Traction Control how does this work?

akaakbiker · 01-09-2003

I was wondering just how does the traction control on my 2003 Cobra work? Does it limit HP by retarding the spark when the wheels spin? It doesn't seem to help a lot on ice... At least not with the stock tires. Sure hope the Blizzacks I orderd live up to their reputation...

Mana4Real · 01-09-2003

I don't know how it works. But damn it, it doesn't work quick enough when I do decide to leave it on. I would think it would either cut off fuel instead of spark... You wouldn't want to load the cylinders in fuel or run really rich and mess up the cats... That's my logic. Doesn't mean it's true.

akaakbiker · 01-09-2003

I can't imagine you would need it much living in California! Must be nice! So I take it there is some kinda lag? I havn't had a chance to drive this car much it is absolutly scary on ice. I have a set of blizzack snow tires on order so until they show up it is sitting in the garage. My wife and I drove it around the neiborhood the other night I would try to creep around starting of in second or third gear and if I even thought about touching the gas the tires would spin. We were driving around with the top down and the heater on full blast so we were getting a lot of looks... LOL

Monkey Boy · 01-09-2003

All the factory traction control does is make sure both wheels are spinning at the same time. There is a posi unit in your rear differential that does this but I have no idea how it works.

akaakbiker · 01-10-2003

Ah. So it dosen't affect the engine at all just locks up the rear dif. Cool.

Mana4Real · 01-10-2003

It doesn't lock the rear differential. It effects the power output of the motor.

Doug02 · 01-10-2003

I dont think Monkey Boy is entirely correct. I found this defination of what traction control does......

An option on many cars today, especially sports models. When engaged, this device "senses" when a driving tire has no traction, and attempts to compensate by slowing the wheel movement. This is good for getting traction in an area where it may normally be hard to do so (i.e. snow, gravel, rain). Traction Control was developed in Formula One racing to control wheel spin as cars travelled through turns and on slick surfaces (oil) allowing consistent application of power and maintenance of control.

Doug02 · 01-10-2003

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 11 -- The development of all-speed
Traction Control System (TCS) started with Ford customers who said
they were interested in a feature that would enhance traction and vehicle stability in the rain and snow. Research disclosed that 57 percent of all Mustang V-8 owners (and a remarkable 74 percent of V-6 owners) and potential buyers would purchase a traction control system if available on the Mustang. The challenge facing Team Mustang and development partner Bosch was to create a system that not only satisfied these basic needs, but one that didn't alienate loyal, performance-oriented Cobra owners who occasionally like to
engage in high-energy driving.
The primary goal: reduce the demands placed on the driver by maintaining vehicle stability and steering response during rapid acceleration. To accomplish this, Team Mustang's system had to be capable of inhibiting wheelspin during initial or underway acceleration in a variety of conditions, including driving on a road slick with rain or snow on one or both sides; emerging from icy parking lots or highway shoulders; and acceleration during cornering or lane changes.
The Team developed a number of tests to simulate these conditions. The low-friction acceleration test was when all four tires were on a slick
surface, such as an icy road. The split-friction test placed only one drive
wheel on a slick surface and the other on a dry surface. In the low-friction lane change maneuver, engineers simulated an accelerated lane change on a slick surface. Finally, the asphalt-to-gravel cornering test combined acceleration and cornering on a low friction surface.
After considerable testing, the Team developed a hybrid traction control system for the Mustang that combines brake and engine management to control wheelspin. When any of the four ABS/traction control sensors detect that a drive wheel is spinning at a rate higher than its counterpart, ignition spark is retarded and the fuel/air ratio is modulated to attenuate torque delivered to the slipping tire. If the condition persists, cylinder cut-off occurs, brakes are applied to the wheel with low friction, and power is transferred to the other drive wheel. The driver is informed of TCS events via an indicator
light in the instrument cluster. TCS may not significantly improve traction when both wheels are on a slippery surface, but it optimizes the use of available traction. The benefit under this condition is improved vehicle steerability and stability provided by controlling excess wheel slip.
The system is very sensitive to driving conditions -- it employs the
difference in slip rates at the wheels to distinguish between cornering and acceleration slippage -- and it is extremely fast acting. In computer-speak, it has a "64-millisecond update capability." With TCS, the drive wheels are searching for optimum traction several times per second and adjustments are implemented accordingly.
The Cobra TCS was also designed to meet the performance needs of more aggressive drivers, permitting some wheelspin when the system detects that wheelspin is the driver's desire. Not only did Team Mustang provide a driver- selectable On/Off switch for the TCS, but perhaps its most clever aspect: the Power Start feature. Power Start senses when the driver is accelerating hard and goes into a
performance programming mode that enables optimum wheelspin from a standing start on dry pavement. As long as the Cobra accelerates forward, the Power Start feature stays engaged and the Mustang responds as it would without
traction control. When the system detects that the car is turning away from the straight, however, TCS is re-engaged.
For repeated hard acceleration, Team Mustang recommends utilizing the Off switch on the console, though at no time can the ABS be switched off. The TCS defaults to On mode when the engine is started.
This capability was specifically designed for the Mustang -- whose
flagship is the SVT Mustang Cobra. It provides the correct blend of traction and control that customers wanted, plus the high-performance operation Cobra drivers are unwilling to give up.
The sophisticated All-Speed Traction Control System is standard equipment on all 1999 Ford SVT Mustang Cobras.

akaakbiker · 01-10-2003

Wow that's much more sopisticated than I had realized. One last question, is it engaged or disengaged when the little light is on?

Mike Howard · 01-10-2003

It's kind of confusing huh? In Doug02s informative post it clearly says "The TCS defaults to On mode when the engine is started.".
So... When I get in and start my GT the light is off. TCS is engaged at this time. To disengage I push the button and the light comes on indicating TCS is off.

Do I have this right folks?

coolie1 · 01-10-2003

its all in your owners manual

Monkey Boy · 01-11-2003

I got traction control and posi-trac confused.

blackfang · 01-12-2003

Quote:

When any of the four ABS/traction control sensors detect that a drive wheel is spinning at a rate higher than its counterpart, ignition spark is retarded and the fuel/air ratio is modulated to attenuate torque delivered to the slipping tire. If the condition persists, cylinder cut-off occurs, brakes are applied to the wheel with low friction, and power is transferred to the other drive wheel. The driver is informed of TCS events via an indicator

He is exactly right.

SalvagedFord · 12-05-2003

so basically it bumps the brakes on the tire that is spinning so that it doesnt spin or so that both tire spin together

johnnytaboo · 12-05-2003

it actually cuts off several cylinders, making you less than a v-8 for a brief period of time. I think in the most 'severe' conditions, you will be briefly running on 2 cylinders. At the same time it will apply a certain amount of brake pressure to the rear wheels. You can feel it if you test it on purpose. Your engine will cut off several cylinders in an effort to reduce the power transferred to the rear wheels, and the brakes will try to stop the wheels from spinning (pretty much, you're not in control of the car at that point, the ECU is). In a way it's really immasculating to be temporarily robbed of HP like that, but even I insist on using it when it's raining, and I kinda like driving crazy from time to time.
Oh, and in my car, when you push the trac-control buttom and a light comes ON it means traction control is off.