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Would you like your ABS deactivated? Wouldn't want the car to help you drive.
When I'm just driving down the road, I do like having ABS. But when I want to drive to the limit, I wouldn't mind being able to turn it off. Not because I can stop better by myself, but because I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing I nailed the brakes at the threshold.
Originally Posted by ptindall
Our cars do know when you are in first gear because they have skip shift.
Skipshift doesn't care what gear you are in... If throttle position is <26%, coolant temp>171 F, speed is between 15 and 19 MPH and barometric pressure is between 76 and 78 kPa, the solenoid is energized that prevents from shifting to 2nd.
Actually, the roads around here all striaght. The mountian roads have bicycle riders, sheer cliffs, and very slow traffic. But I am not an excuse maker. My next track event I will dedicate to forcing myself to heel and toe. I know how to do it, it's just my normal reaction to put my foot in the center of the brake pedal. Look guys, I'm not a pansy. I'm not trying to avoid learning the skill, I just thought it was something very feasable that could be done not only to the C5, but pretty much any modern fly-by-wire throttle manual tranny car. I have never heard of ANY non-DSG car being able to do it either stock or modified. Even for those that can heel and toe well, the system could make race driving not only easier, but also more acurate. As I siad before, it might be so smooth you could release the clutch in the middle of a corner. There are people selling lots of useless crap for cars. This, nobody is selling and it would actually be functional. I asked why, that's all. At least give me credit for a different type of post. I could have asked what you thought of Khomho tires or if a GTO is faster than a C5.
I think it's a good technical challenge, but your question was why hasn't it been done... I don't think the proper sensors are there in the C5. Besides, when you're nailing shifts and heel and toeing, you're rev matching at the moment the clutch is disengaged, while you're moving the lever. The computer doesn't really know where you intend to shift to, and if the program waits until the level is lined up for the next gear, it's already too late... people on the road sometime shift down 2 gears in one shot, not something you'd do when driving at the limit, but the program has to account for all kinds of unpredictable behavior to work seamlessly.
I like my clutch too! I just don't like smoking my tires and clutch down at the end of the back striaght. Dude, a car that would rev match for you is a long way from driving for you. The problem for me is the only place I can even practice heel and toeing is at the track. I only get to do that every month or so and I'm a little busy at the time. How often do you downshift to 3500rpms while braking on your drive to work?
Every day. If I never practiced heel-and-toe except at the track, I'd suck at it too. You have to work on your foot positioning first, which you can do while parked. You can roll you foot over to the gas multiple ways based on what's comfortable. I have wide feet so I just roll the blade of my foot over for the blip. If you have smaller feet you can buy the wide pedals from Elite. First just concentrate on the right amount of blip to rev match. Here is the deal from one of the best: http://www.johnnyoconnell.com/2006/DrivingTips4.htm
Anyway, I agree with you that it's not unfeasible technically. As to why GM or the aftermarket don't make it, I just don't see enough market for it. As the responses indicate, lots of us are passionate about the art. Lots of other have no interest in a manual. I just don't see that many in the middle. That said, I'm sure the Vette will get a version of the SMG or DSG eventually as they become less exotic.
I wouldn't mind being able to turn it off. Not because I can stop better by myself, but because I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing I nailed the brakes at the threshold.
I would rather make myself in my car as fast as we can be. I'm new enouph at it that using my ABS is no where near boring and for me it's more about compition with other cars than being proud of my driving skill. Absolutely no offense intended in case it comes off that way.
Last edited by ptindall; Mar 26, 2007 at 01:57 AM.
Skipshift doesn't care what gear you are in... If throttle position is <26%, coolant temp>171 F, speed is between 15 and 19 MPH and barometric pressure is between 76 and 78 kPa, the solenoid is energized that prevents from shifting to 2nd.
I did not know that. If this is how the computer determines when skip shift is enabled, that's pretty good evidence the ECM does not know what gear the car is in.
I think it's a good technical challenge, but your question was why hasn't it been done... I don't think the proper sensors are there in the C5. Besides, when you're nailing shifts and heel and toeing, you're rev matching at the moment the clutch is disengaged, while you're moving the lever. The computer doesn't really know where you intend to shift to, and if the program waits until the level is lined up for the next gear, it's already too late...
I thought of this. On the track I have run, I never needed to get my downshift completed really fast. Yes, this program would wait untill the lever is in the gear. But if you need to downshift so quickly, it seems like your revs wouldn't have fallen off much from the previous gear anyway.
Anyway, I agree with you that it's not unfeasible technically. As to why GM or the aftermarket don't make it, I just don't see enough market for it. As the responses indicate, lots of us are passionate about the art. Lots of other have no interest in a manual. I just don't see that many in the middle. That said, I'm sure the Vette will get a version of the SMG or DSG eventually as they become less exotic.
That's a good answer and probably the right one. But if it were possible to upload this program into any OBDII fly-by-wire manual tranny car, now you are talking about a lot of people. Track noobs and "I buy every upgrade" wannabes. But it would probably have to be taylor made for every make and model and just not worth the effort. As for the DSG, it's better than an auto, faster than a manual, but still seems like it takes away too much control for me. Thanks for reponding to my question, not just worrying about my personal driving skills.