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Old 09-02-2013, 08:39 PM   #1
nelsont
 
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traction control on or off?

Doing my first Autocross in a couple weeks and was wondering if I should turn traction control off during my runs?

Tim
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Old 09-02-2013, 08:48 PM   #2
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Tim,
the guys who are really good say turn everything off. ive had really good novice success putting it in sport comp mode and not over driving. pump up your tires a few pounds above street pressure and go have fun.


last year at LS fest.
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Old 09-03-2013, 12:06 PM   #3
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Tim,
the guys who are really good say turn everything off. ive had really good novice success putting it in sport comp mode and not over driving. pump up your tires a few pounds above street pressure and go have fun.


last year at LS fest.
Thanks for the input and you brought up another question, does it matter what transmission( Auto) and a V6. Not a ton of HP there.

Guess I'm leaning to run with it on for the first run or two till I'm comfortable with the car and my feel of what car can and will do.

Tim
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Old 09-03-2013, 01:46 PM   #4
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Transmission matters only to the extent that you don't want it upshifting past 2nd unless you're running an unusually fast course. Your V6 does not compete directly against V8 ponycars, so that doesn't really matter either.

Right now and for some time into the future until your skills and timing for this activity develop a bit, your car is faster at autocross than you are. Maybe add a few psi to your tires with the fronts set maybe a couple of psi higher than the rears, but otherwise don't worry about anything more than it being in good mechanical condition for now.

I'd still make sure that TC is off, because part of what you're trying to learn at auto-X is being able to use throttle while you're still turning (on most courses there is little in the way of pure straights that you can treat like short dragstrips).

I'll let stability control be your call - though I'd strongly suggest not running it in full-on mode even in the beginning (use whatever sport setting may exist). But you might ask an instructor who has experience with ST for his opinion and who would have the exact course sitting there for him to evaluate where I don't sitting here half a country and two weeks away from your event

Speaking of instructors, take the club up on any offer of providing you with an instructor on your runs. It's free and you'll learn faster with help than by trying to figure it all out by yourself. If possible, try to land an instructor who also drives a RWD car.

Have fun. Don't worry about run times, hitting cones or missing gates, or making other errors. Bring fluids, lunch, maybe some shade, something to sit on, etc.


Have fun.


Norm

Last edited by Norm Peterson; 09-03-2013 at 03:57 PM.
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Old 09-03-2013, 01:53 PM   #5
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Everything off I'm 2-4 seconds faster on a tight course than with any nanny on. Autocross is more like controlled insanity, getting things a bit sideways on fast change-ups can help. Doesn't mean you need to start that way though, take things off as you feel comfortable. Do a run everything on, then maybe only stability control, then nothing as you progress.
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Old 09-12-2013, 04:03 PM   #6
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I always run traction control off, but stabilitrac on if solid walls are close (last one we were running 80mpg in some straits-not as many cones).
Get there early and walk the course.
Tim
80! In an autocross? I've only seen a few autocrosses and participated in 1, but 35 was pretty fast.
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Old 09-13-2013, 05:36 AM   #7
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I doubt that an SCCA autocross would sanction any realistic expectation of street tired cars hitting 80, but I have seen a bit past 60 in more open courses as you might find on bigger lots.


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Old 09-13-2013, 07:11 AM   #8
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when i ran at Super Chevy i had it in "competative mode". let the ass end step out just a little but without really needing to worry. granted that was my first time, next time out ill probably run with all the nannys off.
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Old 09-14-2013, 09:04 AM   #9
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I have only been Auto-crossing for 10 months or so, we run 1 event a month and I am running SC mode and the car seems to perform fine. As I get better I will probably go to all nannies off, but for now I am running pretty well with the SC Mode.
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Old 09-15-2013, 10:10 AM   #10
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Next event - for the last run of the day (after you're as familiar with the course as you're ever going to get) try running without any nannies. Don't burden yourself trying to learn both a course and driving "no-nannies" from scratch at the same time.

Even better might be if your club offers "fun runs" after the actual competition, and try it then when any pressure of trying to beat the competition is off your shoulders.


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Old 09-17-2013, 05:39 PM   #11
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What about amount of fuel in car?
SHOULD I top her off or half atank?

Tim
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Old 09-17-2013, 07:33 PM   #12
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I only run 1/4 tank-haven't had any issues.
Bad idea for keep the fuel pump cool. More fuel = cooler fuel and pump.
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Old 09-17-2013, 08:44 PM   #13
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No expert, but I don't see autoxing for 30-90 seconds is going to affect the stock tank temps of any significance to affect performance or longevity.

Runming too little that the pump is picking up air in lieu of fuel-would not be desireable.

As mentioned prior though-always looking to learn.
I'm not sure on the exacts either but a 1/4 seems to close for comfort. Especially with the fuel sloshing around. I'd be happy with a half.


I didn't realize that the courses are only a minute long.
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Old 09-18-2013, 06:48 AM   #14
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Gasoline weighs about 6 lbs/gallon, so a full tank is over 100 lbs of fluid that will still contribute to lateral load transfer even if it can't slosh. Figure about 100 lbs lateral force at peak cornering g's. A quarter tank would give you about 25 lbs lateral force, times some factor for sloshing that I suspect would be well under 2.

I used to run the least amount of fuel in the tank that it would take to either get through the event without the engine stumbling due to momentary fuel starvation or get me home afterward if it didn't stumble. Once or twice I guessed a little too low and the engine stumbled a bit toward the end of the autocross course.

SCCA's "Street Prepared" category allows you to swap out your OE tank for a fuel cell - as long as the fuel cell capacity is within 20% either lower or higher than the OE tank. A fair assumption is that this is intended to keep people from lightening their cars in a manner not consistent with what's already a pretty loose interpretation of "street" vs truly streetable, and that smarter people than me have determined that less weight is almost always better.


Norm

Last edited by Norm Peterson; 09-18-2013 at 06:58 AM.
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