Well, I've just spun my 93 FD for the 3rd time, taking out a fairly large cactus and some shrubbery this time. What can I do to prevent this in the future ?

Get some larger rear tires
Change the sway bars
Stay off the loud pedal in turns (this was a very gradual S)
Go non-seq (All 3 times it was the second turbo coming on)
Learn to control it (Not easy so far, it seems to snap back too far and then it's pray for a soft landing)

 

go non- seq and learn how do drive i find that taking turns with non-seq turbos the boost is more predictable and controllable.

 

you could stop driving in a manner that would make the car spin out! Honestly, why would you do anything to make yourself spin on a public road...and 3 times!?

 

A track.

 

I agree with the above. Mabye you should learn how to drive before taking the car hard in the twisties.

 

Well, I've had other performance cars. Never spun them.

 

Know when the 2nd turbo kicks in, and be prepared when you hit 4500 rpm. either back off the throttle to slow the onset of boost, or make sure that you still have adequate traction to put 75 more hp on the ground within ~1/2-1 second...

iow, find a FATTY parking lot

also known as a track

 

and the flaming continues!

 

LEARN TO DRIVE

 

also try replacing all your suspension parts. espically all the the bushings. i have driven a lot of FD's most of them with 13 year old bushings and shocks and i can say a lot of them will get out handeled by a brand new civic SI.

 

why are you getting on the gas in a corner? learn to drive or continue to crash, next time that cactus could be a kid or a lightpost...

 

...

Have you ridden in one of those downsized minivans before?

 

I agree. Put the car on the track and you'll learn how to handle it when doing some aggressive cornering.

I don't recommend hotrodding the car on the street, however, I can't say much as I've done it in the past. Although, I've never spun or wrecked my car.

 

start autocrossing - you will learn better car control.

Normally you shouldn't be hitting the turbo transition in midcorner anyway....

 

Bondurant is right down the street from you. And if you're into bikes as well, Keith Code's Superbike school is on the left coast.

I've taken them both. Expensive? Sure.

Fun? OMG.

What you'll learn at both is just how slow you are when you THINK you're driving fast, and you'll also find out that its alot more fun to drive like a maniac on a race course with nothing stationary to run into and paramedics standing by if you do poop your pants.

Stay off the street before you kill someone. Learn how to drive like a pro. Impress YOURSELF with your new skills.

 

I nearly spin out every time I bit boost in a corner because of my uber shitty tires. Drifting around two lane corner with another car on the left, and a ditch on the right is not fun at all.

I would definately head to a track if I was you, and take some lessons. I've been to Porsche school day several times at No Problem Raceway locally, and I learn an incredible amount each time I go.

 

Seriously, find a track and an instructor. And replacing the suspension parts wouldn't hurt many of us either

 

Yeah, I think a track is in my future. Bushings are in the mail.
A couple of points:
I never drive flat out on the street. (Limits are too high in an FD).
When I do drive aggressively it's generally on a rural highway with very little traffic, no lightposts, no curb, few if any houses, dry road, clear and sunny (what else in Phoenix), etc.
First time was a slow (1st gear) turn. Did a 180. Stomped on the brakes. Decided to take it easy in 1st, especially in turns.
About a year later, I'm in a long constant radius turn in 2nd. As I exit the rear end swings out to, I manage to catch it and fishtail back and forth down the road.
Third time, another year later, now running 12+ psi with a PMC, I'm in third gear, basically doing a 40-70 type burst. I'm in a very gentle S, hardly a turn at all. At the transition the wheels break loose. Rear end swings out. I let off the throttle. (Probably causing trailing throttle oversteer.) I get on the brakes, hoping the abs will let me steer out of it. Instead I slide into the shoulder (which fortunately, is just dirt with a few plants). Thinking about it, each time, the transition caused unexpected wheelspin. Also my transition is 12-7-12 and fairly abrupt.

 

boosting around a corner?

Do you juggle knives, play with loaded guns and snake handle too?

One should attempt a basic grasp of physics and how it applies to driving a car PRIOR to obtaining a high horsepower automobile.

 

If you are in a turn, and at the limit, you cannot accelerate. It's just physics. It doesn't matter what car you are in.

You must learn to use the throtte with a light touch when cornering, especially with a turbo car. Getting on the track will help a lot.

 

Yep, the only time I've spun the car (on the track) was when I did something dumb. With proper driving technique, the transition should not be a problem when cornering.

As the others have said, new bushings and good tires will help with vehicle control. When you get some track time you will learn how to handle THIS car. I've been "overexuberant" on the street a few times myself and have caught the car just fine. Going abruptly off throttle when the rear is coming out is a BAD idea....

Get some track time in and be safe.

 

Fred,

Not a flame by any means - but were any of the past performance cars you owned, turbocharged?

Turbo cars pretty much always have a non-linear powercurve compared to an normally aspirated car. Secondary Surprise is fairly common on FDs.

 

You could put it in a higher gear while you are turning, that way the engine won't over power the rear wheels.

You could get some better tires. I would suggest buying some Kuhmo Ecsta MX tires. They are very good for autocross, so I am sure that would be good for taking turns on the street.

 

How about throttle modulation?? It sounds like you view the gas pedal as an on off switch. I've run my FD 9/10th on many a mountain road here, she has gotten a bit loose but you just learn throttle modulation and how to control the oversteer. Street tires also have a very predicable break away, for drivers like you. Understand the break away and you can predict what the *** will do and when. If you can't afford a driving school, hit up the SCCA autocrosses...where I learned to drive.