DAVIS CT Series User manual

WWW.MORETRACTION.COM
CT3-SL Shown
CT Series
Traction Control

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CT Series Traction Control
www.moretraction.com
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright © 1999-2019 Davis Technologies, LLC.
All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change
without notice. Other products and companies
referred to herein are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies or mark
holders. Any components shown are for illustration
or instructional purposes only.
Publication and redistribution of this manual over
the Internet or in any other medium without prior
written content is expressly forbidden. In all cases
this copyright notice must remain intact and
unchanged.
Davis Technologies, LLC.
PO Box 8250
Asheville, NC. 28814
[phone]
email: [email protected]
web: www.MORETRACTION.com

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TRADEMARKS
All trademarks used herein are the property of their
respective owners.
Davis Technologies, and logo are trademarks of
Davis Intellectual Property, LLC.
MSD®, HVC™ and Pro Mag® are registered
trademarks of
Autotronic Controls Corporation.
RacePak® is a registered trademark of Competition
Systems Inc.
FAST™ is a registered trademark of Fuel Air Spark
Technology.
Crane Cams® is a registered trademark of Crane
Cams®
Bluetooth™ is a registered trade mark of
Bluetooth Special Interest Group.
05/19

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ......................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................... 6
How Does It Work? ........................................................ 7
Installation .................................................................... 9
HEI Users...................................................................10
Wiring..........................................................................10
Setup and Configuring ................................................11
Main Menu ..................................................................12
Advanced Menu..........................................................14
RPM Settings.............................................................17
RPM Settings & Max Retard ...................................19
Utilities ......................................................................20
Home Screen ..............................................................22
Firmware Updating .......................................................23
Remote Display .............................................................24
Appendix A .....................................................................25
Pin Out .......................................................................25
Connections and Wiring ...........................................26
Pass Through Hookup ..............................................27
MSD® style Ignition (discrete) ...............................28
MSD® HEI 83647 (discrete)....................................29
HEI 4 Pin Module (discrete) ....................................30
MSD® Pro Mag® (discrete)......................................31
Appendix B.....................................................................32
Weather Pack Plug Option ......................................32
3 Pin Weather Pack Plug .........................................32
4 Pin Weather Pack Plug .........................................33
Appendix c .....................................................................34
Molex® Nano-Fit® Connector.................................34
Disclaimer .....................................................................35

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Notes............................................................................. 37
Contact Information ................................................... 38

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CT Series Units
Note: Specific features, adjustment availability,
range of adjustment and adjustment increments may
vary with model.

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Introduction
The CT Series of Traction Control is the most
advanced and tunable system Davis Technologies
has ever produced. With easy to use menus on the
built in or remote LCD display, adjustments are easy
to make and very precise.
As with all technical devices such as engines,
shocks, carburetors, clutches etc., the product’s
performance is based largely on your ability to use it
properly. Testing in controlled circumstances will
help you determine the proper settings for your
application and your situation. Testing is very
important since it will help you utilize this product to
its full potential.
Please read all of the instructions and information
thoroughly before attempting to install or use this
product.
This manual covers all models in the CT
Series, some features shown in each
individual section may not apply to your
specific model.

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How Does It Work?
Spinning the tires not only makes the car harder to
drive, but it also causes higher tire temps and
excessive tire wear. Lifting off the throttle or
counter steering to correct for this 5% mistake, not
only upsets the rhythm, it slows the car down!
Typically, if a driver makes a 5% mistake with the
throttle, he/she has to correct 20-25% to fix it. But if
the tire slip is detected within one cylinder worth of
crank rotation, as the Davis Technologies systems
do, then a small reduction in power can reduce or
stop the tire slip.
Our Non-Self-Learning systems, such as our CT-1,
periodically compare the rate of acceleration of the
crankshaft to an Adjustable Fixed Rate (AFR), known
as Threshold. If the Engine RPM rate of change is in
excess of that Threshold, then a correction is made;
therefore, reducing the slip.
A comparison is made every cylinder (1/4 of a turn of
the crank shaft).
Basically, this Patented system looks for spikes in
RPM that are caused by wheel slip. If these spikes
are large enough, then a correction is made,
reducing the slip.
By adjusting the Threshold, the driver can tune the
system to the desired “feel” Self-Learning systems,
such as our CT2-SL, CT3-Sl, CT4-SL or the tiny CT5-
SL compare the rate of acceleration of the
crankshaft to a calculated threshold value that is
constantly updated based on the average of the
previous measurements.
This update occurs on every crankshaft revolution.

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So, if the last 1/4 of a turn of the crankshaft (one
cylinder) is faster than the average of the last full
revolution (4 cylinders), then a slip is detected.
Through this very advanced Patented process, the
system constantly accounts for track conditions, tire
condition, even driving style to constantly update
the internal settings.
These settings are updated as many as 200 times a
second to keep the unit calibrated to exactly the
right settings regardless of changing conditions.
The system learns the average rate of acceleration
of the crankshaft, and if there is a sudden spike in
RPM above that rate, then a correction is made.
This allows the system to adjust to the correct
settings even if one corner has more grip than
another, or even one groove to another.
The user can adjust the overall sensitivity as well as
the maximum reduction in power. Once the driver
has the unit tuned to the feel they like, the system
can make corrections proportional to the amount f
slip, for reliable and precise control.

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Installation
Installation of the system is very simple. It is very
important to make all connections correctly.
Improper installation could result in poor system
performance or damage to the unit.
Keep all wires away from any spark plug wires and
coils or other sources of electrical noise and heat.
The unit should be mounted away from any sources
of electrical noise or high heat. It can be easily
mounted with Velcro to allow for easy removal.
It is very important that the distributor pickup wires
are kept away from the spark plug and coil leads.
As with all electronic devices, proper wiring
techniques and methods will result in the best
performance. Proper terminations, wire routing and
overall quality of work are required for proper
operation. You may want to refer to this document
for some tips on basic wiring principles-
https://moretraction.com/wp-
content/uploads/2019/01/Wiring-How-To_Web.pdf.

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HEI Users
NOTE: It is very important that any HEI
Distributor be properly grounded.
Run a heavy gauge ground wire from the
distributor body to each cylinder head.
BOLTED IN THE ENGINE IS NOT GOOD
ENOUGH!
(A gasket at the distributor base, and any type of
plated clamp prevents the coil from getting a
sufficient ground for the ignition to function
properly)
Wiring
See Appendix A for specific
connection details for various
ignition systems.

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Setup and Configuring
V
Main
Advanced Settings
RPM Settings
Utilities
For maximum benefit, a few parameters need to be
adjusted to suit your needs. These include things
such as Sensitivity, Max retard, Correction Spread,
as well as some RPM parameters.
Changes are made using the Menus on the LCD
screen, and the 2 buttons on the unit, Set & Select.
Press Select to scroll through various parameters
and Set to change a value.
Values are incremented in a circular fashion,
meaning they count up to the maximum allowed
then the next press will start over at the minimum
and increase with each press of the Set button.
A short press of the Select button will save the
current setting and go back one screen. A long
press of the Select button, will back out of the
current screen and NOT save the changes.
Pressing the Select button while hold Set, will return
a value to its minimum, this may be useful if you
accidentally pass the value you intended.

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Main Menu
Sensitivity = 5
Max Retard = 16
Spread = 150
Corr Hold = 8
Sensitivity (1-9,default=5)is used to adjust how
much tire slip will trigger a correction, the higher the
value the more sensitive, a good starting point is 4-
5.
Max Retard (1-20*,default=15)sets the maximum
amount of retard that will be allowed with a full
correction. The unit will retard as much timing as
necessary to reduce or stop the slip up to the Max
Retard amount. If you never want the timing retarded
more than 18 degrees, then set the Max Retard to 18.
The retard is progressive throughout the Correction
Spread.
*max retard varies with different types of ignitions
Correction Spread (0-500,default=150) controls the
rate at which the system reaches the maximum
correction allowed. Once a slip is detected, if the RPM
reaches the top of the correction spread, then the
correction will reach maximum. The correction is
linear, so if the RPM spike only reaches 50% of the
spread, then only 50% of the max correction will be
allowed. If you lower the spread, then a full correction
will be achieved sooner. If SmartDrop® is enabled
(see below) then cylinders will be dropped if RPM
spike exceeds the maximum Correction Spread. If
spread is set to 150 and the spike is 150 or above,
then cylinders will begin to mis-fire, if SmartDrop® is
enabled.

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Correction Hold (0-15,default=7) is used to force the
TC system to hold the correction for X many
revolutions of the crankshaft to give the vehicle some
time to recover before the correction is removed.
SmartDrop® is a method of dropping cylinders to
cause large reductions in torque. The cylinders will
drop cylinders in a smooth pattern and not drop the
same cylinder until all other cylinders have been
dropped. Valid SmartDrop® values are 0-4. If set to
the maximum value of 4, then 4 out of 8 cylinders
will be dropped on a V8. A setting of 1 will drop 1
out of 8, 2 will drop 2 out of 8 and 3 will drop 3 out of
8. Dropping cylinders is only used in severe tire
spin situations, and will be heard.

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Advanced Menu
Ramp In (150)
Self Learn (1)
Disp Timeout (On)
Points (None)
Mode (6 Analog)
Manual In (Off)
Manual Retard (0)
Max SD (0)
Ramp In (10-1000,default=150) is the rate at which
timing retard is restored after a correction has
ended. Ramp in is calibrated in degrees per second.
150 will restore 150 degrees in one second, or 15
degrees in 1/10th of a second. So, if timing is
retarded 15 during a correction, a setting of 150 will
return timing to normal over 1/10th of a second.
Self Learning (on-off, default ON) if installed, can be
disabled, and the TC can be used in Non-Self
Learning Mode. This may be useful on rough or
bumpy tracks.
Display Timeout (on-off, default ON) disables the
screen timeout. This is useful during initial setup
so, it will not automatically return to the Main Menu
if no buttons pressed for a few seconds. Display
timeout will return to ON after a power cycle.
Note: If the unit is left in an adjustment screen, it will
not read RPM and will never go active on the track.
Points (None, PassThru, Alt Map, default None) sets

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the output mode of the points output trigger wire.
This must be set correctly for your type of ignition for
the unit to operate properly. If not set properly, the
engine may not run or could misfire.
Mode configures the unit for the specific ignition
system you are using. You must select the proper
mode for your ignition for the unit to operate properly.
Failure to do so could result in improper ignition
timing retard calibration, erratic behavior or a misfire
in the engine. Mode is only visible as a menu item on
some hardware models. See the table below.
MSD® Distributor
6 Analog
6AL, 6ALN, 6T, 6TN, HVC™Crane®, FAST™
6425
Digital 6AL
6427
6CT
(Set Points Output to “None”)
HEI 4 Pin Module
MSD®
88362
Petronix®
D2000
DUI
DynaMod
GM/Delco
19180771 / D1906
(Set Points Output to “None”)
Mode is only visible as a menu item on some models.
Note: Davis Technologies is constantly adding
compatibility with different types of ignitions, call if
your ignition is not listed.
All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
MSD®, HVC™ and Pro Mag® are registered trademarks of
Autotronic Controls Corporation.
FAST™ is a registered trademark of Fuel Air Spark Technology.
Crane® is a registered trademark of Crane Cams®

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Manual In (On/Off,default=Off) On units where pin 6
(Green) is not used for trigger input, the input can be
used to manually control a timing retard with a push
button. Applying battery positive voltage to pin 6
(GPI1) will trigger a retard, set by the Manual Retard
setting. When the button is released, the timing will
ramp back in at the Ramp In rate.
Manual Retard (0-20, default 0) Sets the amount of
retard that will be removed from the ignition timing
when the Manual In button is pressed.
Max SD (0-4, default 0) Max SD is the maximum
amount of cylinders that will be dropped when
SmartDrop® is active. SmartDrop® will drop
cylinders in a smooth pattern and not drop the same
cylinder until all other cylinders have been dropped.
Dropping cylinders is only used in severe tire spin
situations,

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RPM Settings
The CT Series can be configured to operate in
different modes based on engine RPM. The different
modes are indicated on the multi colored LED.
Once turned on, the unit is in “waiting” mode until
the Auto Start RPM is exceeded the first time.
Waiting mode is indicated on the LED with a short
Blue blink.
Once the Auto Start RPM is exceeded, the unit is in
“Active” mode, indicated on the LED with a solid
Green glow. If a timing retard correction is active,
the LED flashes Red.
If the RPM is above the Max RPM or below the
Minimum RPM, the LED will glow solid Blue.
If the RPM drops below the Minimum RPM for a
duration longer than the End Time setting, the unit
returns to Waiting mode until the Auto Start RPM is
exceeded. This is very useful to automatically turn
the corrections off during a yellow flag, and not
make corrections until the Auto Start is exceeded
again. If you prefer to restart the race with the
system active after a caution, make certain to
exceed the Auto Start RPM before the green flag.

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AutoStart (2500)
Min RPM (1000)
Max RPM (10000)
End Time (2)
Mid RPM (1000)
Auto Start (1000-9000,default=4000) is the RPM that
must be reached before the unit will go active and be
able to make corrections. If the Starting RPM is set
to 5000 RPM, then the unit is active and monitoring
the engine, but not making any corrections until the
Auto Start RPM is reached. Once the Auto Start
RPM is reached, the unit will make corrections as
needed above the Minimum RPM.
Minimum RPM (1000-9000,default=2000) sets the
RPM below which the TC is not able to make a
correction. This prevents unwanted correction at
low RPM, even if slip is detected.
Minimum RPM (1000-9000,default=10,000) sets the
RPM above which the TC is not able to make a
correction. This may be useful to stop the unit from
making corrections at the end of the strait, even if
the tires are slipping.
End Time (0-10,default=3) is used to return the unit
back to waiting mode if the engine drops below the
Minimum RPM for the duration of the End Time
setting.
Mid RPM (1000-9000,default=10,000) sets the RPM
where the Max Retard will begin to degrade with
RPM. This allows for a smaller correction at higher
RPM. Set to same as Max RPM to disable.

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RPM Settings & Max Retard
AutoStart=3000
Min RPM=2000
Max RPM=7000
Mid RPM= 5000
Max Retard=15
2
4 6
8
10 12
14 16 18
1000 2000
Engine RPM
Retard Amount (Degrees)
RPM Settings & Max Retard
20
3000 4000 5000 6000 8000
7000
0
Full Retard if Needed
Minimum
AutoStart
Mid RPM
Max RPM
Example Settings
No Retard No Retard