Tarzan's G-Sensor

[Nee-san]

http://www.full-race.com/store/r14-awd-skyline/ets-pro-center-diff-torque-split-controller-for-r32-r33-r34-skyline-gt-r-1.html

Geoff sent me an email about this shortly before it was released after I quizzed him about it ages ago from a thread on GTROC.

Looks very interesting and considering that I am going to get my transfer case rebuilt along with my gearbox before the end of the year probably not a bad thing to try out.

What do you guys think ?

[rehab2010]

I think a controller for a couple of hundred bucks is the way to go for most street users, unless you have too much money to spend. Once you talk about maximum performance for track etc it is a different story - I would (and did) do both a rebuild and a controller.

You can get controllers on ebay from $90 so it is a cheap bet: http://www.ebay.com....=item19d1f5a7df

Duncan - thanks a lot for letting us know about this ebay controller - I ended up buying it and just got it installed - the only thing I can say is that it's worth its weight in unobtanium.

The change that it made to the car is unbelievable. Tried it out and with the "std" setting, back would just be sliding when ever throttle was applied, with setting at 10 the front would have a stupid amount of torque transferred to it - I found setting around 6-8 worked really great. Nicely balanced front to rear.

Its the first time I can really get on the gas mid corner without looking at the scenery out the side windows.

[Duncan]

The different results between Bel and Jimmy are interesting - goes to show the health of your attessa system overall is probably the most important factor.

There is just too much that might be working properly/not quite working properly/dead after all these years for any sort of general comments about controllers. You really need to just try one and see what you get.

Those ebay ones are pretty much just a $5 variable resistor in a black box, but a controller will make a big difference in a healthy system, even a basic one like that.

If you want something excellent, try Paul Ruzic's (Mountainrunner) 4wd controller

[JimmyRickard]

The different results between Bel and Jimmy are interesting - goes to show the health of your attessa system overall is probably the most important factor.

Is there a way to test the 'health' of my Attessa system? And if it is clapped out do you just change the attessa module?

[Nee-san]

The different results between Bel and Jimmy are interesting - goes to show the health of your attessa system overall is probably the most important factor.

There is just too much that might be working properly/not quite working properly/dead after all these years for any sort of general comments about controllers. You really need to just try one and see what you get.

Those ebay ones are pretty much just a $5 variable resistor in a black box, but a controller will make a big difference in a healthy system, even a basic one like that.

If you want something excellent, try Paul Ruzic's (Mountainrunner) 4wd controller

What do you think about that FULL RACE one I posted up above duncan ? I did a bit of reading and looks like it might be a good piece of kit.

[sydking]

Is there a way to test the 'health' of my Attessa system? And if it is clapped out do you just change the attessa module?

This is something that i would also like to look into, Ive had problems iwth my AWD sicne i got the car, New engine and new loom should hopefully see this fixed,

Now im sure ive seen guages that show how much is being thrown to the front wheels, That should be a decent indicator of what happening then the SLIP light comming on.

[rehab2010]

This is something that i would also like to look into, Ive had problems iwth my AWD sicne i got the car, New engine and new loom should hopefully see this fixed,

Now im sure ive seen guages that show how much is being thrown to the front wheels, That should be a decent indicator of what happening then the SLIP light comming on.

Just because the gauge is showing apparent front torque transfer it does not necessarily mean front is getting any torque - torque gauge is driven by the electric signals from the ATESSA ECU and if your clutches in the transfer case are worn out then regardless of the ATESSA telling the Transfer case to put power to the front it may not necessarily do anything. Thats my basic understanding of how the system works.

[Duncan]

exactly...it is one thing for attessa to intend to send power to the front (as shown by the gauge and warning/error lights), but another for how much it is working.

I'm pretty sure a 4wd dyno can confirm the torque split between front and rear wheels. A basic test is to have the car on a hoist or stands and run the car in gear. front and rear wheels should turn together.

the main parts of the system are sensors and electrical (this should all be covered by warning lights), the accumulator and pump (you would need a pressure gauge on the attessa line to check) and the actual transfer case including clutches etc. What needs servicing or replacing depends on what is working of course.

[sydking]

i still havent been able to find someone who knows the ins and outs of the GTR ATTESSA to have a good look over it all, Hooking up a consult and reading ECU flash codes dosent seems to be doing much.

Il see how it goes with the new loom and Rb26 conversion, never noticed traction issues with the NA tooo much. This will be a good test with a bit of pwer to throw around

[Full-Race Geoff]

http://www.full-race.com/store/r14-awd-skyline/ets-pro-center-diff-torque-split-controller-for-r32-r33-r34-skyline-gt-r-1.html

Geoff sent me an email about this shortly before it was released after I quizzed him about it ages ago from a thread on GTROC.

Looks very interesting and considering that I am going to get my transfer case rebuilt along with my gearbox before the end of the year probably not a bad thing to try out.

What do you guys think ?

just wanted to share my input - the feedback we've been receiving from people using our ETS-Pro system, they seem to prefer this over other systems used in the past, and they have indicated there isnt much advantage to a built the xfer case over a healthy stocker (unless it is excessively worn). Ive recently pulled apart 4 xfer cases of my own collection (all used R32 and R33 boxes) none had enough wear to require a full rebuild. On a high power race car it might make sense to add the extra plates in for additional lockup, but for everything else it does not seem necessary, as long as the xfer case solenoid is being controlled in this manner

Edited July 11, 2012 by Full-Race Geoff

[JDM33]

i recently purchased the tarzan g box off jesse streeter, will be here early april hopefully. Il try write up some feedback after instalation

[J - Rad]

How much it cost you JDM33?

[levinboy]

i recently purchased the tarzan g box off jesse streeter, will be here early april hopefully. Il try write up some feedback after instalation

April.....that's a bit of a wait

[Scooby]

So is it fair to say the only advantage of the Tarzan controllers over others such as the ebay and Ruzic controllers is the speed at which the ATTESSA actuates? No other bonuses?

[sydking]

So is it fair to say the only advantage of the Tarzan controllers over others such as the ebay and Ruzic controllers is the speed at which the ATTESSA actuates? No other bonuses?

Not to sure about that, I would think not. Only becasue there are ATTESSA ets and ets PRO which is equipt in the V spec GTRs.

the std versions will send signals 10 times a second were as the PRO version send about 100 times a second.( not exact numbers but you get the idea)

Not to sure how these controllers work, But unless it replaces the whole ECU then signals will be getting sent at the same rate would they not?

Though if they do change signal speed then it would be a great upgrade for std gtr and GTS4 that have basic attessa.

Edited July 17, 2012 by sydking

[R31Nismoid]

Yeah I think it's 10 for 32 GTR, 100 for R33 GTR and 1000 for the PRO (can't remember exactly but something like that anyway as you've said).

It sounds like it is simply a faster acting/reacting G-sensor, so a faster sensor means the signal is produced sooner.

Rather than the actual polling rate of the sensor itself, which are two different things

[Moodles2]

From memory R32 is like 4 times a second, but I'm not 100% sure.

[Nee-san]

Yep 4HZ

[Pezhead]

I've been working a bit with digital sensors lately and even if the electronics are polling at say 100hz the sensor will have circuitry to "dampen" the reading. There would also be a theortical limit to the speed at which the sensor can operate vs the electronics managing the signals. I've seen systems that operate at say 1000 hz but the signal only changes at 5 hz due to the capture rate.

So long explanation to say that a newer G Sensor can probably send better signals to the Attessa system - but as indicated here, it is hard to figure how much difference it would make. Also since this unit is targeted at performance, they probably boost the signal to fool the computer into thinking you are driving harder - so get more aggressive with teh Attessa.

On the note of testing the Attessa - found that my burnt out clutch packs could free spin the front wheels but couldn't handle any load. I found this by jacking up the rear only with a trolly jack and using the front wheels to pull the car forward. Obviously for safety reasons not far or fast. Without putting it on a 4WD dyno, it's pretty hard to put actual load on the system.

[Full-Race Geoff]

On the note of testing the Attessa - found that my burnt out clutch packs could free spin the front wheels but couldn't handle any load. I found this by jacking up the rear only with a trolly jack and using the front wheels to pull the car forward. Obviously for safety reasons not far or fast. Without putting it on a 4WD dyno, it's pretty hard to put actual load on the system.

actually there is a much better way to test the clutchpacks - if you just disconnect the solenoid and give a constant 12V at the solenoid, that gives max pressure to the clutchpack, for 100% lockup and 50:50 torque split.

Try this in a dry parking lot:

0V (in 2wd) it should drive fine

12V (locked in 4wd). Feeling the car binding/hopping with 12V applied means your clutchpack and all components are healthy..

this test feature is a great option on the ETS-Pro in the "manual" setting

Edited July 18, 2012 by Full-Race Geoff