Ok. So I searched the forums and didn't find anything on it and I'm wondering about it now. I'm about to start doing track days at the local track and I'm wondering about something...how long does it take for the traction control to switch on and off from the time you actually press the button? Does it take a few seconds? Does the ECU instantly stop and start helping your brakes? I'm wondering about it cause I'm thinking if I use DSC on the curves of the track and then on the exit turning it off it might give me a better edge on my times.

Even though I probably can already take the curves around 70 without much slippage in the RX-8, I've seen way too many videos of people spinning out on the corners. Granted...none of them were in RX-8s, but that's kinda besides the point. I'm looking to improve my time by playing it safe with DSC on the corners and flipping it off on the straights. However, if it takes too long to engage and disengage, I'm feeling it wont be worth the hand movements. And I think it's granted that I'm not gonna test it out personally...I love my car too much to risk it for only a few seconds. Anyone have a factual opinion on how fast or slow it works?

 

It's instant. When I screwed up my steering u-joint install and the splines were off 1 and I decided to test the joint movement anyway, and ended up triggering a DSC engagement incorrectly because the sensor was now out of alignment, a fast tap of the button immediately killed the dsc. (yes, I was forgetting the steering angle sensor input and location, yes, it was stupid, I yell at myself plenty in the diy thread for that replacement)

However, leave it on or leave it off. Your instructor will be yelling at you like crazy if you keep reaching down there, there is no interference on the straights anyway, and what happens when you lose control on the straights?

You will be too busy to mess with it safely.

 

Just the answer I was looking for thanks. I'll also keep that in mind cause it did seem to me like it wouldn't make that large a difference and if I was just reaching down there every 2 seconds my shifting would go to ****. No 3 arms here, only 2 :P

 

dont bother...you would wind up wrecking
why would you want to turn it off on the straights anyway?

 

^people think that the 8's overwhelming torque is enough to break the tires free under wot acceleration, and having the dsc/tcs engaged cuts the engine power to compensate, and this gives the impression that the 8 is slow.

People just fail to realize that if both sets of tires are turning the same speed, there is no interference at all. If there was, it wouldn't be a slight sap on the power, the throttle plate pretty much closes and you hit a wall of no-go.

 

If you want to learn how to put down fast lap times leave it off. It's a crutch for shitty driver inputs. I can put down lap times that are a full second or two faster without it activated on a 1 mile course.

Only reason you should be worried about spinning is if there's a lot of walls near the track that you're on. I've spun off the track a few times including getting sideways in a 90MPH sweeper and nothing has happened to the car. If there's a certain corner you're afraid of spinning on, then drive it at 70% and you won't go four off.