Clutch with Launch Control

[WR1 Bro]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for some good reading on the subject. ChrisB?

Does anyone else have one fitted?

[stijoy]

http://www.hondata.com/featureslaunch.html

[jd]

racelogic are supposed to be clever systems

www.racelogic.co.uk

[Chris B]

The launch control on my car has been set up with the motec ecu,to be honest I have never used it probably because I am old.

[WR1 Bro]

The launch control on my car has been set up with the motec ecu,to be honest I have never used it probably because I am old.

I see. Thanks for correcting me on that.

[chelspeed]

Launch control comes in many flavours.

On my Caterham sprint car it's nothing more than a lower rev limit. It's such a light car that you always light up the tyrs off the line even with sticky 10" slicks. With 9000rpm rev limit it would just spin all the power away. So launch control just gives you a lower rev limit (usually 600rpm in my case) for X secs which then ramps up to 9000rpm over Y secs (software selected X, Y and launch revs).

You have the best compromise settings in for the first run then look at the logging and then look at front and rear wheel speed sensors and engine revs against time to see how it behaves. If there's more grip than usual you can shorten X and Y. If it's damp you lower the launch revs etc etc. In this case the clutch doesn't enter the equation you dip the clutch (and a switch under it engages launch mode) then dial up 6000rpm and just side step off it, as you lift it the ECU starts the launch timers.

On a Scoobie this type of system would be completely academic as you have far more grip than power.

On a WRC it's all a bit different where I think the launch control does control throttle and clutch to keep optimum revs and optimum wheel slip no matter exactly how much grip there is. So you need fly by wire throttle and an actuated clutch so that the electrickery can control them, both of which the WRC (and indeed F1 cars) have but neither of which a road car will have. Plus for a 4WD rally car you'll need a sensor that senses actual movement over the ground (F1 car can use front wheel sensors for that) either laser looking at the ground itself or presumably a gee force sensor would work.

Racelogics system is part of their traction control system, I think it uses a cltuch switch to change the setting of the traction control. A very minor part of a complex traction control system.

That's a starter for 10 I hope. Don't know anything more though.

[POESY]

The launch control on my car has been set up with the motec ecu,to be honest I have never used it probably because I am old.

Same here - mine is set with the motec, but ive never used it either. Was told it puts a huge amount of strain on the drivetrain.

I was told it controls power delivery by matching the revs and the grip as the car goes through 1st gear (you basically just keep the accelerator planted to the floor and let the electronics do the work) then you take over as you change into 2nd - but I wasnt really listening so maybe I picked up the wrong end of the stick.

Will ask exactly how it works when i'm at Owens on the 6th march and post a reply.

[WR1 Bro]

The launch control on my car has been set up with the motec ecu,to be honest I have never used it probably because I am old.

Same here - mine is set with the motec, but ive never used it either. Was told it puts a huge amount of strain on the drivetrain.

I was told it controls power delivery by matching the revs and the grip as the car goes through 1st gear (you basically just keep the accelerator planted to the floor and let the electronics do the work) then you take over as you change into 2nd - but I wasnt really listening so maybe I picked up the wrong end of the stick.

Will ask exactly how it works when i'm at Owens on the 6th march and post a reply.

Thanks Posey