Switching Off DSC
02-12-2004, 11:31 PM
#1
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Switching Off DSC
Does anyone know whether it is possible to completely disable the DSC/Traction Control feature altogether?
I want to be able to jump straight into the 8 and drive instead of having to hold a switch for a couple of seconds to switch off the DSC (because sometimes you forget and it's a pain to do it everytime you start up the car).
Please help since I enjoy, in the words of Hymee, "Spirited driving"
I want to be able to jump straight into the 8 and drive instead of having to hold a switch for a couple of seconds to switch off the DSC (because sometimes you forget and it's a pain to do it everytime you start up the car).
Please help since I enjoy, in the words of Hymee, "Spirited driving"
02-13-2004, 02:47 AM
#4
Sure - you probably could remove the fuse for the whole ABS unit. But the PCM will probably go into "safe mode" since it see's a problem. If it was that easy we wouldn't have dyno issues
They would leave themselve too liable if they had a way to turn it off "permanently".
So what don't you like about just flicking it off, compared to "fully off". I wondered if you had any real-world comparisons between the 2?
Cheers,
Hymee.
They would leave themselve too liable if they had a way to turn it off "permanently".
So what don't you like about just flicking it off, compared to "fully off". I wondered if you had any real-world comparisons between the 2?
Cheers,
Hymee.
02-13-2004, 03:21 AM
#5
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Hymee,
With my limited experience driving the 8 so far, I have discovered the difficulty of breaking traction with the switch turned off half way.
This has impeded acceleration on a few occassions (during "Spirited Driving") when I have forgotten to turn the switch to half off or full off.
None of my previous cars had traction control/DSC, so I am having difficulty adjusting to having electronic aids step in and assisting.
With my limited experience driving the 8 so far, I have discovered the difficulty of breaking traction with the switch turned off half way.
This has impeded acceleration on a few occassions (during "Spirited Driving") when I have forgotten to turn the switch to half off or full off.
None of my previous cars had traction control/DSC, so I am having difficulty adjusting to having electronic aids step in and assisting.
02-13-2004, 05:40 AM
#6
I have difficulty breaking traction mid-corner with the thing fully off. More talking about stepping out in second gear, as opposed to taking off. Easy to do off the line, but need plenty of revs.
I think party becuase the car is well balanced, and is not "under-tyred"
The best I have got it to step out was exiting a second gear corner at about 80km/h, merging on to the Cunningham Highway at Willowbank (that is a 100 zone, if Mr. Plod is watching). More of a nice controlled drift. Felt really good. The problem for me is coming from the SS when I was afraid to drive it with TC off. It was way too easy to fry the Bridgetones.
I think party becuase the car is well balanced, and is not "under-tyred"
The best I have got it to step out was exiting a second gear corner at about 80km/h, merging on to the Cunningham Highway at Willowbank (that is a 100 zone, if Mr. Plod is watching). More of a nice controlled drift. Felt really good. The problem for me is coming from the SS when I was afraid to drive it with TC off. It was way too easy to fry the Bridgetones.
02-13-2004, 05:56 AM
#7
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Hymee,
My profession sees me driving SS's and HSV's all day long and I can relate to your fear of switching the TC off on these cars.
I see the problem with them being the bridgestones nor the power, more so the ancient suspension setups on them and the unresponsive steering.
My old S14 200Sx produced 213kw at the rear treads, didn't have TC, but was easy to master and "drift" due to the sharp steering.
While I find the local stuff a bit "agricultural" to "fling" around consistently.
I like purity in my driving and firmly believe in "driver skills" not being replaced or compensated by electronics.
My profession sees me driving SS's and HSV's all day long and I can relate to your fear of switching the TC off on these cars.
I see the problem with them being the bridgestones nor the power, more so the ancient suspension setups on them and the unresponsive steering.
My old S14 200Sx produced 213kw at the rear treads, didn't have TC, but was easy to master and "drift" due to the sharp steering.
While I find the local stuff a bit "agricultural" to "fling" around consistently.
I like purity in my driving and firmly believe in "driver skills" not being replaced or compensated by electronics.
02-14-2004, 12:01 AM
#8
I agree in keeping the skills honed. In many respects it is a shame to let the electronics take over. It is amazing how different the RX-8 feels during DSC/TC intervention compared to the Holdens. Different in a positive sense.
I suppose it is nice when it is there to save you if you do slip up.
Driving SS's and HSV's all day, RX-8's as well. Sounds a bit like a drivers nervana :D
Cheers,
Hymee.
I suppose it is nice when it is there to save you if you do slip up.
Driving SS's and HSV's all day, RX-8's as well. Sounds a bit like a drivers nervana :D
Cheers,
Hymee.
02-15-2004, 02:42 PM
#11
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Hey guys i have not had much of a chance to go through the full manual. Or play heaps with the car due to being busy at work.
I have turned off the DSC just by pressing it. I believe this just turned it half off? I tried to hold it down for 4 seconds and a few other lights showed up and went through the manual, that said i had to restart the car or take it to a service dealer.
Maybe im doing something wrong that i am not turning it all the way off or is this not possible?
Regards
Phillip
I have turned off the DSC just by pressing it. I believe this just turned it half off? I tried to hold it down for 4 seconds and a few other lights showed up and went through the manual, that said i had to restart the car or take it to a service dealer.
Maybe im doing something wrong that i am not turning it all the way off or is this not possible?
Regards
Phillip
02-15-2004, 03:09 PM
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I like purity in my driving and firmly believe in "driver skills" not being replaced or compensated by electronics.
02-15-2004, 03:14 PM
#13
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02-15-2004, 03:43 PM
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Compared with the traction control in my old E46 Bimmer, I find the 8's is FAR less interventionist. I NEVER drove the Bimmer with its traction control on - it simply destroyed the fine handling of the car. In the 8 I find I'm happy to leave it on most of the time, unless I'm aiming to drive at 9 tenths and above, and deliberately trying to explore the outer limits of the wonderful chassis.
02-16-2004, 04:58 AM
#17
Takahasi,
That video demonstrated very well the ABS and the DSC.
When I am talking about breaking traction, I don't mean by throwing it into a corner in the wet and doing a big understeer followed by a snap oversteer.
I am talking about in the dry, and letting the power of the car induce a power-oversteer condition. The RX-8 is light and well balanced, and the motor is not masively torquey down low. This coupled with the "good" rubber makes it difficult to "step out" with out the aid of to much mid-corner speed, or the aid of side-stepping the clutch.
I said difficult, but not imposible. I now what it is like to have a drifting exit from a 2nd gear corner with a twinge of power oversteer. It felt really nice, and control was good. But I was going 80 - 90 km/h.
The other thing I can't come to "grips" with is the stuff about "more throttle respose". I can't read Japanese, but I don't feel like it was covered in the video. There is also another thread in the tech garage where people have been talking about this, and the snappier gear changes with DSC off. I remain unconvinced, but as always, I am open to learning something new.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=20807
I am also intrigued as to why, in the video, the ABS seemed to be not functional at all (when DSC off). In the first example you can clearly see the ABS modulating the front wheels. Notice the lock ups with the DSC/TC off. I didn't think DSC/TC affected ABS. I thought the only way to turn ABS off would be to pull the fuse? I am open to the idea that the yaw sensor detected that she had swung around, and just let the wheels stay locked - as by then it was too far gone. At that point this becomes the best way to wash off speed. Then notice just as it straightens up near the end, and it is rolling backwards - it looks like the ABS lets the wheels roll a little, then pulls them up again. Very clever
BTW - My lap times at QR in the SS Commodore varied by more than 2 seconds, leaving TC off. But yes, it would allow a faster lap in the hands of an experienced driver with it turned off as it would not "get in the way".
Cheers,
Hymee.
That video demonstrated very well the ABS and the DSC.
When I am talking about breaking traction, I don't mean by throwing it into a corner in the wet and doing a big understeer followed by a snap oversteer.
I am talking about in the dry, and letting the power of the car induce a power-oversteer condition. The RX-8 is light and well balanced, and the motor is not masively torquey down low. This coupled with the "good" rubber makes it difficult to "step out" with out the aid of to much mid-corner speed, or the aid of side-stepping the clutch.
I said difficult, but not imposible. I now what it is like to have a drifting exit from a 2nd gear corner with a twinge of power oversteer. It felt really nice, and control was good. But I was going 80 - 90 km/h.
The other thing I can't come to "grips" with is the stuff about "more throttle respose". I can't read Japanese, but I don't feel like it was covered in the video. There is also another thread in the tech garage where people have been talking about this, and the snappier gear changes with DSC off. I remain unconvinced, but as always, I am open to learning something new.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=20807
I am also intrigued as to why, in the video, the ABS seemed to be not functional at all (when DSC off). In the first example you can clearly see the ABS modulating the front wheels. Notice the lock ups with the DSC/TC off. I didn't think DSC/TC affected ABS. I thought the only way to turn ABS off would be to pull the fuse? I am open to the idea that the yaw sensor detected that she had swung around, and just let the wheels stay locked - as by then it was too far gone. At that point this becomes the best way to wash off speed. Then notice just as it straightens up near the end, and it is rolling backwards - it looks like the ABS lets the wheels roll a little, then pulls them up again. Very clever
BTW - My lap times at QR in the SS Commodore varied by more than 2 seconds, leaving TC off. But yes, it would allow a faster lap in the hands of an experienced driver with it turned off as it would not "get in the way".
Cheers,
Hymee.
Last edited by Hymee; 02-16-2004 at 05:00 AM.
02-16-2004, 07:48 PM
#18
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Hey guys..
I switched the DSC totally off and gave in to tempation to throw it throw it around as i left the office the other day... My girl was very impressed.. She asked why cant her BMW do that LOL.
After investigating for a while the DSC or whatever traction control on the BMW works exactly the same as on the MAZDA hold it down for 7 seconds and the DSC OFF LIGHT changes colour and we know the end results.
The only difference is that she can turn it back on without having to restart the car.
Regards
Phillip
I switched the DSC totally off and gave in to tempation to throw it throw it around as i left the office the other day... My girl was very impressed.. She asked why cant her BMW do that LOL.
After investigating for a while the DSC or whatever traction control on the BMW works exactly the same as on the MAZDA hold it down for 7 seconds and the DSC OFF LIGHT changes colour and we know the end results.
The only difference is that she can turn it back on without having to restart the car.
Regards
Phillip
02-17-2004, 07:52 AM
#21
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Originally posted by Choppy
Yes it can and so can she..
its no slug mate its a in line 6. 325i 2003. And she has two older brothers
Regards
Phillip
Yes it can and so can she..
its no slug mate its a in line 6. 325i 2003. And she has two older brothers
Regards
Phillip
Considered getting a 320ci (which is in the general price range of the 8) and found it somewhat lacking in features for the money.
It didn't exactly stir the soul too greatly either.
Scared the crap out of the salesman on the drive though.
02-17-2004, 03:49 PM
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Originally posted by nojooc
Considered getting a 320ci (which is in the general price range of the 8) and found it somewhat lacking in features for the money.
It didn't exactly stir the soul too greatly either.
Scared the crap out of the salesman on the drive though.
Considered getting a 320ci (which is in the general price range of the 8) and found it somewhat lacking in features for the money.
It didn't exactly stir the soul too greatly either.
Scared the crap out of the salesman on the drive though.
What you lose with the 8 is a little build quality - especially in the interior fittings, and low speed ride, which is a little more fidgetty on those 18" wheels ( hardly surprising).
After a few weeks experience with my new 8 I'm actually more struck by the similarities with the Bimmer than the differences. Both cars major on chassis fluidity - most obvious when you string a series of tight corners together. Both cars also have incredibly smooth, rev hungry power plants. It's just that the 8 has a little MORE in both areas. And of course the 8 LOOKS absolutely unique, whereas E46's are so common now that hardly anyone looks twice at them these days.
In short the Bimmer is a truly great, super accomplished SportsSEDAN; the 8 is a truly great, highly focussed and unique SPORTScar. You made the right choice, if your driving priorities align with this.....
