I installed a 15% pulley on my 04 MCS, and was told to switch off the DSC. But I'm not really sure I understand the reason for this suggestion. Can someone enlighten me? Thanks. Rick.

 

whoever told you that has a self imposed limit to the IQ. The DSC is there for safety, and I have no idea why anyone would suggest turning it off because of a pulley. FWIW, the traction control will brake in when you spin the tires, and that will pull a lot of power, and that will be a pain. But one well worth living with.

The DSC system looks at wheel speed, steering angle, and yaw rate (how fast the car is spinning around it's center) to see if the car is 1) spinning, or 2) about to spin. If it isn't happy, it will pull power, or brake an individual wheel (different one depending on what's up) to maintian directional control. This is a good thing.

The only time I set mine to off is on the track, and a dry one that I know at that!

Matt

 

I agree with this statment in a previous post: "I have no idea why anyone would suggest turning it off because of a pulley." I keep DSC off ALL the time!

 

With or without a 15% pulley, the MINI's DSC seems more heavy-handed than it needs to be. I have had it cut power to practically zero as I try to accelerate from a stop sign to turn onto a busy street -- not at all a "safe" feeling.

While I understand the desire to eliminate skids, especially in slick road conditions where control is more likely to be "lost", is it necessary to take the car to zero power instantly? Sometimes driving with the DSC "on" is like not really driving at all -- as though Big Brother has taken away control of my car TRYING to protect me from myself; and I really don't like that feeling of not being in control of the car, or a machine taking control from me.

I don't advocate turning DSC "off" at all times -- with or without a pulley -- but there are many times when I actually feel safer with it off, such as when the road is dry and I am trying to accelerate into traffic -- especially taking off into a turn onto a busy thoroughfare.

On the "up" side, I think it helps reduce tire wear some and improves fuel economy when it is "on". I'd just think it should be more selective in its applying controls and more subtle when it does.

 

Do you think this is what causes the infamous 4000-5000 flat spot? The engine is getting into the sweet spot early and the tires are starting to slip. DSC.ASC senses this and takes action?

 

the flat spot doesn't need full throttle to show up.

FWIW, you CAN get the DSC intervention modified via ECU tunes. Even if you don't get more power, it will eliminate the "OMFG!" reaction when you try to pull into a tight spot in traffic, and the car takes the power away.

Matt

 

Can you tell me more about this? Which tuners do this specifically, what to tell them to get it done "right", etc.? This is a big issue for me. I nearly got T-boned twice in left-turns-into-traffic situations where I would have had PLENTY of room (and even enough room to be "courteous") until the DSC stranded me in the middle of the road for the longest second I can remember... now I remember to turn it off ONLY in this situation... then back on...

 

but as for the others, I'm not sure. Ask around to see if GIAC or the other ECU hackers have got this one figured out.

FWIW, the base MTH is worth it's cost just for this feature!

Don (DMH here) can help you out with MTH. Don't know about the other options though....

Matt

 

What you are referring to is Traction Control, not DSC. Yes, they are controlled via the same switch, but that's it. I would hate to hear of a person that skipped on a well designed safety feature only to find out they still have the same issue with the standard Traction Control.

DSC should also never be disabled unless you are on a track. Some say it's OK to do that on dry roads, but unless you have the worlds stickiest tires and perfect roads with no rocks/gravel/oil, you can still loose control. DSC saved my butt once when I hit a patch of black ice and started skidding towards an oncoming car. DSC kicked in with a grinding sound (it was applying brakes to specific wheels) and my MINI immediately corrected itself and I veered away from the oncoming car with just a few feet to spare.

 

I'm pleased to hear of possible improvement in this area. I have not yet had an ECU tune performed, as I have been putting it off (for 2 years now!!) until I got all the pre-warranty-expiration engine hardware issues completed. I will soon have a ceramic coated OBX header to install and then I was considering a head from FBT, so I'll ask FBT about whether their tune addresses this.

One way or another I WILL get a tune before another month is over. When I do, it WILL include some DSC-aid.

Thanks.

 

I have always left my DSC on except while on a dry track. I also find that the DSC in my '06 MCS with factory LSD is much less intrusive than on my '02 MCS without LSD.

If you do not already have an LSD then I would highly recommend getting one as your next mod. It will be money well spent. The LSD will allow you to get much more power to the ground, especially when trying to accelerate into traffic while turning.

Power without control is nothing! Even with a stock engine the MCS is a traction challanged car. Much more power than it can get to the ground under all conditions.

The Quaiffe LSD is an excellant unit. All gear, no clutches to wear out.

JOHO

 

I'm going to go against the grain here. I prefer to drive with DSC off (light on). I have it set to full time off via the Ian Cull Auto Up circuit. Having autocross and track time under my belt, unless I'm driving in unfamiliar roads, I prefer to have DSC off as it give me more predictable control over my car in city streets.

I should put a disclaimer here that much of my driving is in the city, and it's not uncommon for me to have to accelerate quickly out of a driveway onto a street such that there might be water on the street during the transition, or the angle of the driveway might cause some wheel spin thus activating DSC and putting me in harms way on a busy street.

Richard

 

I expect that the LSD would make a tremendous difference. Based on comparison of those available today for the MINI, the Quaife design looks and sounds like far and away the best, and probably worth the $1200 plus install. However, after considerable investigation, I've decided not to get it until such time as my warranty goes bye-bye and some critical part of the drive train collapses (e.g., clutch). Of course the timing might be an issue there -- might not turn out to be ideal. Anyway, I expect that it will be a while before I get a Quaife. Maybe by that time they will have come down a bit in price, too? If not, I will probably get one when the time seems right anyway.

Maybe I should start saving now for that time so I can just pay cash?

Maybe a lightened FW and maybe Spec2 clutch at the same time? How about lower final drive from Helix?

Aiieeee!! Stop me before I do something crazy!! Stop the insanity!!

 

That is very, very bad advice. You shouldn't generalize like that, based on your own specific situation. I have to turn DSC off every day to make a left turn during my commute. I have to make a quick left turn onto a road with traffic coming from my left around a blind corner, and many of them speed very fast. I have had several very close calls when I have forgotten to turn DSC off, nearly getting T-boned when the DSC decides that it would be safer if I just stop in the middle of my turn. There is no doubt in my mind that I would get hit if I didn't turn it off regularly for this turn. And I don't burn the tires, either.

 

I've got LSD and I can tell you that the next time you power hard into a chicane and fully utilize LSD, you'll be amazed at how hard you can do it and still maintain full control. Having driven without LSD for 3 years, it's really a significant improvement in control.

 

This is EXACTLY my situation as well.

Alas, with the automatic, I don't think I have this option...

 

DSC ??? what's that?

 

Aw, come on Tuls, as was stated earlier, it's virtually impossible to drive a stock MCS without DSC - so obviously you must have it to drive that godzillion ft-lb beasty you have...

 

What that is.... an Electro Nanny who thinks she should drive for you. She sucks.

 

lucky for me the DSC never worked right in my car.... the tire light sensor was always on from like day 5.... I dunno why.... they replaced it twice... and I just gave up... I know when I have a flat... so... the DSC is always off.... LUCKY ME!

 

I got to agree that the dsc is evil!!! Every time i forget to cut that thing off it tries to kill me... or my power. Every turn, every single time i pull out of taco bell or anywhere for that matter that dsc comes in for no reason. The only benefit i see in using the dsc is to save tires, as i've already gone through my runflats and two of my new coopers (i have an 06 S), so i'm TRYING to drive with it on. Plain n' simple: DSC has scared the living ba-jesus out of me more than i can count and i dont think its ever saved me. I KNOW what the car will do with it off, i have NO idea what's going to happen when i have it on!!! OH yeah don't use the e-brake in a turn with the dsc on either, it can get pretty hairy.

 

Please don't mix traction control and DSC up. I was referring to DSC (granted they are both controlled by the same switch). DSC is an amazing safety device that works so well it's being mandated on all cars in the US in a few years.

It's very obvious that you are having issues with the way BMW set the sensitivity of TRACTION CONTROL (again, not DSC). I've been in the same situation as you where I've had it kick in at really bad times. I've since learned to use better throttle control to reduce this. By waiting until I've straightened out the steering wheel before flooring the gas, has virtually eliminated it. You have to override your instinct to give it lots of gas when you first start moving.

Granted you shouldn't have to do that. My last car had traction control and it never went off unless I actually lost traction (imagine that, traction control giving you traction when needed). If you must disable traction control and DSC, at least only do it temporarily. You never know when DSC will save your ***. In the case I gave above, it was 40 degrees so I wasn't expecting ice on the road. Even in dry conditions, you'll never know when you'll hit a patch of oil or gravel, or have to do an emergency maneuver that would otherwise spin you out of control.

 

... it is "DSC" or "Traction Control" or "XYZ", I don't really care; nor do I care if I am "confusing" DSC with something else. The fact is that the OEM big brother system is too heavy handed.

If an ECU mod that I have planned in my future manages to smooth it out or improve it to the point where it is not intrusive in non-problematic situations (100% of the time so far in my own case. I am pleased for you that DSC or whatever it was "saved" you once. Neither DSC nor Traction Control have "saved me" from anything, but one or the other has frequently created some hairy and scary situations) then maybe I will leave it on more of the time. If not, then I will still turn whatever "it" is "off" to turn left from a standing start across a busy intersection. Period.

Maybe if I were the designer of, or an engineer on the project for, DSC; and people kept blaming my "baby" for things it wasn't doing, then I might whine and complain in the face of such confusion. Otherwise, FWIW, I say to all parties to use DSC -- or NOT -- as they choose in whatever conditions they feel comfortable. DSC IS, AFTER ALL, AN OPTION!!!!!

 

So, in cars with no DSC, they have the same complete drop in power and a flashing yellow symbol when it happens?

There is no amount of throttle control that will allow me to accelerate on the left turn I make every day with DSC on, and it is impossible to "straighten out the steering wheel" until the turn is completed. I don't just spin the wheel and mash my foot to the floor, as your post implies. Frankly I don't like your condescending tone regarding my driving, either. I will state this one last time for you: it is unsafe to have the DSC on when making the turn I make every day because it is impossible to accelerate fast enough to avoid getting hit without the DSC cutting power. Further, I find it impossible to believe that the power would cut like that on a Mini that doesn't have DSC. If my car didn't have DSC, and the power cut like that, I would demand a refund.

 

hey hey no need to fight.. not everyone can handle the super power that the MINI possesssssses es.... LOL...