And that brings me right back to my original question. When I slip in snow I hear the clutch under the center console sending power to the front axle, now why don't I hear that when I hit the snow button while stopped. It should be doing the same thing as when I slip, sending 50% of the power to the front but you don't hear it. Thoughts?

-Svence

 

So I can pull that fuse and dyno my car with no ill effects?

 

I certainly think the noise is loudest when the amount of power being sent to the fronts is changing, not just being active. In snow mode, its locked at 50/50. I can hear the transfer case in snow mode if I turn off the heater and radio, but it is pretty faint. You can hear it click back to the full rear at speed. When locked at 50/50, the clutch is already engaged. When you are hearing the noise the loudest, the clutch is not fully engaged. The speed at which the clutch can change power distribution is very quick due to being electromagnetic, not straight mechanical.

 

Sounds about right, thanks for the logical explanation.

-Svence

 

I guess you could try it, but I wouldn't punch the gas at first unless you want to risk putting your car through the wall.

I have not dynoed my car so don't blame me if something goes wrong.

 

^ I remember reading that the front wheels will still rotate with the fuse pulled. . .

 

the transfer case switch sounds cool!! can ya tell me how ya did it? id like to try it!!

 

in good conditions, the care is pretty much RWD. at the start is usually 25%front 75%rear, and if the road conditions are good and dry the car basically transfers 100%power to the rears until it detects anything and adjusts.

Snow button lowers throttle response, and locks it at 50/50. this is basically only needed for full starts from a dead stop or parking spot. pretty much for no wheel spin action. so if your at a dead stop, and have the snow button on you can mash the pedal all you want, there will be a throttled down response. the snow button features disengages after 12mph i think. something around that area anyway.

 

To add to the clearification, if the rearwheels start to slip above 12 mph the computer will transfer the appropriate amount of power to the front seamlessly. You woun't even notice it except when you see you're moving and everyone else is stuck.

 

To sum it up in a short sweet sentence. The car is mostly RWD, with just enough AWD control to make it pretty confident in low traction situations.

 

Good winter tires and you won't hear that noise ever. It isn't AWD engaging, it is just your VDC working out the traction situation.