Track settings

[gwalsh]

I'll be instructing at a 3 day BMWCCA school at NJMP next weekend.
My car for the weekend is an "09 E90 M3 DTC w/ tech package. All stock exept for 285/30-18 Toyo R888s.
What are some recomended settings?

[Wasteland]

do most people have DSC off when tracking?

[radiantm3]

Originally Posted by Wasteland

do most people have DSC off when tracking?

I do, but definitely need power on the normal setting.

[grussell]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

I do, but definitely need power on the normal setting.

Does "Power" actually increase HP or just throttle response?

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by minigearhead

Balls out...dsc off power on!!
Dunno about dct settings

DSC Off if you're comfortable with the car or cautious enough not to get overeager and drive above your abilities. Otherwise start with MDM or even DSC On if you're really worried; just be aware when it's intervening to make sure you're not developing bad habits that are only possible because the car is saving you. As you get better, you'll find that it intervenes for safety on inputs where you would've been fine without it as opposed to intervening to correct mistakes on your part; your instructor would be able to help you determine whether that's the case if you can't tell.

As for Power, I do NOT recommend Sport. Normal is the way to go. Sport is twitchier, whereas Normal is linear. Since the key to being fast on the track is being smooth, the more linear and precise your throttle, the better. I started with Sport initially but I found I was much faster (and far more confident) when running in Normal. Sport does not entail any power boost, it's purely throttle response. I now drive in Sport on the road because it makes the car feel faster (I know, I know) but use Normal for spirited back road driving and on the track. If you're worried that this might cause extra work/confusion from having to train your foot to adapt between the two modes, don't. You're adapting your entire driving style on the track anyway so it's really not any extra work at all.

As for EDC, on a non-ZCP car Normal is popular because it's an adaptive setup, whereas Sport is a fixed firmness -- but the kicker is that the firmest end of Normal's range is actually FIRMER than Sport. There was an interview with an M engineer where he recommended that you use Normal for tracks with elevation changes and other things that require suspension travel and use Sport only if you're on a flat track.

Steering is a personal preference, of course. I prefer Sport on track because I find the added heft helps me be smooth. Normal is great for city driving because it's light, but it's too light for spirited driving IMHO.

[schnell325]

Originally Posted by grussell

Does "Power" actually increase HP or just throttle response?

Only throttle response. No increase in HP like the previous gen M5 & M6.

[mdosu]

Originally Posted by grussell

Does "Power" actually increase HP or just throttle response?

just throttle. It's more beneficial for 6MT owners as it allows quicker rev-match down shifts when you blip the throttle. I practice this all the time with power button on (Sport). Sport + is a bit too much sensitivity for me though for daily use, the car tends to jerk around when you modulate the gas pedal around town, so I turn it all off for daily use.

For DCT owners, I guess it's just your preference...

[Crimson92]

im running

s5
mdm
power-normal
servotronic-sport
edc-sport

will start trying dsc off at next event.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by Crimson92

im running

s5
mdm
power-normal
servotronic-sport
edc-sport

will start trying dsc off at next event.

i was doing S5 for a while, but I think the upshifts are "too" fast. I love the downshift, but I feel the up-shift is smoother in S4, for me at least.

Otherwise I'm the same.

DD i used Power on (sport), but track I tend to turn it off. It's too damn sensitive

[von_zoom]

A 3 day school should afford you ample time to determine how the car will handle and what you should have on and/or off. Assume since you are an instructor, you already have good driving skills, so any transition between settings should not cause surprise or difficulty. One thing, you say stock everything except for tires, then be aware of brake issues. Stock pads on that heavy car when driven with sprit do not necessarily agree with the event. Have fun, and I wish you sucess with your student(s).
vz

[Small Yellow]

Off topic: When you guys drive around town with power on (I have 6mt) if I am in 3rd gear for instance and i am lightly accelerating, I give it a little bit of gas when rpm is around 3k and it launches forward like I floored it and when I give it more gas it doesnt feel like it is pulling faster... like if I push down the pedal more it doesnt seem to be giving it more gas. I use normal power for tracking.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by HuangYiChao

Off topic: When you guys drive around town with power on (I have 6mt) if I am in 3rd gear for instance and i am lightly accelerating, I give it a little bit of gas when rpm is around 3k and it launches forward like I floored it and when I give it more gas it doesnt feel like it is pulling faster... like if I push down the pedal more it doesnt seem to be giving it more gas. I use normal power for tracking.

It's because in power mode the mapping is something like 50% throttle = 80% actual throttle vs normal where 50% = 50% actual. So you increase throttle response for a decrease in throttle resolution. I'd say over 75% throttle is probably all 100% actual throttle all the time and doesn't make any difference at all.

Can some tuner/shops chime in with actual throttle maps?

[CanAutM3]

My track settings:

EDC: Normal or Sport depending on the track
DSC: off
Throttle (sport): Sport
DCT: S6
Servotronic: Sport

If find DSC way too intrusive at the track even in MDM mode. Note that it will make soft interventions without flashing the light in the cluster. I find that it cuts back on power too much and makes the car less amenable to minute throttle steering adjustments. The fact that I am running a square setup makes DSC intervene even more.

As for throttle sensivity, I find the normal setting less natural. Contrary to what others are saying, I feel the normal setting is actually dampened and less linear. In the good old days when I was driving track cars with an actual cable between the pedal to the throttle, you had that same feeling where the last part of the travel had little impact in the lower RPM range. This is because in lower RPMs the engine does not need as much air, so as of a given point a bigger throttle opening will not yield more power. However, in the higher RPM range the throttle becomes more precise. I agree that Sport+ is pretty much useless though.

I am a bit torn regarding EDC. I find the car has better overall composure in the normal setting. However I find the car more predictable and more responsive in the Sport setting. I pick the setting based on track smoothness. Note that my car is non-ZCP. I would be very curious to try a ZCP car in sport EDC mode since sport is dynamic on ZCP cars.

As for DCT, I find S6 provides the crispest downshifts and responds faster to paddle inputs. It is quit harsh when you shift in lower RPM in 1st and 2nd gears, but is smooth enough when you shift at redline in the higher gears.

My 2 cents.

Have fun and enjoy the car

[Porschefile]

I run:

EDC: Sport (when I had it, now I have coilovers)
DSC: Off
Throttle: Sport (Not sport plus!)
DCT: S4 (Still shifts really fast, and is easier on the trans, at least in theory)
Servotronic: Sport

[MysticBlue]

Originally Posted by jphughan

DSC Off if you're comfortable with the car or cautious enough not to get overeager and drive above your abilities. Otherwise start with MDM or even DSC On if you're really worried; just be aware when it's intervening to make sure you're not developing bad habits that are only possible because the car is saving you. As you get better, you'll find that it intervenes for safety on inputs where you would've been fine without it as opposed to intervening to correct mistakes on your part; your instructor would be able to help you determine whether that's the case if you can't tell.

As for Power, I do NOT recommend Sport. Normal is the way to go. Sport is twitchier, whereas Normal is linear. Since the key to being fast on the track is being smooth, the more linear and precise your throttle, the better. I started with Sport initially but I found I was much faster (and far more confident) when running in Normal. Sport does not entail any power boost, it's purely throttle response. I now drive in Sport on the road because it makes the car feel faster (I know, I know) but use Normal for spirited back road driving and on the track. If you're worried that this might cause extra work/confusion from having to train your foot to adapt between the two modes, don't. You're adapting your entire driving style on the track anyway so it's really not any extra work at all.

As for EDC, on a non-ZCP car Normal is popular because it's an adaptive setup, whereas Sport is a fixed firmness -- but the kicker is that the firmest end of Normal's range is actually FIRMER than Sport. There was an interview with an M engineer where he recommended that you use Normal for tracks with elevation changes and other things that require suspension travel and use Sport only if you're on a flat track.

Steering is a personal preference, of course. I prefer Sport on track because I find the added heft helps me be smooth. Normal is great for city driving because it's light, but it's too light for spirited driving IMHO.

Agree with everything. And S3 or S4 for the DCT setting. S5 won't gain you anything in performance even though it seems like it would because it slams shifts harder but harder shifts just upset the car if you're not straight. It feels cool for straight line acceleration, but it's been said that S4 is best.
And every instructor who preaches "smooth" and that's most of them, will tell you to go with the normal on the power setting. That button should not be called the "power button", it should be called the "throttle sensitivity button" 'cause that's all it is. It has nothing to do with power.

[gwalsh]

Thanks for the responses, I'll reply after the event with my findings.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

S5 won't gain you anything in performance even though it seems like it would because it slams shifts harder but harder shifts just upset the car if you're not straight. It feels cool for straight line acceleration, but it's been said that S4 is best.

This is actually not entirely true. I have experimented with the various drivelogic settings quite a bit. The DCT management system has been very smartly programmed. If you shift while the car is under lateral load, it will do a very smooth shift, even in S6. It will "power shift" only if you are going straight. In the short video attached, you'll see me shifting twice mid corner using S6, and as you can attest the chassis does not budge... The ability to seamlessly shift mid corner is one the big benefits I see in DCT .

[karussell]

couldn't tell very well but seemed like you short shifted up in that right hand turn.

edc settings depend on the track surface. smooth, go firmest. rough, middle setting. comfort allows too much roll for my taste.
running R888's will stress brakes out even more on such a heavy car. fresh brake fluid and some more aggressive pads than the oem ones would help for repeated laps, especially while taking students. brakes are still weak point.

[canadian stig]

does anyone have proof that the stiffest mode for edc on normal is stiffer than sport? I thought sport was the stiffest setting?!?!?!?!

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by karussell

couldn't tell very well but seemed like you short shifted up in that right hand turn.

You are right, you can only see one of the yellow shift lights before I shift .

I shift by ear/feel. So I do sometime shift sligthly before redline . It does not change the point I am making though...

I just grabbed the first example I found without paying attention to where I shifted . Here's another lap where I push a little harder and shift closer to redline (got a rabbit to catch ). Car is still very stable !

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

This is actually not entirely true. I have experimented with the various drivelogic settings quite a bit. The DCT management system has been very smartly programmed. If you shift while the car is under lateral load, it will do a very smooth shift, even in S6. It will "power shift" only if you are going straight. In the short video attached, you'll see me shifting twice mid corner using S6, and as you can attest the chassis does not budge... The ability to seamlessly shift mid corner is one the big benefits I see in DCT .

This is good to know. Very smart in BMW's part.

[OC3]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

This is actually not entirely true. I have experimented with the various drivelogic settings quite a bit. The DCT management system has been very smartly programmed. If you shift while the car is under lateral load, it will do a very smooth shift, even in S6. It will "power shift" only if you are going straight. In the short video attached, you'll see me shifting twice mid corner using S6, and as you can attest the chassis does not budge... The ability to seamlessly shift mid corner is one the big benefits I see in DCT .

Going off on a tangent, the pickup on the engine sound is nice & loud!