Traction??

AD_GTI · Post by **AD_GTI** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 1:39 pm

Does the GTI have traction control?? Just wonderin because a couple of times if i have had to pull away from a junction quickly, all the power seems to dissapear, even with my foot hard down!

It seems like a traction control thing, but i'm not sure

andyg · Post by **andyg** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 2:46 pm

Some of the later GTi's were fitted with EDL (electronic differential lock) what this does is use the ABS sensors to tell your wheel is spinning and applies the brakes to that wheel so power can be distributed to the other wheel.

Its supposed to be handy for areas where there is less traction such as snow or mud. I don't know how effective it is cause mine doesn't have it, but I heard its pretty crap.

Del_GTi · Post by **Del_GTi** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 3:03 pm

Mine doesn't have it either, but i've heard it makes a horrible kinda grinding noise when it's trying to stop wheelspin. And wasn't very effective.

Dunno if that's true or not.

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 5:38 pm

Pretty sure mines got it but it doesn't stop wheelspin at all, I've even slid it a couple of times with no sign of the car stopping it

RICHARD HARPER · Post by **RICHARD HARPER** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:47 pm

I've noticed that grinding noise as well

when i was driving car in snow.
Glad i know what it is now

As i thought i'd busted something

AD_GTI · Post by **AD_GTI** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:48 pm

cheers for the replies, i had that grinding noise in the snow too.

It was about 3 days after i bought the car last year, i thought something was busted, but i'm glad that you have all cleared that issue up for me!

PhilGTi · Post by **PhilGTi** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:54 am

They also have this other thing, that stops the car skidding, puts more power to one side when needed apparently or something..

Reeyad · Post by **Reeyad** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:42 pm

PhilGTi wrote:They also have this other thing, that stops the car skidding, puts more power to one side when needed apparently or something..

is that LSD I think not sure am not too clued up.

Another question how can you tell if your car has this traction option is the anything physical you can see.

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:12 pm

That's the EDL Phil, Electronic Differential Lock. Detects when one wheel is losing traction and brakes that to try and sort it out.

Dee-vub · Post by **Dee-vub** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:15 pm

LSD is Limited Slip Differential, which is jsat for pulling off really, say one of your wheels was on a slidier surface than the other, it basically balances the grip out. I THINK!! not too sure, but thats what i thought. i think its meant to be most effective on four wheel driuve cars really

andyg · Post by **andyg** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:51 pm

They also have this other thing, that stops the car skidding, puts more power to one side when needed apparently or something..

Most 6n2 GTis don't have that (was an expensive option). What you are talking about is ESP (electronic stability control) and TCS (traction control system). That does work in the way you describe, takes power off the wheels looking traction, brakes on the wheels that need it etc.

There are different flavours of ESP, some more advanced than others. After seeing a Fith Gear episode of ESP vs normal driving on the ice lakes in Sweden I was amazed. Tiff needel took a Jag and had to swerve around an obstical, obviously Tiff knows how to control a skid but he spun out. Then he turned on ESP and he just glided round it perfectly.

TCS will be installed if you have ESP, TCS distributes the power to the wheels that are less likely to spin. If you drive up a hill with patches of ice it will put power on the correct wheels. EDL does a similar thing but in a more basic way (by braking the spinning wheel). Also TCS has sensors detecting the lateral movement of the car and the wheel direction so it can work out which way the car is intended to be going.

A LSD is kinda different, that works usually by having the two output driveshafts connected by a diff with a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism will press tightly together if it recieves a high amount of torque from the main driveshaft (when you are giving it some). If however there is a low amount of torque comming from the driveshaft it wont press tightly together allowing one wheel to speed at a different speed to the other wheel. This is handy when cornering, because if you have a wheel lift off the ground all the torque goes to that wheel and the wheel thats on the ground gets nothing so you waste power. If you have an LSD it will fix that problem. And yeh, it would be usefull for setting off fast too because it will give both wheels equal torque and if one wheel spins it wont waste the torque on that wheel.