What is the Racelogic Traction Control? A way of controlling excesspower (or even just "normal" power in slippery conditions, IE ice, snow),without detracting from performance, or the driving experience (in factI firmly believe that TCS adds to the driver experience). Conventionaldriving skill in a rear wheel drive car in over steer situations is tofeather the throttle (lift-press-lift-press) as the rear end goes intoover steer. Lifting off the throttle completely transfers the vehiclesweight onto the front wheels unbalancing the car, or giving too much throttledecreases grip as the wheels spin even more, either method results in atrip to the scenery (at best, at worst potentially a lost life). The TCSsystem feathers the throttle automatically, without closing the throttle(in a turbo car causing the engine to come off boost), or using the brakingsystem. It interfaces with the ABS system to "read" the wheel speeds (andcalculate the wheel slip on all 4 corners), and interfaces with the ECUharness to cut engine power by cutting fuel.

The two additional modules I purchased were the launch control and adjustableslip controls.

I would whole heartedly recommend the adjustable slip module, whichgives you the "adjustable fun dial" as I call it. Basically you can selectthe desired amount of wheel spin on the dial 0%-5%-10%-15%-20%-OFF.. at0% the rear end will not go into oversteer, 10% and you've got a bit ofoversteer going on, 20% is for serious showboating!.

Launch control allows you to do perfect launches whenever you want -it lets you build boost on the line, drop the clutch, maintain wheel spinand generate max acceleration off the line (perfect for those 60ft times!). Whilst stationary you select the wet or dry launch (dry has a hard cutlimit vs the wet soft cut limit, IE the dry will build more boost), pressthe launch control button, floor the throttle - the engine "bounces" offa secondary rev limiter controlled by the Racelogic system - in fact itsounds like a Rally Car on the start line. Once max boost is generated(around 5-7psi in Stg 3 car @ 5500rpm limiter), you let go of the clutch.The system modulates engine power to control wheel spin - gradually feedingin engine power until full power is unleashed and then it's time for 2ndgear! The launch is absolutely incredible, but a side effect is you haveto have a good clutch, otherwise this will ruin the clutch quickly.

Speed shift allows you to leave the gas pedal on the floor while makingshifts. When the clutch is pushed in, a new rev limit is imposed on theengine so the engine won't over-rev when the drivetrain is disengaged fromit. Coupled with the launch control, it can make a standard perform likean automatic for acceleration.

I won't go into the technical details of how it works (go to www.racelogic.co.uk)other than answering four of the most common questions/comments:

1. If it cuts fuel, doesn't that mean it will detonate? An emphaticNO, what it does is cut enough fuel to create a complete misfire on oneinjector pulse, cycling around all the cylinders. Enough fuel is cut outso a complete combustion won't occur, but not too much fuel so that thecylinder won't dry out.

2. I've been in production cars with Traction Control, they were moreof a detriment, how come this one is so different? The Racelogic systemis race derived, and adjusted to each application. It has an extremelyquick sample rate, and is fully adjustable in how much fuel it cuts out,which revolutions the fuel is cut, which cylinders etc etc all settingsare accessible via a PC connection. The system only cuts just enough powerto limit or eliminate wheel spin, but not so much to degrade performance.Many production systems are too slow at reacting and cause the engine todrop power dramatically when they kick in.

3. But I'm a good driver, I don't need it! No human can modulate enginepower without using the throttle, so even if you were Michael Schumacher,you still wouldn't be able to control power delivery without closing thethrottle, and doing it 10 times / sec. There is a reason why lots of racerschoose to install race spec traction control systems, as it offers theability to bury the throttle and get the maximum amount of power deliverywithout having to modulate the throttle as the rear end starts to get unstuck.

4. So, what's it like? Full throttle, 2nd gear, in a stage 3 car onsuper grippy 17" tires partway through a corner, in the wet, and not havingthe rear end go into oversteer sets the stage for how well this systemworks. I simply could not believe the night and day difference in characterof my TTZ in both wet and dry conditions. In the wet it changes the carfrom being on the thin line, to completely in control, in the dry it allowsme to get on the throttle earlier, and hold the throttle down in a corner.You get to a point where you jump on the throttle immediately after turnin, and only lift if you're understeering. It's an eerie sensation, especiallyif you're "used" to driving a rear wheel drive car, but after a while youget totally comfortable with the system. I asked Racelogic "Would I knowwhen it starts cutting power?" "You will".. and you do, the engine soundslike it's missing, but not badly. Hard to describe, but it cuts in andcreates a repeated misfire that sounds very "race-car-ish".

Strongly recommended for anyone, be it Drag Racers, Road Racers or Sundaydrivers.

Rowan Hick, Sonic-Motorsport.com

Basic tools needed:
soldering iron and solder (or crimping tool and non insulated 20-22gauge crimps)
wire cutters/stripper
10 mm socket
flathead and #2 phillips screwdrivers
electric tape/heat shrink tubing
multimeter (optional, but highly recommended)
double sided tape or velcro
utility knife
drill

IMPORTANT NOTES... READ FIRST!

This is a relatively easy installation. If you know how to use a screwdriverand can solder or crimp 2 wires together, you can install this unit. Theseinstructions are very long, but that's only because I was very detailedabout the simplest things (like how to splice, etc.). so, don't be scaredby the length. Read through the instructions in its entirety before starting.It should take 2-4 hours to finish the installation

Take your time and make sure all your electrical connections have goodcontinuity after each soldering joint by using your multimeter (set onresistance) with the probes on either side of the solder joint (i.e. oneprobe at the pin of the harness connector and the other about an inch pastthe solder joint).

Wires which are multi-colored are denoted as follows: "main color/stripe",such that "white/green" means a white wire with a green stripe.

The pin number of a specific wire is indicated in parentheses afterthe color wire. For example, white/green (8) means the white wire witha green stripe that is connected to pin number 8 of the harness connector.

Be sure to cover all exposed wires with electrical tape or heat shrinkafter soldering/crimping.

Abbreviations used: ECU = electronic control unit (the brains of thecar), ABS = anti lock braking system.

1. Use a deep 10 mm socket or wrench to disconnect the negative (-)terminal of the battery (the black cable).

2. Access the ECU which is located under the passenger floorboard byremoving the floor mat, pulling back the top part of the carpet, unscrewingthe four 10 mm bolts that hold the wooden panel, and removing the woodenpanel. For more detailed instructions and pics, see the FAQ for instructionson running an ECUdiagnostic.

3. Disconnect the ECU by unscrewing the three 10 mm bolts that holdit in place. Then, remove the harness from the ECU by unscrewing the 10mm bolt in the middle of the blue connector and pulling the connector outfrom the ECU.

4. Cut away some of the black insulation around the Racelogic unit harnesswires and locate the 6 fuel injector wires (green dots in 2.) onthe ECU harness.

5. Use the multimeter set on "resistance" to make sure it's the rightwires. Put one probe into the ECU connector and the other on the cut wire.If you have zero ohms showing (means that there is continuity), then itis the correct wire.

6. Cut the fuel injector wires and connect the Racelogic wires to eitherend. The wires may be connected in one of three ways: solder them, crimpthem, or use the included male/female pins and plastic connectors to makeyour own connectors. If opting for the third option, make sure to havethe proper crimp tool ($5-10 from Radio Shack). Making a connector is convenientif the Racelogic unit has to be taken out (that way, just snap the injectorwires back together), but it is more time consuming and easier to messup if the right crimp tool isn't used. Make sure to put a female connectorand a male connector on the injector wires and the correct ones on theRacelogic harness! Connect the following 12 wires together, These are theones going from the ECU to the Racelogic unit.

NOTE: Do NOT splice the Racelogic wires into the intact fuel injectorwire. They must be CUT. By connecting the Racelogic wires to either end,it allows the signal to go from the ECU to the Racelogic unit, and thenfrom the Racelogic unit to the injectors (3.). Thus, the Racelogicunit essentially "intercepts" the ECU signals before they go to the injectors. 

Wire from ECU (pin#) TO wire going to Racelogic unit
Inj.1 white (101) TO red
Inj.2 white/green (110) TO orange
Inj.3 white/red (103) TO gray
Inj.4 white/black (112) TO green
Inj.5 blue (105) TO yellow
Inj.6 white/blue (114) TO pink

Connect the following 12 wires together. These are the ones going fromthe Racelogic unit
to the fuel injectors.

Wire from Racelogic unit TO wire to fuel injector
Inj.1 red/black TO white
Inj.2 orange/black TO white/green
Inj.3 gray/black TO white/red
Inj.4 green/black TO white/black
Inj.5 yellow/black TO blue
Inj.6 pink/black TO white/blue

7. Splice the black/white Racelogic wire into the yellow/red tach pulse(pink dot in 2.) ECU harness wire by removing a little bit of insulationfrom the yellow/red wire to expose bare wire and solder the black/whitewire to it. 

NOTE: This is splicing into the INTACT wire NOT cutting it in two likethe injector wires.

8. Splice the red Racelogic wire into the white (red dot in 2.)ECU wire (red square in wiring diagram above). Again, do NOT cut the whitewire, just remove some insulation and connect the Racelogic wire to thebare wire.

9. Bolt the double black Racelogic harness wire with the ring terminalto a suitable ground. I found a few nuts above and to the right of theECU that I simply undid, slipped the ring terminal over, and tightenedthe nut over it. Do NOT try to attach the ground to a painted area.

10. Locate the ABS unit, it's behind the passenger seat. To access it,unscrew the two phillips screws that are on the center console (green circlesin 4.), also unscrew the two with little black covers that can beflipped up with the flathead screwdriver (green arrows in 4.). Propup the center section and remove the last screws underneath (green circlesin 5.). Pop out the two plastic grommets (green circles in 6.)on the left side of the panel and prop the panel up. I used my CLUB anti-theftdevice to prop up mine.

11. Remove the ABS harness connector and splice in sensor wires. Inorder to remove the blue connector, pull down on the metal tab on the bottomand pull the bottom of the connector out (7.). Carefully cut awaysome of the black insulation about an inch or two from the blue plasticconnector. Locate the following wires which connect to the ABS connector(again, it's best to use a multimeter to make sure it's the right wiregoing to the right pin):

Splice in the Racelogic wires as per the diagram below, do NOT cut theABS wires in two.

Racelogic Wire TO ABS wire
red TO brown (8)
blue TO blue (l for lavender in the service manual) (11) (23 on atleast 95's see note below)
yellow TO orange (24)
green TO light green (6)

NOTE: There are 2 identical brown wires in this harness, one goes topin 1, the other goes to pin 8. Make certain the brown wire tapped intois the correct one.

NOTE: the blue wire on the '95 connector is in slightly different location,see listing above. I think this change is due to the new style ABS actuatoron '94+ models.

12. Route the ABS wires back to the ECU area. The easiest place to putthe wires from the Racelogic unit is in the door sill. Simply unscrew thephillips screws (green circles in 10.) and stuff the wires beneaththe black plastic panel. Be sure to keep the wires away from sources thatmay cause interference. For example, if there's a 12,000 gigawatt stereosystem involved, do not place the Racelogic wires on top of the speakerwires. The electrical impulses traveling through the speaker wires (notline level cabling, but speaker level wires) may induce false signals inthe Racelogic wires. The Racelogic wires are shielded, so it's unlikelyto happen, but it's better safe then sorry.

13. Mount the controls. This is a matter of personal taste, but Orionand I wanted to show you where we mounted our stuff. Orion mounted thelaunch control and adjustable dial next to the clock (11.). I putmine in the ashtray for a "stealth" look (12.), so when the ashtrayis closed, the controls aren't visible.

14. To make the panel for the ashtray, I simply got a piece of Plexiglasfrom Home Depot, cut it out according to the template (13.) witha Dremel tool, spray painted the bottom (so it looks shiny from the top),and
mounted the dials/switches. For the laptop connector, I threaded itup through the glove box so that when I
need to connect my laptop, I just pop open the glove box and pull itout.

15. Connect and mount the Racelogic unit. Plug all of the white connectorsinto the Racelogic unit. There's a nice space next to the ECU where theunit can be taped/velcroed in place (14.).

16. Calibrate and adjust settings. Calibration is explained very wellby the instruction manual. I'll just add be sure to drive at a speed thatwill allow for NO wheel spin while calibrating, otherwise it'll confusethe unit. Make SURE the following are set correctly before taking it outon the road. Follow the instructions for connecting a PC to the controlunit using the built in serial cable. Use Procomm (provided with the unit),turn the key to the ACC ON position... this will turn on the traction controlunit and Procomm will show a prompt on the screen (something like "VTRAC6").MAKE SURE YOUR CAP LOCK IS ON!!!

Press E to bring up the main menu. Press W to bring up the Speed SensorConfiguration menu. Set the following in this menu. N. and M. - 00046 (theseare the # of teeth per revolution on the ABS sensors). T. and U., wheeldiameters (calculate these off of your tire size). The "driven wheels"are the rear wheels and the "reference wheels" are the front wheels. Tocalculate, use the following formula...

 (width x profile / 50) + (wheel diameter x 25.4)

This will give your tire size in millimeters. Such that for the stock245/45/16 rear tires, you will get the following...

 (245 x 45 / 50) + (16 x 25.4) = 627 mm (so enter 00627 for drivenwheel diameter)

and for the stock 225/50/16 front tires, you will get...

 (225 x 50 / 50) + (16 x 25.4) = 631 mm (so enter 00631 for referencewheel diameter)

NOTE: Do NOT measure the tire/wheel diameter with a ruler. This is VERYinaccurate and will throw off the traction control unit. If there are problemsdo the calculation, please e-mail me with the tire sizes and I'll do themfor you.

Calibration steps can be skipped if the wiring was done correctly above.Calibration just tells the unit which sensors are on which wheels. Simplyinput the following: 

 1 - OFF
 2 - ON
 3 - OFF
 4 - ON

This tells the unit that 1 and 3 are the rear wheels and 2 and 4 arethe front wheels (because OFF = driven and ON = reference).

 A - OFF
 B - ON
 C - ON
 D - OFF

This tells the unit that A and D are the right wheels and B and C arethe left wheels.

Hit esc to go back to the main menu. Under C. - configuration menu,make sure that "C", the number of cylinders is "00006".

The amount of traction control you'll want will depend on the poweroutput of your engine. The default settings are fine for about 400-450crank hp. Once higher than that, a few settings will have to be tweaked.More traction control can be dialed in by changing the slip percentagesto lower numbers. For maximum straight-line acceleration, 8-10% wheel spinis optimal. If that still isn't enough to control all of the spin, playaround with the fuel cut tables to adjust.

17. Speed shift option installation. Remove the trim panel under thesteering wheel (4 x 10 mm bolts) (red dots in 15.). It's got twotabs on it to hook it into the dash after the bolts are removed. Removethe side vent trim by pulling outwards (16.).

18. Remove the screw holding the lower vent tube to the dash on thebackside of the lower vent tube (1 x phillips) (red dot in 17.).It's hard to get to unless you lay down on the floor of the car and lookup under the dash. The two upper clutch switches are what we're tryingto get to (yellow dots in 17.)

19. Remove the screw holding the lower vent tube to the steering column(1 x phillips) (18.). Look at how the outer vent tube connects tothe lower vent tube (19.), pull/twist/whatever to extract the outervent tube and the lower vent tube from their current position (20.).Be careful, there's a sensor on top of the lower vent tube with wires comingoff it.

20. Run the purple wire from the traction control wiring harness overto the driver side of the car. This will take a few attempts. I've useda coat hanger stretched out and a bit of electrical tape for the wire toangle my way across the center console under and behind the radio. As alast ditch effort, pull the radio section out of the center console toget the wire guided across. Carefully thread the wire to the two upperclutch switches (21.). Make sure it won't interfere with replacingthe vent tubes, or the motion of any of the pedals.

21. Splice the purple wire into the outer upper clutch switch's nonblack wire (I never could make heads or tails of the wiring diagrams inthe service manual). Double-check the continuity of this connection beforesplicing into the wire. Is should go to ground when the pedal is presseddown.

22. Reassemble the underside of the dash.

23. In the main setup menu, select R. for rev limits. There's two waysof configuring this. I choose having a lower rev limiter for the speedshift. I have mine set at a hard cut of 04500rpm and a soft cut of 04250rpmso it will make for near perfect gear speed matches when shifting fromredline. The car can be driven almost like an automatic with it set likethis. The only problem is the clutch switch is *extremely* sensitive. Coveringthe pedal with a foot during a series of upshifts will probably prematurelytrigger the rev limiter, causing the car to convulse. Some practice isinvolved in making this work out neatly, but the results are very niceonce it's gotten used to. The second way is to configure the hard cut revlimiter to be about 500rpm under the real redline. This makes for moredrag racing worthy speed shifts, but is hard on the clutch, as the rpmswill have to drop back to the 4500rpm range for the next gear up. The entireconcept of the speed shift function is difficult to get used to. It's veryunnatural to leave the gas pedal all the way down while shift gears. Itdefinitely takes some time to get used to.

1.