AWD Carrera 4 S
Author
Discussion

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

193 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
A mate at work has an AWD Carrera 4 S and has heard that if you lift the handbrake up one click it disengages the drive to the front wheels. Is this nonsense?

Thanks

Pope

2,653 posts

277 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
Yes, total tosh.......

Tydeides

278 posts

227 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
Lol why would he think that?

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

193 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
Tydeides said:
Lol why would he think that?
No idea.

Thanks

dterry

282 posts

306 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
He may have heard it about the Haldex equipped (Golf R32 / Audi TT etc) 4wd cars available on the market where this disables the haldex rear diff and leaves the car FWD only.


6C4GTS

5,186 posts

208 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
dterry said:
He may have heard it about the Haldex equipped (Golf R32 / Audi TT etc) 4wd cars available on the market where this disables the haldex rear diff and leaves the car FWD only.
Does this work with the engine in the back?? confused

markiii

4,299 posts

224 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
Heard the same rumour on several Porsche forums

Supposedly only the gen 2 997 as the awd is different

VonSenger

2,465 posts

219 months

Friday 16th September 2011
quotequote all
Viscous coupling, impossible. Unless theres a similar setup too magnet ride?

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

193 months

Saturday 17th September 2011
quotequote all
markiii said:
Heard the same rumour on several Porsche forums

Supposedly only the gen 2 997 as the awd is different
So it could be true, or do we think its internet bks wink

Magic919

14,519 posts

231 months

Saturday 17th September 2011
quotequote all
See Pope's reply. He would know.

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

193 months

Saturday 17th September 2011
quotequote all
markiii said:
Heard the same rumour on several Porsche forums

Supposedly only the gen 2 997 as the awd is different
He has this car... So what do we think? true or false?????

cpufreak

478 posts

238 months

Sunday 18th September 2011
quotequote all
only works with PDK apparently..

see this 2mins in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYFk_WoxLzA&fea...

BertBert

21,273 posts

241 months

Sunday 18th September 2011
quotequote all
So who do we believe? Some unknown septic who had a drink or two "with some Porsche guys" and starts his review by talking about the ipod interface or someone who works for Porsche? biggrin
Bert

Pope

2,653 posts

277 months

Sunday 18th September 2011
quotequote all
I have to admit to jumping in with both feet here; assuming the OP was talking about the C4 systems fitted to 996 and gen1 997's - a pure mechanical system with no electronic intervention aside from the passive effects of brake modulation via PSM......

Well, always one to offer my head above the parapet; I looked into the Service Intro's from Porsche. The PTM system is adopted from the MY07 997 turbo (carried over unchanged); I checked the wiring diagrams for the Gen2 997C4 and there is no physical connection between the handbrake switch and the PTM ecu - though there is a digital CAN bus link for relevant system information. The instrument cluster has a handbrake switch input (for display) and this 'could' be put on the CAN bus via the cluster for consideration by other units.

The PTM system (the electromechanical clutch system linking the front axle and transmission) definition:

Porsche Traction Management is made up of the following systems:
  1. Full-time all-wheel drive with electronically controlled centre-differential lock for torque distribution between the front and rear axles
  2. Automatic Brake Differential (ABD) for traction improvement
  3. Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) for slip control during acceleration and improved driving stability
The ability to switch off the PTM system is not mentioned in any reference available to me: Service Information Technic, Technical Information, or Workshop Manual and at driver level the Owners Manual doesn't mention any correlation between handbrake and PTM systems or control thereof. If the system can be over-ridden in the way mentioned it is interesting (I will check the plausibility when I next have a C4 in) but equally it raises the question 'why bother?'

PTM assists in finding total traction, for the fastest getaway from a standstill. In association with Sport Plus and Launch Control on the PDK the systems conspire to fire the car down the road in a way not far removed from being strapped to an exocet missile. The system is only active when 'slip' is detected between the front and rear wheels, depending on but not limited to steering input/accelerator position; in normal driving it is not 'active'. Unless the driver wants to do burnouts or play the silly fecker what purpose would disabling the front axle serve? The weight of the components, the drag from their connection and the 'dynamic feel' of such will still be evident. I presume there is a sense that the lack of drive to the front axle would give a different driving experience, there will be the "it's a purer drive" comment coming up I'm sure. In that case buy a C2 - you wont have to drive everywhere with the instrument cluster beeping and flashing at you.

I am intrigued from a geeky, want to know perspective but not sure if it would benefit the car if it is correct?!

Apologies for the long post smile

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

193 months

Sunday 18th September 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the detailed response. Let's hope you get a C4S in soon!

Magic919

14,519 posts

231 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
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Bringing this back to life now I have a vested interest.

May also be worth mentioning that one of the guys at Silverstone demonstrated this feature in a 4 GTS during a driving experience day. That was a manual car, fwiw. Wife said it felt completely different on the ice hill.

If we get a bit of snow I might be able to test it.


AndrewIC

644 posts

198 months

Wednesday 13th March 2013
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One of the instructors at PEC Silverstone told me about this. One would expect they are telling the truth.

Magic919

14,519 posts

231 months

Thursday 14th March 2013
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I'm starting to conclude it's just the OPC staff that haven't heard about it.