Is sport mode useless?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by J_kennington

If you are say, traveling 70mph in 6th(manual mode on at). Say you want to downshift to the lowest gear possible(from my own experience at 70 it's about 4th gear). So you start flapping the paddles and then OH NO I hit it 3 times instead of 2". The car will audibly beep at you and stay in 4th. To say "hey bozo, if I go to 3rd your gonna blow me up so I'm staying in 4th whether you like it or not".

FYI 3rd gear at 70 mph is about ~6200 rpm from experience, perfect for the powerband on an MT. Since AT has longer ratios you'd be even lower in the rpm range.

But you're spot on in the operation of the car in that it won't shift into a gear that harms itself.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...55&postcount=5

[J_kennington]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

FYI 3rd gear at 70 mph is about ~6200 rpm from experience, perfect for the powerband on an MT. Since AT has longer ratios you'd be even lower in the rpm range.

But you're spot on in the operation of the car in that it won't shift into a gear that harms itself.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...55&postcount=5

Ah, I just knew 70 was close to top of 3rd so I said 4th.

[kavanagh]

For what it's worth as an AT driver:

I'm either in plain old auto transmission and full TC left enabled, or I'm in manual transmission with TC disabled by the three second button hold. Sport mode in the AT tranny is cool, but manual mode is more fun to me - autoblip downshifts rule.


Sent from a secret volcano base using trained sharks

[Fortis]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

FYI 3rd gear at 70 mph is about ~6200 rpm from experience, perfect for the powerband on an MT. Since AT has longer ratios you'd be even lower in the rpm range.

Wow, 3rd gear in the Auto's must be much taller than the MT. In 3rd gear, I can hit 85 mph @ 6500 rpm's in manual mode. At redline in 3rd, I'm right at 90.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Fortis

Wow, 3rd gear in the Auto's must be much taller than the MT. In 3rd gear, I can hit 85 mph @ 6500 rpm's in manual mode. At redline in 3rd, I'm right at 90.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5404

All the gears are taller in the Auto, the increased fuel economy isn't because of the slushbox, it's because of the ratios allowing for lower rpm at cruising speeds.

[hamzam]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i98TdQTKVe4"]Travis Demonstrates the Scion FR-S Traction Control System - YouTube[/ame]

[wooly35]

This is a great find. ive always had it on VSC mode. Cant wait to try this with no traction control.

[wooly35]

also, does holding down the traction control for 5 seconds enable the same as doing the pedal dance? Same two yellow lights come on. just curious.

[stevesnj]

Originally Posted by wooly35

also, does holding down the traction control for 5 seconds enable the same as doing the pedal dance? Same two yellow lights come on. just curious.

Nope, auto LSD is still engaged and the TRAC and VSC will not turn back on automatically. Auto LSD is still on to a minor amount. Pedal dance (Inspection mode) will disable Auto LSD totally and retain ABS under braking.

[Hot Lava]

Originally Posted by stevesnj

Nope, auto LSD is still engaged and the TRAC and VSC will not turn back on automatically. Auto LSD is still on to a minor amount. Pedal dance (Inspection mode) will disable Auto LSD totally and retain ABS under braking.

Now wait a second here. The way I understand it when you hold the trac button down until the 2 lights come on then everything is turned off. Both stability control and abs right? What you're saying is this Auto LSD is still on in the mode I described? Sure seems like everything is off. From my experience I don't notice any vehicle control besides the driver when getting crossed up in the wet. Manual trans for reference.

[Laika]

Originally Posted by CatDaddysBBQ

I find that it kicks in way too soon to be very useful in the dry. In the wet, I have had situations that it'll interrupt oversteer so violently that it'll cause a bit of a "tank slapper" in the opposite direction.

This situation you described in wet conditions, do you feel you don't experience that in the dry? I have before while using VSC sport and chalked it up to me being twitchy through a corner. Now I'm starting to think otherwise.

[Mikem53]

Originally Posted by stevesnj

Nope, auto LSD is still engaged and the TRAC and VSC will not turn back on automatically. Auto LSD is still on to a minor amount. Pedal dance (Inspection mode) will disable Auto LSD totally and retain ABS under braking.

The pedal dance will also turn off the EBD

[Kwaziekeller]

Sport mode in VSC, as others have stated, just raises the threshold before VSC intervenes and attempts to straighten the car. It allows for more wheelspin and a higher angle/degree of oversteer before it intervenes.

Every car I've owned with a stability control system has had some sort of "sport" mode, but I've found that the "sport mode" causes an abrupt change in the vehicle balance when it engages (i.e. "tank slapper"). The only reason I can think of is that the driver already counter-steers for the slide and when the system engages (often via braking and throttle input) it doesn't account for the steering angle, thus ending the slide and essentially trying to change direction because of the driver's input. This system isn't as violent as other vehicles I've owned, but it also doesn't have the same ability to spin tires at will either.

I will say, that Chevrolet's PTM (Performance Traction Modes) on the ZR1, ZL1 and Z/28 are supposedly (and track proven, with a well known race driver) to be faster around a track with the proper setting (wet, dry, etc) versus a driver (ie, well known race driver, Randy Pobst) with PTM disabled. Of course F1 and MotoGP have used forms of traction control and stability control in the past (currently TCS is used in MotoGP), so it does have a "race bred" heritage.

A common misconception people have is that VSC/TCS is there to "make you a faster driver". This is true when it's utilized that way by the manufacter (i.e. Chevy's PTM). In reality... and in probably 95% of production vehicles sold in the US, VSC/TCS is only on the vehicle because it's mandated by the NHTSA that ALL vehicles under 10,000lbs GVWR have VSC by MY2012. Link Rather than develop a "race level" VSC system, most manufacters just use a basic system that intervenes to help prevent/reduce skids. Regardless of the level or ability of the VSC, nothing can change physics, so the system cannot fix your mistake all of the time.

Personally, since I grew up in the days before "nannies", I drive with VSC/TCS off (5sec button hold) 99% of the time. The only instance when I'll leave it on is when caught in a torrential downpour, and occasionally in snow/ice (where VSC sport mode is actually quite handy). There is no replacement for driver experience, nor is there a solution for stupidity.

[wooly35]

guess i need more practice doing the pedal dance. lol