Launch control on wet roads?
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Le Mans Master
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From: PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work.
Launch control on wet roads?
Has anybody tried launch control on wet roads? If so, how did it work?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I ran an autocross in the rain with the system in Track Wet Mode. I couldn't fully implement launch control because the start location was facing downhill so I had to hold my right foot on the brake while my left was on the clutch. However, on launch I was able to bring rpms up to about 2300 as I was leaving the clutch out. Once the clutch was out and I rolled onto the throttle the car launched like launch control was working to some degree. I got the typical short bog as the tires started to spin and then the car just went. It was controllable even though I had a slight left turn about 60 ft from the launch point.
Here is a video taken at the same event with my 20 year old grandson driving the car. We were running on Hoosier R7 Compound track tires. This was his first autocross in three years and the first time he had driven a powerful car since he drove my C6Z 3 years before. His daily driver is an 08 160 HP 4 Cylinder Malibu.
Notice when he starts you can hear the exhaust change as PTM limits wheel slip. You can also hear it as he comes off a couple of corners. I think launch control would do the same in the wet as it limits power delivery to the rear wheels according to the traction available just as PTM does.
Bill
Here is a video taken at the same event with my 20 year old grandson driving the car. We were running on Hoosier R7 Compound track tires. This was his first autocross in three years and the first time he had driven a powerful car since he drove my C6Z 3 years before. His daily driver is an 08 160 HP 4 Cylinder Malibu.
Notice when he starts you can hear the exhaust change as PTM limits wheel slip. You can also hear it as he comes off a couple of corners. I think launch control would do the same in the wet as it limits power delivery to the rear wheels according to the traction available just as PTM does.
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work.
Thanks. I haven't tried it yet but I have a friend with an all wheel drive Chevy pickup who thinks he can outrun my c7z in the rain. I told him if he wanted to put up $100 each we would give it a try. I don't think he stands a chance.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,062
Likes: 9,825
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,227
Likes: 879
From: PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work.
OK. the next time I find a wet road in Mexico without painted lines across the road (slipperier than snot), small puddles or streams running across the road that can cause hydroplaning of either or both vehicles, traffic, pedestrians and poor sightlines, I'll give it a try. 
Last edited by ZEEEE06; Jan 8, 2017 at 10:11 AM.
