First time at track...help

CivicEater

New Member
Jan 29, 2004
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So I finally ran my car but it was on a eight mile:( My times sucked which I figured since it was my first run ever but even more disappointing is I let a tech at a shop I know take it for a few runs and he managed to run slower than me.....

60' = 2.15
1/8th = 9.18
mph = 79

That was my final run......and best....I figured that out and it equates to a 14.10 .... I was hoping for low 13's :( In my defense The car is still untuned since the HCI and my car was running @220ish degrees on all the runs....I need a aluminum radiator as my next mod and my fan gave out yesterday but I didnt know untill after my runs. I am also running on the stock tires. I cut 4 2.1 60 foots in a row so I guess thats all I can hope for there...I still have stock suspension so I wasnt expecting to much....I know not to expect to much on your first runs out there but I dont see how I can improve that much since I already cut 2.1s and dont see them getting much better.....The tech ran a 9.2 and cut a slightly lower 60 on his runs with it. I am hoping a tune will fix the a/f and then some nittos and control arms will get me low 13's...I am on a quest for 12's how do I get there????

Now for the good news.....I ran the car 8 times and beat every car I faced inlcuding....

-A 2003 RSX type S with a CAI and exhaust ..he ran a 10 flat
-Jetta 1.8 Turbo......he has exhaust and ran low 10's...
-a civic hatch with the usual civic goodies...he ran low 10's
- and my prized possesion ..... a 2000 Prelude Vtech with a Blower and 8 pound pulley.....he ran high 9's to my low 9's...:)

I warmed the tires before each run....
I had full wieght in the car...(spare and jack, junk in the trunk (15lbs))
Also I havent set my timing back since the HCI so I assume it was at 10 degress ...... which would help me run better if it was 14....

PS the track was crap I spun all through first and half of second and still ripped a 2.2 60 foot.....
 
you didnt need to heat the tires up in my opinion. Heating up stock tires just burns off tread and nothing else, thats why i dont bother heating mine up. hey, if you need a fan, ive got one that works perfect, just shout me a hollar. get some tires and those control arms. i loooooove my control arms, and simple as hell to install!!! my old car cut a high high high high 13 in the quarter. I had:
3.73s
O/R H pipe
cat back
shorties
no rear seats
cai
65mm tb
plugs
wires
aluminum d/s
pulleys
high amp alternator
lowered 1.5
borrowed some dr's

you are definently capable of hitting the low ass 13s.
 
Yea I didnt think it was gonna help any either but the tech kept telling me too so I did:( My fan just stopped working as I got that recall about our fans relay so I am gona call ford mon and see what they can do, but hold on to that fan I might need it:(

Anyone else?
 
Your 1/8 mile mph should be around 84mph. Wow, you NEED some tuning!! Bump your timing to about 16*, shift at 6k rpm, fix your fan and get tires and learn to drive. I went 12.88 @ 107 with that exact combo in a 3300lb car (with me) shifting early. My 1/8 was 85mph.
 
Grn92LX said:
I went 12.88 @ 107 with that exact combo in a 3300lb car (with me) shifting early. .

Thats what I like to hear......
So your thinking that it is a tuning /drving issue? I didnt know what to think since my mph wasnt even close. I cant afford a dyno chip right now but cant you get them to let you do a few pulls and adjust the A/F for like 100 bucks? I do need to bump timing but I dont have a light so I gotta go buy one and the whole broke issue....
 
CivicEater said:
Thats what I like to hear......
So your thinking that it is a tuning /drving issue? I didnt know what to think since my mph wasnt even close. I cant afford a dyno chip right now but cant you get them to let you do a few pulls and adjust the A/F for like 100 bucks? I do need to bump timing but I dont have a light so I gotta go buy one and the whole broke issue....

Adjusting fuel pressure is a band aid fix and sometimes a temporary fix. You really need to get a timing light man, spend $50 and get a decent light. Your timing is probably way off and thats 99% of your problems right there. Fix your issues and learn to drive and have fun man.
 
Grn92LX said:
Your 1/8 mile mph should be around 84mph. Wow, you NEED some tuning!! Bump your timing to about 16*, shift at 6k rpm, fix your fan and get tires and learn to drive. I went 12.88 @ 107 with that exact combo in a 3300lb car (with me) shifting early. My 1/8 was 85mph.


Ditto!

He said most of what I was going to. The only thing that I see that I know really kills our times in our cars is heat. I'm positive if you'd run that car at 150-180* you will pick up a minimum of 2mph in the 1/8th... minimum. I run my car as cold as I possibly can get it. SOme will tell you that the cars run best when warm... that's horse doo doo when it comes to our cars. The cooler my car is, the better it runs... period. Do all the things Grn92LX said and you should start seeing times out of your car that you are expecting. Did you degree in the cam or line it up dot to dot?
 
Paul is right, we always ice our intake for an hour and let the car sit with the hood up. YOu wont believe the difference. ANd you definatley need to throw some timing to that thing... i'd start with 16 like he said.
 
I meant our cars in particular, but it does apply to all 5.0's. The 94-95 EEC HATES heat and pulls a butt load of timing when its hot, and when I say hot I mean like 200* not 220* I have seen as much as 2-3mph difference in running the car cold to running it at "normal" temps. I forgot to mention ICE. I ice my intake down EVERYTIME I race, even if its 40* out. I don't see the gains like most do, it just helps me to remian consistent as my intake is painted with some thick coats and it holds heat like you wouldn't believe.
 
Yeah Killer, I still dont understand why people say a car will make more power when its hotter? I can understand part of the theory that the hotter engine will get a better combustion of the a/f. What sounds good in theory, doesn't always work in reality :) I too try to run my car cool, with my sn95 fan, thats now possible :D I prefer a little heat in it and 180* or lower.
 
I installed the cam dot to dot method.... Ok I went to get a new ECT sensor today to see if it helps my fan issue and the guy said that the prob is that I have a 180 thermo in there so the fan doesnt kick on becuase the 94-95 ecu doesnt recognize it or something.....I thought it was bs but......I ended up ont getting the ECT sensor yet but I might if I can figure out if he was serious about the thermo.....
You know when your temps reach the thermo opening temp how they pause for a few moments and then drop? Well mine dont "pause" till 193 and even then they float there for a minute then keep rising.......
 
I ice my intake down EVERYTIME I race, even if its 40* out. I don't see the gains like most do, it just helps me to remian consistent as my intake is painted with some thick coats and it holds heat like you wouldn't believe.

Aww man, that's cheating :D J/K

I like to have mine completely hot and have everything as it would be driving around town, including my heavy ass sub-box, all my garbage in the back seat, full tire pressure etc. . .it's slower but hey.
 
CivicEater said:
Ok I went to get a new ECT sensor today to see if it helps my fan issue and the guy said that the prob is that I have a 180 thermo in there so the fan doesnt kick on becuase the 94-95 ecu doesnt recognize it or something......

anyone know if this guys is full of it?
 
Yeh that's BS. All that will happen is the thermo will open and the fans still won't come on until 215-220 or so. Try hot wiring the fan, if it works I'd bet money its the ECT sensor.