Monday, April 16, 2012

Launch Control: Not Intuitive, Good!

So i thought i had "Competitive Mode" figured out. There's a button, how hard could it be! So you push the button once and it turns off traction control. You push it again and it turns off StabiliTrak. Ok, still there's no competitive mode?

At this point, you push and hold the button, after a few seconds the Information Center says "StabiliTrak Competitive Mode". Ya! There ya go!

So, stop, put it in first, straighten the wheels, put the pedal to the floor. You can tell you have Launch Control because it holds the RPM at just over 4 grand. Ready, set, dump the clutch. Whoooah! It doesn't have enough horse power to get the tires spinning! i need to get a SuperChip. i need a new cam and intake.

Or, you can put the thing in the right mode. With all these button pushes it's easy to see why the "i've got it all" mode is sort of... well... hidden. And, after finding the right mode i can see why they make it difficult to engage.

My good buddy Tim clued me in and i found the secret sauce. If you are going to put it in the real competitive mode i suggest you know how to drive a car like this. Seriously, when you get the right mode it's just you and the LS3 and let me tell you, you get it ALL

This mode is for finishing off your old tires before replacing them, impressing friends or killing yourself. i might suggest you learn to use StabiliTrak Competitive mode for a while. Here you want to let out the first 1/4 of the clutch as quick as you can, a mini dump. Then slow down and ease the rest out, feeling the car and keeping the RPMs around 4 grand. Switching the HUD to show the tack is key here. Keep your eyes on the road idiot! This is probably perfect for 1/4 mile times. At least until you and the car become one with the force.

So let's really launch shall we? To shut the computer off, make sure the car is set like you just started it. Both the traction control and slippery road lights are OFF. Now, press and hold "the button" for a few seconds. Both of the idiot lights will illuminate but the Information Center will NOT give any indications.

Now, you will have launch control like usual, only this time it won't attempt any control at all. It will simply rip the tires off. Donut mode, hehehehehehehehehehe. Me likey. i can see how getting used to this mode will allow you the best drag strip times if you know how to control slip yourself. The upside is in gears above 1st, it will give you all the LS3 can give where StabiliTrak will retard the thing to control slip, taking away power. The downside is that you really have to control 1st gear slip. If you simply dump the clutch you're gonna impress your friends with a cloud of blue smoke and your times will suck. You need to work both the clutch and the throttle position to get a good launch. But if you are successful, you can get all your ponies in a row.

This could be real bad at 112 MPH through the finish line. They made StabiliTrack for a reason. i am thinking that the best times and the safest drive would be entering real competitive mode, launching and controlling 1st and 2nd. When you shift to 3rd, reach down and punch the button. That takes it back to giving the computer full control which you probably want at this point.

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