When you autocross- tcs on or off?

[AaronR]

Just a quick question. I am more of a road course guy and have never autocrossed this car yet. I know with my 996 I needed to turn of the traction control because it was so intrusive, but on the NSX it is much less. Fellow autocrossers, what do you think?
Aaron

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

I haven't taken my NSX autocrossing... but I'm going to say it's a definite OFF.

 

[Animate]

I've left traction control on a few times. The car bogged noticably when exiting corners hard on the throttle. It was brief, but I think it was enough to hurt lap times.

 

[92 white 0650]

TCS off

Definitely off. An occassional spin is part of learning and in A-X, that's OK.

And don't forgot to turn off your AC too. Sometimes sitting in line, it gets hot and I turn AC on and forget to turn it off on the start line. costs me a second or more.

Ted

 

[Nimbus]

Definitely off. TCS cuts power/fuel delivery when it senses tire slip. You want the car to rotate on purpose and be able to quickly get back to the throttle especially on an autocross course.

 

[AaronR]

I guess it's decided then...tcs off! thanks guys!
Aaron

 

[matteni]

Good luck - let us know how you do and how you like it.

 

[cojones]

Definitely off. TCS cuts power/fuel delivery when it senses tire slip. You want the car to rotate on purpose and be able to quickly get back to the throttle especially on an autocross course.

The power-cut can cause some unsettling weight-transfer effects as well (equivalent to a "lift"), particularly on corner exit. Have noticed this on sharp corners and some auto-x circuits.

OFF

 

[SoCal-NSX]

No question.... off. Try one run off and the next on and check your time and feel. I've accidentally left it on by turning the car off and then back on between runs and forgetting to switch it off again and about half way through the run I figured out why it was so mushy.

Dave

 

[ANYTIME]

Dave,
The smartTCS may be of help to you. On the Dali site here.
Take care,
John

No question.... off. Try one run off and the next on and check your time and feel. I've accidentally left it on by turning the car off and then back on between runs and forgetting to switch it off again and about half way through the run I figured out why it was so mushy.

Dave

 

[Tank]

I had mine perminately disabled. I forgot one time too many and said the heck with it.

 

[Nimbus]

Same here, disconnected my TCS ECU permanently.

 

[AaronR]

Well, it was a really tight 30 second course with a "chicago box" slalom at the end that was barely big enough to get the car into from the angle that I was coming in at.

For the 2nd day I came back with my VTEC CRX and wasted my NSX times. I guess I'll keep the CRX for autocross and the NSX for the roadcourses. Had the course been a little more open I could have done better.
Aaron

 

[Tank]

I'm not giving up the NSX for autox as long as those tuna-boat vettes and Camaros are pulling down great times on the course. Is it hard to do in an NSX? Yes. But that's what makes a better driver. Keep in mind that a shifter cart beats everything in autox but I'm not trading for one of those (just yet) ;-)

 

[docjohn]

That's the spirit Tank!

 

[John McCain Racing]

I learned the difference my first trip to Sebring. The TCS must be turned off! The TCS computer kills your exiting potential out of corners. I think after reading this post I might take mine out completely My car never sees rain anyway.

 

[grippgoat]

I learned the difference my first trip to Sebring. The TCS must be turned off! The TCS computer kills your exiting potential out of corners. I think after reading this post I might take mine out completely My car never sees rain anyway.

Even in the rain, I've always posted substantially better times autocrossing with the TCS off (yes, in seattle we get to autocross in the rain on a regular basis). There's usually more fish-tailing excitement in said conditions, but I still end up being faster with the TCS off.

-Mike