What does Traction Control actually do?

SriSte

Just curious really, it seems to activate enough things to dim my headlights, whats it tinkering with?
I can hear the ABS pump modulating and it seems to do something with the throttle.

Anyone know dunno..

Matt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traction_control

The intervention can consist of one or more of the following:

* Retard or suppress the spark to one or more cylinders
* Reduce fuel supply to one or more cylinders
* Brake one or more wheels
* Close the throttle, if the vehicle is fitted with drive by wire throttle
* In turbo-charged vehicles, the boost control solenoid can be actuated to reduce boost and therefore engine power.

SriSte

I wasnt aware an abs pump could generate enough pressure to brake without the master cylinders help, wikipedia is a bit general, googling the finer parts of vauxhall often doesnt work. I know the v6's stop sparking some of the cylinders.

I always though ABS and traction control working together was stability control

MikeS

ABs & TC are all one ECU m8

the old redtop engines with TC worked off an electric motor attached to a butterfly under the throttle body, in essence a 2ndary throttle body

when the wheels span the throttle body closed

major head aches on the redtop with TC as it was on the same loop as the coolant temp sensor and idle control valve 🙁

JohnnyN

The engine retards. On my car in the snow and off boost the engine dies. This is also how a NA engine would react. When its just wet and my boost comes on, the engine just keeps going and the boost injectors keep things spinning.

SriSte

Right, so theres no engagement of the brakes, the ABS pump doing its thing is just a side effect of sharing ecu?

MikeS

i cant hear the ABS pump working when the Tc kicks in on my vectra

just sounds like fuel or air cut off to the cylinders

Tc needs the ABS system as it piggybacks the signals from the ABS sensors pulsing on each hub

so effectively the ABS kicks in when there is a different speed on the rotating hubs when applying the break and the traction control kicks in when your not applying the breaks and the same scenario but i am unsure if it is applicable on all 4 wheels or just the front 2