Launch Controll! Yeah Baby!

[bigbadjoe]

I have put off using my launch controll on my car for over a year now. I know it was there, but didn't want to use it, as I knew it would destroy the clutch in a few 1000 miles.

I couldn't help listning in to a youtube clip I was watching, and tried it out for my self!

The out come was, over the easter week end, I was going from one end of a straight on a backroad to another seeing how fast I can get to 60!!!!

Good times!!

I still recon I can do it faster myself, but that means slipping the clutch, and that means a nice smelly clutch (and I don't think my baby can take it)

Im sure in the next few weeks Ill have a new thread with the tital

''How to change a clutch on an Evo!''

Oh' and PS. I filmed it at under 4 seconds. (don't know if im allowed to put it on here)

Oh and PPS. For all who know me, I NOW HAVE INTERNET IM MY HOUSE! YEAH!!!!!! (wench finally got it sorted) So I'll get my TC profile sorted this week end!!

 

[stamford]

Must be nice having toys! I don't even have TC on the MG! The Landy has the toys and get used in winter.

 

[obi_waynne]

Sounds like fun!

Glad you're properly online now. I guess it means we'll be hearing more from you.

 

[T9 man]

I wish I had Launch Control and congrats on the proper broadband at last BBJ, you can only do so much with a little dongle

 

[SLEEPER]

Im going to be getting launch control set up on the stagea now I have a strong enough gearbox and clutch.

apparently the next thing to happen is a snapped driveshaft

 

[turbonutter69]

Im going to be getting launch control set up on the stagea now I have a strong enough gearbox and clutch.

apparently the next thing to happen is a snapped driveshaft

I know that one pretty well.

 

[T9 man]

Im going to be getting launch control set up on the stagea now I have a strong enough gearbox and clutch.

apparently the next thing to happen is a snapped driveshaft

Silly question coming right up! Is there a toughened driveshaft available then? and is the snapping of driveshafts a Launch Control speciality?
Sorry that's two!

 

[SLEEPER]

My Ecu can be set so launch control so full boost is available off the line.
As this is the quickest way of accellerating it also puts the maximum strain on the drive train.
Normally it would be the clutch or gearbox that would suffer but mine have both been uprated.
The next weakest part on a GTR drivetrain is the driveshafts so if anything goes thats what it is likely to be.
I can get uprated driveshafts but there will always be a weakest link.

 

[T9 man]

Clearly understood, thanks Sleeper!

 

[bigbadjoe]

Sounds like fun!

Glad you're properly online now. I guess it means we'll be hearing more from you.

Hopefully. Ill be washing my car either tonight or tomorrow so I'll get some picks up. Got to turf out the leads for my phone now

 

[obi_waynne]

Silly question coming right up! Is there a toughened driveshaft available then? and is the snapping of driveshafts a Launch Control speciality?
Sorry that's two!

I've heard good things about carbon fibre driveshafts, these absorb some of the rotational stresses and give the gearbox an easier life. It costs a fortune though. Plus they are lighter so you have less weight in the drivetrain to rotate.

 

[old-git]

I've heard good things about carbon fibre driveshafts, these absorb some of the rotational stresses and give the gearbox an easier life. It costs a fortune though. Plus they are lighter so you have less weight in the drivetrain to rotate.

Yup, CF props are great. However, I had a quote for over £2000 for a 700mm long one for the Elan, so we are staying with steel for the time being.

 

[Yugguy]

just to play devil's advocate, but what's the point of having power you can't use?

 

[SLEEPER]

There is none but thats its not as simple as that .

In the perfectly normal P) pursuit of more power - people mod their cars.

Obviously as power gets higher different things need uprating ( often more than once)
There are few standard parts that are are fine for unlimited power so it is inevitable that at certain times you will end up with some power that you cant use. You simply uprate the offending part as and when you know you need to.

But somtimes you dont know

For example driveshafts dont have power ratings either they work with 100% efficiency or they break !
I will only know that the driveshafts cant take the power when one does just that - there is no grey area.

But there is no point in spending £££££s because something might happen - I would rather spend it when it does.

And there is no such thing as too much power ( just not enough bottle)

 

[Yugguy]

True, but I'm sure I remember reading about the new M3, it has launch control but you void your warranty if you use it too often.

 

[T9 man]

True, but I'm sure I remember reading about the new M3, it has launch control but you void your warranty if you use it too often.

Really! :blink: Why would you bother then? That's a bit like sending a 5 year old boy into 'Toys R Us' and saying to him 'Go in there, have some fun and enjoy yourself, but don't touch anything!

 

[old-git]

T


For example driveshafts dont have power ratings either they work with 100% efficiency or they break !
I will only know that the driveshafts cant take the power when one does just that - there is no grey area.

Before you install the driveshafts, paint a thin white line along their whole length. By regular inspection of this line you will be able to see the amouint of twist the shaft has absorbed. If my memory serves me well (Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger Trinity - Wheels on Fire), racers replace shafts as soon as they have twisted 180 degrees.

If the driveshafts are not visible, you will have to remove them to inspect, but at least you will be able to see the amount of twist they have taken up.

 

[old-git]

just to play devil's advocate, but what's the point of having power you can't use?

Well, I think that, at 620bhp (using Q16 race fuel), I will have more power than I will be able to use all of the time. However, traction and launch control will help me to use as much of it as possible at low speeds and you can't have enough power at the top end.

Having more power than you can use means that that particular mod box is ticked so you can then concentrate on working out how to use as much of it as possible.

 

[SLEEPER]

I have noticed that the people who say whats the point of all that power often dont have any.

re the drive shafts and painted lines
A good idea but I think that when the LC is set up it will be go or break.
The upgrade would be to fit GTR shafts which means a comple rear subframe swop inc and as the splines are different.
It probably my next "mod" anyway as I can then fit better rear suspension.

Besides there is nothing like a bit of uncertainty to make the adrenilin flow.

 

[old-git]

.

Besides there is nothing like a bit of uncertainty to make the adrenilin flow.

I think there wil be enough going on to get the adrenalin flowing without the worry of a driveshaft letting go!

Have a word with these guys:

http://www.trackandrally.co.uk/

They made the shafts for my Elan spec'd to the power expected.

http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1081&stc=1&d=1305154017
http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1082&stc=1&d=1305154096
http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1083&stc=1&d=1305154096

 

[Big Fat Fatty]

True, but I'm sure I remember reading about the new M3, it has launch control but you void your warranty if you use it too often.

That was also true of the Nissan GTR, if you used it's launch control to often and buggered the clutch and transaxle it wasn't covered under warranty and it would've cost an absolute fortune to replace, they fixed the problem last year though so now it's better than ever and everything is covered by a warranty.

 

[bigbadjoe]

Before you install the driveshafts, paint a thin white line along their whole length. By regular inspection of this line you will be able to see the amouint of twist the shaft has absorbed. If my memory serves me well (Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger Trinity - Wheels on Fire), racers replace shafts as soon as they have twisted 180 degrees.

If the driveshafts are not visible, you will have to remove them to inspect, but at least you will be able to see the amount of twist they have taken up.

:blink: Didn't know they moved that much!! I thought up to 90 deg. How much play are in them? I didn't think the torque would twist it that much!

 

[old-git]

:blink: Didn't know they moved that much!! I thought up to 90 deg. How much play are in them? I didn't think the torque would twist it that much!

That is what I have been led to believe, but I will check tomorrow.

 

[jarrus]

Then why would BMW equip it to the M3 if it is a way to void the warranty? It's like Nissan saying that you will void the warranty if you turn the TC off in the GTR. Serious;y, why give us the option then? Honestly car makers do come out with some crap these days. It either can do it or it can't.... I hate all of the middle of the road BS

 

[jarrus]

I think there wil be enough going on to get the adrenalin flowing without the worry of a driveshaft letting go!

Have a word with these guys:

http://www.trackandrally.co.uk/

They made the shafts for my Elan spec'd to the power expected.

http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1081&stc=1&d=1305154017
http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1082&stc=1&d=1305154096
http://www.torquecars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1083&stc=1&d=1305154096

]

The almost look like torsion bar, (only a lot bigger......)

 

[Yugguy]

Thing is, we would all have a go at say a modder who stuck a 250bhp engine into a 1.0 Corsa and kept the original brakes and running gear, but manufacturers having to fit launch control to cars seems to me a little of the same thing. From new they should make the whole car able to cope with the output of the engine. If someone then buys the car and decides to tune it further then it's down to them if they overload it.

 

[old-git]

From new they should make the whole car able to cope with the output of the engine.

But that is exactly what launch control does!

 

[bigbadjoe]

But that is exactly what launch control does!

Agreed.
It does aid in take off quite dramatically. I can get it off the line faster, but not without the smell of the clutch burning through the car.

When using launch controll the only thing you will smell is the rubber off the tyre! :bigsmile:

 

[Yugguy]

Well no, bbj says if he uses it too often it lunches the clutch. As standard Mitsubishi should fit a clutch that can handle 400bhp all the time.

 

[bigbadjoe]

Well no, bbj says if he uses it too often it lunches the clutch. As standard Mitsubishi should fit a clutch that can handle 400bhp all the time.

Thats the thing though. Miti say not to use it too often for that reason. I think if you fitted the £800 clutch that can cope with up to 600bhp, it would still ware it out. Its the launch controll itslef that does the damage, not the clutch. The clutch in the standard 8/9 are good upto 450 bhp.

Because If I tried to set off the line at that speed I'd destry the clutch in about 500 miles.

 

[Big Fat Fatty]

So, how many clutches have you gone through then Joe?

 

[bigbadjoe]

None yet. But it can't be far off!! lol :cheesy:

 

[Yugguy]

That's interesting, how does it actually work?

 

[SLEEPER]

The launch control I have is simply a way of getting off the line with full boost - something a standrad trim turbo car normally cant do .

My LC isnt anything directly to do with clutch but it certainly affects it cos there is more power from stadstill . Higher power off the line = more stress on clutch.

to repeat torque kills clutches not power.

And 450 ft bs in third isnt the same as in first for the clutch

 

[Yugguy]

Aye, I know that often torque is often limited in first gear cos of the clutch plates. Stupid question time though, why not fit better friction plates? Or is there just not anything better?

 

[SLEEPER]

Of course there is - a better clutch

 

[Yugguy]

Ok then so why don't mitsubishi fit it as standard?

 

[turbonutter69]

Like everything else it's down to cost.

 

[Massive]

Of course there is - a better clutch

tbh if your gonna fit launch control and this is obviously gonna put massive strain on not only the clutch but the engine itsself aswell surely you would have thought mitsubishi would have put a cluth that could handle it with out being destroyed so quickly, obviosuly a better clutch makes sense but

realistacly in an ideal bubble world with waterfall, rainbows and rabbits pranving in fields with all the deers you would have thought mitsubisi would have gone

"Hey lets put in launch control to give it some serious boost"
"Yea great idea, why dont we upgrade the clutch too"
"Ah brilliant lets get to work"

instead of

"Hey lets put in launch control to give it some serious boost"
"Yea great idea, why dont we upgrade the clutch too"
"Nah we can make more money out of the customer when it goes when he gets addicted to it"
"HAHA even better idea, nice one"

i think thats how the conversation maye have gone what you reckon?

 

[SLEEPER]

Or

"Hey lets put in launch control to give it some serious boost"

Yea great idea ................ should we try it out

Naa lets go down the pub instead

Yea great idea lets go and get pissed and if anyone asks we will say we tested it