Help understanding traction control - Page 2

nxcoupe · 03-17-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blown 5.0

Took the Mach to Bama saturday nite, Just wanted to see what it would run on stock Goodyears. One the first run i left the traction control on, was depending on it to control wheel spin, left the line at about 2000 rpm. Blew the tires off, traction lite came on but no power cut back, shifted to second and still spinning, (light was still on). OK shift to third to make it quit spinning,Wrong, now im crossed up mid track in third. had to let completly off to straiten out, ran a 11.00. Second run i run a buddy of mine in a fox body, Left the line at idle started spinning, traction control came on and cut power, shifted to second at about 6000 and broke traction again, traction control light came back on but no power cut, had to let completly off then got back in the gas and all was fine. Ran a 9.30 at 87 mph. Isnt the traction designed to stop wheel spin? What is happening, On the street i cant get it to do no more than bark the tires with the control on. My girlfriends car on or off track will not spin. Is this common with the Mach? Any ideas? Its not really a problem because i didnt buy the car to race, But you all know there will be times when it will see the track.

Would your ABS light happen to be on all the time, or flashing?

TheJeanyus · 03-17-2006, 01:09 PM

Something I noticed about mine back when it worked - it doesn't try to stop LOTS of wheel spin. If it's trying to slip just a little, it'll cut the power. If you're roasting the tires off, the light comes on, but it doesn't do anything to try to stop it because it sort of knows it's own limitations.

Blown 5.0 · 03-18-2006, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJeanyus

Something I noticed about mine back when it worked - it doesn't try to stop LOTS of wheel spin. If it's trying to slip just a little, it'll cut the power. If you're roasting the tires off, the light comes on, but it doesn't do anything to try to stop it because it sort of knows it's own limitations.

Thanks that was the answer to my question. I didnt know if i had a malfuction or what. But that was my thoughts, its just to much for it to control. Although on my girlfriends car without the power of the 4 valve it can control it. huuum, wonder what it would take to tailor the control to actually work under full power.

Blown 5.0 · 03-18-2006, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nxcoupe

Would your ABS light happen to be on all the time, or flashing?

No have had the Snap-on scanner on to check all sensors. No wheel sensor problems. Thanks to everyone for the imput

94five0 · 03-19-2006, 04:41 PM

nope , but if you've done a front brake upgrade. IE cobra rotors or performance setup, you might be slinging the break fluid in the resivour past the sensor when in a brutal stop situation. rode with Christian(m1speed) after his stillen brake upgrade and from a 80 -0, stop the abs light came on briefly.. fluid was normal, brakes a lil warm, but good to see they're werking that well.

Pyah i'm still new to the TRac control..

had it turned off all the time witht the predator but i think doug's gonna have to turn mine off permenatley. I think..

I forgot to turn mine off the other day and goosed it on a long straight, felt like someone pulled a coil pack..

that green light is NOT a blower light..

joker · 03-19-2006, 07:18 PM

I would leave traction control off, but htat is just me.

On a side note, if you were blowing the tires off leaving at 2k rpms, you need different tires.

QWKSNKE · 03-20-2006, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94five0

that green light is NOT a blower light..

Shell and I have joked about that ever since we bought the 01

TheJeanyus · 03-21-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blown 5.0

Thanks that was the answer to my question. I didnt know if i had a malfuction or what. But that was my thoughts, its just to much for it to control. Although on my girlfriends car without the power of the 4 valve it can control it. huuum, wonder what it would take to tailor the control to actually work under full power.

Even if you could modify the traction control to maximize traction under hard accelleration, you would have to vary the settings from day to day, road surface to road surface, not to mention any modifications to the car. I would imagine that if a system existed that would allow the car to figure out it's own traction limitations and drive on the ragged edge of those limits, it would already be in use by racers in one way or another. There are just far too many variables to make it work.

Sendero · 03-21-2006, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJeanyus

Even if you could modify the traction control to maximize traction under hard accelleration, you would have to vary the settings from day to day, road surface to road surface, not to mention any modifications to the car. I would imagine that if a system existed that would allow the car to figure out it's own traction limitations and drive on the ragged edge of those limits, it would already be in use by racers in one way or another. There are just far too many variables to make it work.

There is, its called RaceLogic Traction Control (link) and its banned from a number of series. When I took a vehicle dynamics course we covered Traction Control and how it works. I too thought it was extremely complex, but in reality you only really monitor wheel slip via sensors (like ABS) versus throttle postition/load. Here is a good article by RaceLogic (link) on how Traction Control works.

As far as the Mustang Traction Control, it's not "advanced" enough to effectively manage maximum traction. The system is only a safety net to keep you out of the ditch. Because of its low tech nature, it only applies the rear brakes (I don't even think independently) to keep the rear end in line. You still need a system smart enough to modulate power for traction instead of killing momentum.

Blown 5.0 · 03-23-2006, 06:41 PM

Â£725
Anybody know what this is in american dollars? The traction control may be worth looking into.I do have a form of traction control on the maverick. It looks at accelaration rate in refernce to engine load. Adjustes timing to remove power. Just think holding one to the floor and leaving as hard as the surface will hold, kinda takes all the fun out dont you think. But you could turn it off. Oh well got to get the Maverick ready first.

03-17-2006, 01:09 PM	#12
TheJeanyus Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 14,774	Re: Help understanding traction control Something I noticed about mine back when it worked - it doesn't try to stop LOTS of wheel spin. If it's trying to slip just a little, it'll cut the power. If you're roasting the tires off, the light comes on, but it doesn't do anything to try to stop it because it sort of knows it's own limitations. __________________ 1998 Mustang GT Coupe - World's Slowest Racecar 2005 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V8 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI

03-19-2006, 04:41 PM	#15
94five0 S-6 Mafia Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: above a bowling alley and below another bowling alley. Posts: 1,670	Re: Help understanding traction control nope , but if you've done a front brake upgrade. IE cobra rotors or performance setup, you might be slinging the break fluid in the resivour past the sensor when in a brutal stop situation. rode with Christian(m1speed) after his stillen brake upgrade and from a 80 -0, stop the abs light came on briefly.. fluid was normal, brakes a lil warm, but good to see they're werking that well. Pyah i'm still new to the TRac control.. had it turned off all the time witht the predator but i think doug's gonna have to turn mine off permenatley. I think.. I forgot to turn mine off the other day and goosed it on a long straight, felt like someone pulled a coil pack.. that green light is NOT a blower light.. __________________ Jason ATF should be a store...not a government agency.

03-19-2006, 07:18 PM	#16
joker Friends Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern Colorado Posts: 2,452	Re: Help understanding traction control I would leave traction control off, but htat is just me. On a side note, if you were blowing the tires off leaving at 2k rpms, you need different tires.

03-23-2006, 06:41 PM	#20
Blown 5.0 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Looking for more ways to add BOOST Posts: 167	Re: Help understanding traction control Â£725 Anybody know what this is in american dollars? The traction control may be worth looking into.I do have a form of traction control on the maverick. It looks at accelaration rate in refernce to engine load. Adjustes timing to remove power. Just think holding one to the floor and leaving as hard as the surface will hold, kinda takes all the fun out dont you think. But you could turn it off. Oh well got to get the Maverick ready first. __________________ Hauling A** on Pump Gas !!!!!