Traction control in the early '90s?

[timbo]

How did it work? After reintroduction of "legal" TC in 2001, there was a very specific "fuzzy" sound which was very noticeable. I believe it was such because TC worked by cutting ignition to cylinders.
Now on the onboard of the cars which had TC in the early '90s, I don't notice this sound. Why? Did TC work by actually controlling the throttles? If so, why it changed in the '00s?

To illustrate compare this:
Mansell@Spa 1992


Raikkonen@Spa 2007

[Zynerji]

I may be wrong, but I believe that in the earlier example, the Traction Control simply cut spark to some cylinders, while the later example actually changed the timing of the spark.

So, no noise in the first one because of no spark. Awful noise in the second one because they are advancing the spark so much that it actually triggers at BDC of the intake stroke, in order to make the engine slow down from the opposing force.

That is what I always thought was happening from the sounds, but I am definitely open for a better explanation.

[wesley123]

I thought the modern TC was done via the gearbox/diff? Not sure though.

[FW17]

http://www.somersf1.co.uk/2015/11/how-r ... n.html?m=1

[Tommy Cookers]

Snetterton 1990 or 91 I was right next to a midfield F1 team apparently testing their TC/start setup (a new thing to them)
the engines made a shocking noise which seemed to be cylinders cut at several Hz
Jordan ? Tyrrell ?

pre drive-by-wire how else could they have been doing it ?

[timbo]

I may be wrong, but I believe that in the earlier example, the Traction Control simply cut spark to some cylinders, while the later example actually changed the timing of the spark.

So, no noise in the first one because of no spark. Awful noise in the second one because they are advancing the spark so much that it actually triggers at BDC of the intake stroke, in order to make the engine slow down from the opposing force.

That is what I always thought was happening from the sounds, but I am definitely open for a better explanation.

Interesting, but wouldn't cutting cylinders also be heard as a kind of rumble?

Here's another clip of that era:

This is Prost in Silverstone.
In the first half of a lap there are only fast corners of course, but even out of Club, Priory or Luffield I don't hear anything in the engine tone.

[Craigy]

I may be wrong, but I believe that in the earlier example, the Traction Control simply cut spark to some cylinders, while the later example actually changed the timing of the spark.

So, no noise in the first one because of no spark. Awful noise in the second one because they are advancing the spark so much that it actually triggers at BDC of the intake stroke, in order to make the engine slow down from the opposing force.

That is what I always thought was happening from the sounds, but I am definitely open for a better explanation.

Interesting, but wouldn't cutting cylinders also be heard as a kind of rumble?

Here's another clip of that era:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4qGYaFw0y4
This is Prost in Silverstone.
In the first half of a lap there are only fast corners of course, but even out of Club, Priory or Luffield I don't hear anything in the engine tone.

It didn't take FOM very long to have that video taken down for copyright...

[timbo]

It didn't take FOM very long to have that video taken down for copyright...

It's actually from official youtube channel. Apparently, you cannot embed it to the other sites.
You can watch it by this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4qGYaFw0y4

[ian_s]

as there is no obvious spark cutting, and it's not drive by wire, it either retards the timing to reduce power, or it uses the brakes to control wheel spin while the engine is at full power. Electronic Brake Distribution is used on various production cars.

[Nonserviam85]

as there is no obvious spark cutting, and it's not drive by wire, it either retards the timing to reduce power, or it uses the brakes to control wheel spin while the engine is at full power. Electronic Brake Distribution is used on various production cars.

But of course it was drive-by-wire...

[johnny comelately]

It might be worth mentioning one of the motogp methods of shutting, say, two butterflies. This gives a smoother response when getting back on the power.
there is also the soft cut that has a different sound rather than full ignition cut.
then there was the mooted system which coordinated the bump and rebound with ignition cut.
also, fuel cut is important now with fuel limits, but the drying of the ports and chamber can cause a strange effect when back on the power.