1st trip to the strip tomorrow, any suggestions?

[96GTfoxstang]

Hey guys,

I will be taking my 96GT to the strip for the first time and was wondering if anyone has any good advice for getting the most out of the non-PI 4.6. My stang is all stock except for a Steeda short throw shifter and Magnaflow after cat. The temp. should be decent so I am hoping to be in the 14s. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[JonJon]

My advice is to go many times Practice.
I launch at idle but launch however you feel is most comfortable. I think launching at track is much different than launching at strip.

 

[scalder]

Don't concern yourself with reaction time...it has no bearing on your et...have fun and practice, practice, practice.

 

[96GTfoxstang]

Practicing around here on the roads it seems to me that I can get the best launch around 2500-3500RPMs, but Im sure that the tires will act entirely different at the track.

 

['13_ImpactBlue_GT]

Dont drive thru the water box, before you get to the staging line do a small burnout to clean any crap from the tires. 2nd thing take out the spare, jack, and tire iron and try to run about a 1/4 tank of gas and MAKE SURE you disable the traction control.

 

[tater259]

I personally dont think you will see much gains from taking out spare tire, jack, and wrench thats maybe 65lbs tops? I suggest lowering your rear tire psi to 26psi and if your track is like mine you cant drive around the water box. What I do is go thru it and pull out of it. Spin over the tires to get the gunk and water off it and go from there. On stock gears and street tires launch from idle to 1000rpm I tryed and tryed to find a good launch rpm on street tires and found I get best results about idle or 500rpm its all up to the track but try anything you like maybe you can launch higher than I can.

I will take a guess and say you will run a 14.6

 

[Justin03GT]

first time at the track? dont be dissapointed if you dont run better than 15.3-4...which will probably be what you'll run...its all about practice and learning how to drive....launching at idle is for sissies who dont know how to drive...be aggressive and you'll learn much faster...

 

[BlackenedSVT]

Hey guys,

I will be taking my 96GT to the strip for the first time and was wondering if anyone has any good advice for getting the most out of the non-PI 4.6. My stang is all stock except for a Steeda short throw shifter and Magnaflow after cat. The temp. should be decent so I am hoping to be in the 14s. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Drive it like you stole it

 

[jmk97GT]

Traction control? Hah...you crazy 99+ people

 

[hbk_136]

Traction control? Hah...you crazy 99+ people

LOL,

 

[VividDreams]

Traction control? Hah...you crazy 99+ people

lol

 

[ts1lmayb]

don't get nervous, take the traction control OFF, don't drive thru the water box. practice.... alot mostly with launching..... walk it out one time, one time dump the clutch at 2000-3000k see how ya do

 

[2NDTIME]

Shift low, 6k is not the ideal shifting point. Although I have a almost stock 5.0 I dropped from a 14.6 at 95 to 13.7 at 100 just by dropping shifts from 6k to around 5200 and not dropping the clutch at 5k and spinning through first and second.

 

[BlackenedSVT]

I personally dont think you will see much gains from taking out spare tire, jack, and wrench thats maybe 65lbs tops? I suggest lowering your rear tire psi to 26psi and if your track is like mine you cant drive around the water box. What I do is go thru it and pull out of it. Spin over the tires to get the gunk and water off it and go from there. On stock gears and street tires launch from idle to 1000rpm I tryed and tryed to find a good launch rpm on street tires and found I get best results about idle or 500rpm its all up to the track but try anything you like maybe you can launch higher than I can.

I will take a guess and say you will run a 14.6

Launching at idle? Hell thats not even a launch...

 

[cougar694u]

Even after traction-control-posters were flamed, someone else posted it again??? Why can't people read?

Make sure you stage on the front wheels. I've seen many first timers stage on the rear wheels by accident.

You're main concern to focus on is launch. I'd try holding it around 2000-2500 and launching from there. It's really your preference here.

Don't take it to redline, shift around 5200-5500.

 

[02BlkStang]

You going to Sacramento Raceway or Infineon?

 

[96GTfoxstang]

I went to Famoso, just north of Bakersfield. didn't have that great of a first time but I will return with better results. First run: 15.879 @86.56 I launched at idle and took it to 6000 at each shift. Felt that I needed to launch at higher rpms. Second run: 17.339 @87.04 .I launched at 2500 rpms and spun all through first gear and short shifted into second by instinct. I would like to blame it on some water in the lanes because my other buddies were gettin some pretty bad times also and they have gone before. Oh well, now I really want 4.10s and some new tires. My tires right now are absolute crap. Thanks for the tips though guys.

 

[CanadaStang]

I went to Famoso, just north of Bakersfield. didn't have that great of a first time but I will return with better results. First run: 15.879 @86.56 I launched at idle and took it to 6000 at each shift. Felt that I needed to launch at higher rpms. Second run: 17.339 @87.04 .I launched at 2500 rpms and spun all through first gear and short shifted into second by instinct. I would like to blame it on some water in the lanes because my other buddies were gettin some pretty bad times also and they have gone before. Oh well, now I really want 4.10s and some new tires. My tires right now are absolute crap. Thanks for the tips though guys.

6000rpm is WAAAY to high for the non-pi engine. Shift at 5200rpm into 2nd then 5000rpm into 3rd. Leaving it in 3rd through to the end of the 1/4 didn't net any gains over shifting into 4th.

 

[tater259]

I went to Famoso, just north of Bakersfield. didn't have that great of a first time but I will return with better results. First run: 15.879 @86.56 I launched at idle and took it to 6000 at each shift. Felt that I needed to launch at higher rpms. Second run: 17.339 @87.04 .I launched at 2500 rpms and spun all through first gear and short shifted into second by instinct. I would like to blame it on some water in the lanes because my other buddies were gettin some pretty bad times also and they have gone before. Oh well, now I really want 4.10s and some new tires. My tires right now are absolute crap. Thanks for the tips though guys.

Thats kinda slow But as long as you had fun thats fine. It was your 1st time dont give up. Each trip you go you will gain experience and techniques. Hell I been racing a only for a season and a half myself with 22-25 passes under my belt so im basically a n00b too. Try new things each time at the tree until you find your best combo and use. I would also suggest getting a complete PI swap ( cams, heads, and intake). But if your car is gonna be a daily driver get 4.10s but a weekend warrior get some 4.30s for the most fun

 

[COramprat]

I've had about 15 runs and the best I can get so far is a 14.7. I do have 4.10's but I still haven't gotten comfortable on the track. I've missed 3rd more times than not and have spun through 1st quite a few times and sometimes 2nd. Sticky tires will make a world of differance so I think that will be my next track mod.