I've been very curious about how the DSC works but had not found anything useful. Here's a question for those who had ventured outside the limits of the 8 and had both experienced effects of the DSC and DSC Semi-Off.

If you were to provoke the 8 into an oversteer:

1. With DSC On. Are you suppose to countersteer and apply throttle or just point where you want the car to go and the DSC will do the rest?

2. With DSC semi-Off, when does it kicked in?

Thanks

 

I cant give you authoratative answers based on the programing of the DSC or anything, just personal perspective.

In my experince, with the DSC on, the car applies breaks to the outside wheels (esp front) and cuts throttle. This is in "normal" steering and not trying to do a spinout or anything. In this case just point the car in the direction you want to go. A little countersteer is ok, but "normal" countersteer just makes the car cut throttle more.

The semi off DSC is really all off DSC (which is mostly throttle control). What is left is TSD or some such acro. It is mostly the system that automatically applies the brakes.

Here is a good comparo. (see zip file at bottom)

http://www.step-hen.com/rx8spec.htm

 

thanks... now i know what to expect if i turn it off

 

hey that is my link.... j/k you can use that anytime.

Taka speaks traction control.

I heard from someone tuning the car with some goodies - which remains nameless, but if you guess well (something Australian) then you will be right - that it controls the duty cycle and particularly the ignition timing on its own that it loses the DSC function. So, in other words, the ECU reduces the ignition and fuel injection during the DSC kicks in and slow your car magically. The brake acts as well - and they go "jZzzz" and seize your car and make it goes straight :D

 

with the dsc on you should never get enough movement to have to counter steer....the DSC will take over long before you get any oversteer.

 

With the DSC semi-off you can spin the car (oversteer mode) with abandon.... no intervetion is made by the car... enjoy the 360 view

 

Note - If you happen to be at the track, you may want to turn DSC off. I was in a banked turn at speed when the DSC decided to wake me up. Suddenly my 8 slowed and felt like it was running over gravel for a moment - that was the brakes "chattering" to slow me down. For a second I thought I'd blown a tire or something. Damned near had a coronary...

 

I can't tell any difference between semi-off and off. I can spin the car out with either setting. Like spink9k said, enjoy the view.

 

And just how would you know that ?? :D

 

After seeing the video in the link, what I still don't get is exactly what happened when its in semi-off. It seems that the car will still reactivate the DSC (as shown in the video), any ideas what trigger it? Maybe ABS?

 

I was watching my brother-in-law do donuts in my car with the DSC half off and I noticed something interesting. The rear wheels were occasionally stopping completely for split seconds and then resuming normal spin. You may be able to do donuts, but it is WAY better with it all off.

 

I think thats a bad idea kind of like stepping hard on the gas and brake at the same time.

I have to wonder how the rear wheel stops when your in gear at high RPM, however it happens it cant be good for your LSD, actually I'm willing to bet it's really bad for it.....

 

You THINK it is bad?

 

As far as I'm aware with DSC semi off the TCS is still on so there are no driver aids as such, only traction control. All off (7 second push) is all off except ABS.

Chris.

 

i have never noticed any control difference between 1/2 off and full off - luckily the 8 comes back really easily when you have to hit the brakes and flick the wheel!

 

When semi-off, does braking reactivates the DSC or only when ABS was activated