump too for less draw on engine.
 
The 05 - 06 GTs were the last vehicle Ford released with throttle cables. Every new vehicle release or major upgrade since has seen drive by wire throttle bodies employed. No current models use a throttle cable.
 
jcthorne said:
The 05 - 06 GTs were the last vehicle Ford released with throttle cables. Every new vehicle release or major upgrade since has seen drive by wire throttle bodies employed. No current models use a throttle cable.
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Can you enlighten me as to the difference between a "throttle cable" and a "drive by wire throttle?"
 
Even old school Harley Davidson dumped the throttle cable in '08. I'm currently building a '62 Vette and it will have electric power steering.
 
Throttle cable has an actuator cable connectiing your right foot pedal to the butterfly valve in the throttle body. IE when you press the pedal, it pulls the cable which turns the shaft opening the butterfly valve. Exactly the way it worked on carberators.

Fly by wire systems the pedal is connected to a sensor that tells the ECM what you want to do. The throttle butterfly valve is controlled by the ECM.
 
jcthorne said:
Throttle cable has an actuator cable connectiing your right foot pedal to the butterfly valve in the throttle body. IE when you press the pedal, it pulls the cable which turns the shaft opening the butterfly valve. Exactly the way it worked on carberators.

Fly by wire systems the pedal is connected to a sensor that tells the ECM what you want to do. The throttle butterfly valve is controlled by the ECM.
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I see - you press the accelerator, the position of which is related to an analog signal, converted to a digital signal, and sent to the ECM. The ECM then sends a digital signal via a WIRE to a digital-to-analog converter which signals a motor to actuate the position of the throttle body valve. All this, to replace a direct linkage (typically a direct connected rod or WIRE cable) with an attached spring.
 
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Almost, but if you are trying to understand the benifits vs cost of the systems, it replaces a bit more than the throttle cable and it puts the ECM in feed forward control rather than reaction control.

It replaces the entire cruise control system and actuator. It replaces throttle body dashpot to keep the throttle from closing too fast, and the idle air bypass system.

The signal from the pedal to the ECM is indeed analog and aredirect inputs. Two of them for redundant control. The ECM controls the throttle body actuator directly via a pulse width modulated signal and a feedback sensor. There are no outboard signal converters.
 
That pretty much sums it up. I'm sure it is simpler from a construction standpoint (and problem identification) but the real advantage of this system is the computer can now make adjustment to intake to compensate for for different factors. Most "sport modes" actually just increase throttle-to-peddle response ratios, not actual engine out put... m akes the car feel faster. On turbo cars, the computer can compensate and reduce the power wave associated with lag, or adjust for colder intake temps. Stuff you wouldn't notice but would improve drivability.

Probabley just cause it's cheaper tho
 
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