I just traded my 06 G35 6MT coupe for an 07 350Z 6MT. The G had VDC which I had a general understanding of. This Z only has Traction Control and I'm trying to figure out exactly what TC does on the Z. From the description in the owners manual it sounds like the only thing it does is cut engine output when rear wheel spin is detected. There is no mention of TC using the brakes to control wheel spin. Is this correct?

I took my G to the track and VDC was intrusive and hindered performance especially when exiting a turn rolling hard into the throttle. It would hit pulse the brakes and kill engine output.

Anyone have any experience with TC at the track? My inclination is to turn it off but I'm new to track driving and I'm new to this car. Thanks.

P.S.: I did a search on "traction control" and "traction control & brakes" and did not see any decent answer.

 

Correct. Traction Control System (TCS) will prevent you from spinning the rear tires. Takes a second to kick in. Believe you will see a "SLIP" light on the dash.

 

But just by decreasing engine output? No brake input?

 

You really should have searched this forum...

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-road-305/

Where you would have found more appropriate help...

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-r...se-racing.html
https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-r...bling-abs.html

 

Congrats on the new car
Looking forward to seeing another Z at the track!

 

Last time I went to my local track with NASA-SE, there were two 350s, both of them gutted and caged. There was a stock GT-R there too.

I've got a track weekend coming up in Feb. Just ordered some EBC Yellowstuff brake pads and will flush and fill brake fluid with ATE. The combo worked with the G so it should be fine with the Z I think.

I may do the first couple of sessions with TC on but I'll see what my instructor thinks.

 

George
Consider this for your new 350Z

https://my350z.com/forum/body-interi...gas-pedal.html

Makes learning heel/toe a WHOLE lot easier

 

I could not learn heel toe using my heel. But I can do it using the edge of my right foot. So that particular pedal probably wouldn't help me that much. I have not even tried h/t at the track yet. Hope to in Feb. Will probably be an uncoordinated, over-reving, locked up rear end charlie foxtrot but I've got to learn somehow!

 

You are doing it absolutely correctly! The "heel" part is really a misnomer. With the RS pedal, the right side of your foot can blip the gas pedal very easily.

 

Thanks, I will definitely look into then. I'm willing to try anything that is cheap and can help.

 

I read all of both of these threads but neither really addresses my question. I'm fairly familiar with ABS, VDC and ABLS which my G had. I did my first track day in the G with VDC on. It was a mistake. Even for a beginner with no natural skill at this the VDC was intrusive and more of a hindrance than a benefit. VDC was cooking the brakes on my G, especially the rears. I didn't always feel the brakes activate but I could always feel the engine bog when VDC kicked in when rolling into the gas exiting a turn.

I probably will turn TC off on my first event in my Z but I'd still like to understand how it works. Primarily I want to know if it uses the brakes at all or if it just cuts engine output. I'm sure I've missed the answer somewhere but I can't find it.

 

,,,

 

There is a big difference between VDC and traction control. You cannot completely disable VDC as ABLS continues to function. But in the description of TC in the manual it says nothing about using the brakes. It only says it cuts engine output. It might use the brakes but it doesn't say so. I would have suspected that TC used the brakes to control rear wheel spin but without the yaw sensors and such that go with VDC. But the manual suggests that TC just cuts engine output in response to wheel spin. Which seems odd.

As you say, VDC uses the brakes and engine output. With VDC on my rear brakes would be very hot and often with a wisp of smoke after 20 minutes on the track.

I'm surprised there is not a definitive description of how TC functions and what the car does when TC is turned 'off'. I hope when TC is off, everything is off.

 

sweet

 

I think it just retards the timing. What you get is a badly stumbling engine and almost no power. Of course, the spinning stops and it disengages causing a surge in power and more spinning followed by a stumbling engine and so on. The end result is you end up jerking and hopping down the road like you would from popping the clutch on takeoff. There is a handy little button to the left of the steering wheel to turn TC off. I push it every time I start the car.

 

I do not turn it off for daily driving. No need to and have never felt it activate on daily drives.

I may even leave it on for the first few laps at the track. Once I get my bearings and start pushing it a little I'll turn it off.

Still wondering just how off is off with TC. I'm surprised that there do not seem to be many definite answers here......its like TC is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma and smothered in secret sauce.

 

,,,