Another gadget...

[TRIPPIN]

Those of you who know me, know my affinity for cool gadgets for cars. I have been messing with vehicle electrical stuff for a lot of years and try to seek out really handy stuff and sometimes come up with one of my own.
I prefer to run with the Traction Control System 'OFF'...it's more fun that way. I looked high and low for a circuit designed to default the TCS to 'OFF' each time the car is started rather than 'ON'. I thought I found one, but it turned out to be for 04 and newer cars. Anyway, after a little piddling and studying I came up with my own gadget and it works great.
Now every time I start my car the TCS defaults to 'OFF' and anytime I want it 'ON' I just push the button. It works just opposite of factory. Now I have one less thing to do each time I start my ride.
Others here may have found something on the market that I missed, so this may not be anything special. However, if anyone is interested, I can cobble some more of these together pretty cheap and share the hookup info. I also printed out the 04 wiring diagram and found that my circuit should work on them too...with slightly different hookup in the car.

Later,

[Torched06GT]

I thought that if you had a tuner you could go in there and change the default on that!!

[TRIPPIN]

I have never seen that option in my SCT tuner. I asked the guys at Brenspeed about programming the TCS 'OFF' and they said they could encode that into my custom tune, but that it would be off permanently as long as that tune was in the ECM. What I like about my gadget is that it allows you to continue to choose TCS on or off, but defaults to off rather than on each time you start the car. My tuner is a SCT XF3...others may have more options including opting out of TCS...I don't know the answer to that one.

[EagleStroker]

I have this turned off in my tune, but for you it is much more important. If I'm not mistaken Ford's TCS works by cutting fuel, what happens if your in boost when this happens? Big time detonation. Every tuner I've talked to or heard discuss the matter turns it off in there tunes.

[mrfarmdog]

I have this turned off in my tune, but for you it is much more important. If I'm not mistaken Ford's TCS works by cutting fuel, what happens if your in boost when this happens? Big time detonation. Every tuner I've talked to or heard discuss the matter turns it off in there tunes.

Really? Interesting...

This got me thinking so I looked it up and found this on another site.

* On vehicles with throttle-by-wire (new Mustangs, for example), there is no cable or mechanical linkage between the gas pedal and throttle. The throttle is controlled electronically by the PCM based on sensor inputs from the gas pedal. Here, the traction control system may ask the PCM to momentarily reduce the throttle opening if a wheel is slipping.

If it is reducing throttle it sounds like it is in-effect "easing up on the gas peddle" by tricking the throttle to shut for a period of time. If this is the case then I think it is perfectly safe for big boost cars.

[TRIPPIN]

That's interesting...
Now I know what that weird feeling has been when I had forgotten to turn off the TCS. It was really noticeable in third gear when the tires would start to break loose under boost, there was this strange sort of flattening out of the power...almost like a clutch slipping feeling (without the smell). Not nearly as noticeable in first and second as the revs come so quickly, the TCS really doesn't have a chance to act. It makes sense that the ECM would handle this by taking control of the throttle since the computer is pretty much controlling it anyway through the drive-by-wire setup.
Anyway, I am due for a Dynospeed tune this Thursday and I will ask Joe about this issue as well.

[EagleStroker]

I have this turned off in my tune, but for you it is much more important. If I'm not mistaken Ford's TCS works by cutting fuel, what happens if your in boost when this happens? Big time detonation. Every tuner I've talked to or heard discuss the matter turns it off in there tunes.

Really? Interesting...

This got me thinking so I looked it up and found this on another site.

* On vehicles with throttle-by-wire (new Mustangs, for example), there is no cable or mechanical linkage between the gas pedal and throttle. The throttle is controlled electronically by the PCM based on sensor inputs from the gas pedal. Here, the traction control system may ask the PCM to momentarily reduce the throttle opening if a wheel is slipping.

If it is reducing throttle it sounds like it is in-effect "easing up on the gas peddle" by tricking the throttle to shut for a period of time. If this is the case then I think it is perfectly safe for big boost cars.

Thanks John, you forced me to look more into the matter! The GT500 is set up with anticipation of the power according to this, I'll post the source for these but these to quotes sum it up I think. Ultimately leave it up to your tuners preference I would say. As far as perfectly safe though, if your throttle shuts while the engine is under a full load, the fact that the cylinders will lean out and A/F will spike seems to be a perfectly reasonable assumption. Given it would be under aggressive driving but I try to leave as little room for error as possible.

[QUOTE=gloryboy;60419]The tcs progam in the gt500 was designed with its power in mind. You can leave the tcs enabled and run a sweet 1/4 mile. The tcs program in the gt can be detrimental if you go fi......Turning it off in the tune is a good idea but its anoying having the tcs light stay on and having to press reset everytime you start the car.

A guy on another forum came up with a way to have the tcs turn off automatically when you start the car (like default off instead of default on). I have done the mod and it works like a charm. No more worrying about forgetting to turn off the tcs. You can also turn it on if you want to by pressing the button, whereas if its deactivated in the tune you can't turn it back on with the button.

Here's the link............its simple, cheap, and a quick mod........
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=75515[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Kevin@PMP;60447]ALL EFI Ford's cut fuel as a means of limiting RPM, I don't care if it's an 87 Mustang, 89 Taurus, 2001 Mustang etc.... Now with the S197s they can also close the throttle since it is drive by wire.

Personally I don't like anything that cuts fuel especially on a forced induction motor.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Kevin@PMP;62156]There is some give in the system so that if the car senses you are trying to drive aggressively it won't engage unless there is excessive wheel spin, mild wheel spin will not cause the system to engage.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Kevin@PMP;60981]Did you feel the traction control engage? If not then the AFR shouldn't change. It will also depend on to what degree the PCM has to go to control traction, it can close the throttle AND kill fuel but doesn't necessarily do both all the time.[/QUOTE]



http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.p ... ned&page=2

[TRIPPIN]

The link in the last post didn't pan out for me, but I would guess that the circuit is similar to mine. I kind of like the 'OFF' light being lit...it let's me know without a doubt that the system is indeed off and always there if I want it.
It is interesting to know how it works on the different applications, though. I kind of figured they would have to take into consideration spirited driving...It is a Mustang after all.

[booger]

it's completely different on the 2010. Ford gave us a "sport" mode on the traction control for more spirited driving

[EagleStroker]

I didn't even go through the link to be honest, just cut and paste. Ford cut a lot of corners IMO but that's neither here nor there - just thought it was worth pointing out!