New times...still cant launch!

millhouse

Founding Member
May 14, 2002
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0
46
Simpsonville, SC
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Alright, slowly but surely the times keep on getting better. Since my last trip down the dragstrip I replaced the lower control arms (maximum's 3-piece bushings were blown the fu*& out!) with some more stout units. I also put in an approved battery box and shutoff switch along with better wiring from the alternator and to the starter. Another biggie is the 15" rims with micky street radial 235's on them.

Here is the lowdown on my best time down the strip:

60' 2.0421
330 ' 5.1719
1/8 ET 7.6999
1/8 MPH 98.48
1000' ET 9.864
1000' MPH 113.08
1/4 ET 11.67
1/4 MPH 127.84

As you can see....there is huge room to improve on my 60'. I still don't have launching down yet at all. My best times (above) was purely by luck. I happened to bog the launch....but rode it out. ALL of my other runs I ended up with 60's in the 1.8 range (still not that great), but the 1-2 shift ended up bogging down BAD! It's either caused from riding out the 2-step (which was set higher all of those runs), or from the 2-step being tapped into the clutch switch. I tend to ride the clutch out....which keeps the 2-step active until the clutch is let out completely. I also had some issues on a few runs where I started dropping spark....which ended up backfiring at the middle of 3rd. I'm not sure the stock ignition is cutting it anymore...or perhaps the MSD blaster coil is on the fritz.
 
With the run you posted the 60ft sucks balls! You need more experience. Never mind the race, just focus on your launch!!

With that being said if you got your 60's down, to what they should be with that power, MPH and traction, you you should be in the 10's!!
Nice times! :nice:
 
With the run you posted the 60ft sucks balls! You need more experience. Never mind the race, just focus on your launch!!

With that being said if you got your 60's down, to what they should be with that power, MPH and traction, you you should be in the 10's!!
Nice times! :nice:

Bah!!! Actually....the whole intention of me going to the strip was to focus on launching, as this is the first time running with tires of that size and that are that soft. I also was adjusting the 2-step and launch method on every run...so I really wasn't that concerned about consistancy.

Any way you cut it though...your damn right I should be in the 10's! :D

I'll do one or two more trips to the strip this year after I get a few things sorted out and see if I can get booted off! :nice:
 
Bah!!! Actually....the whole intention of me going to the strip was to focus on launching, as this is the first time running with tires of that size and that are that soft. I also was adjusting the 2-step and launch method on every run...so I really wasn't that concerned about consistancy.

Any way you cut it though...your damn right I should be in the 10's! :D

I'll do one or two more trips to the strip this year after I get a few things sorted out and see if I can get booted off! :nice:

No roll cage huh? :D
 
its really not that hard to launch on MT's, just put the pressure low, like below 15lbs, put the gas to the floor, let it bounce off the rev limiter and dump it......if the tires spin just a little bit then youre doing the right thing. It feels like being shot out of a cannon.
 
To be honest you should consider getting one. If you start bouncing off the rails doing 130 a cage mite be a factor!

You can get one installed for less then a grand. :shrug:

Trust me...I fully agree with you. I just don't think I'm going to get one until I get a new chassis....as everytime I work on her I see more and more rust. On the surface it doesn't look too bad...but underneith... :barf:. Hell, I still need subframe connectors! :D

its really not that hard to launch on MT's, just put the pressure low, like below 15lbs, put the gas to the floor, let it bounce off the rev limiter and dump it......if the tires spin just a little bit then youre doing the right thing. It feels like being shot out of a cannon.

Well....I wasn't quite sure how to handle them considering they are only the lil 235's. I think the next time I might just try bumping the 2-step up to the 4500 range and doing just that!
 
What's your combo and what 60's do you cut?


tfs tw heads, custom cam, tfs intake, accufab 75mm, 30lbers etc....4.10's, auburn, 31 splines, tko 600, stock suspension and i was doing 1.7's consistantly off the rev limiter on pony wheels. I feel like I can do better though.


err heres a video too, but this was just a burnout but gives you an idea of the car, this is on slicks though....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTuhLyEcWh8
 
What rpm was the two step set at and how much boost are you making while on it? How about tire pressure? 235 is a pretty small tire. What do you have for gears? 275/60 might be a better idea. Most of these questions i am asking because I haven't been to the track yet with the new setup. On the street it blows the tires off pretty bad. Anyways did you try launching it without the two step? Or just rolling out at almost a idle?
 
tfs tw heads, custom cam, tfs intake, accufab 75mm, 30lbers etc....4.10's, auburn, 31 splines, tko 600, stock suspension and i was doing 1.7's consistantly off the rev limiter on pony wheels. I feel like I can do better though.


err heres a video too, but this was just a burnout but gives you an idea of the car, this is on slicks though....

YouTube - burnout

Nice! Damn that mic picks up soundsfrom faaaaaar away!!!:nice:

I'll for sure try to just do the rev-dump deal and spin them off the line a bit. It will be muuuch easier on the clutch!

What rpm was the two step set at and how much boost are you making while on it? How about tire pressure? 235 is a pretty small tire. What do you have for gears? 275/60 might be a better idea. Most of these questions i am asking because I haven't been to the track yet with the new setup. On the street it blows the tires off pretty bad. Anyways did you try launching it without the two step? Or just rolling out at almost a idle?

I tried 2000rpm, 2500rpm, 3000 rpm, 3500rpm and 3800rpm. I was able to hook on all of them...although I was never fully dumping the clutch. On one poor pass I slipped the clutch too long and I believe I either glazed the clutch or spun through 3 gears! :eek:

As far as boost on the line goes...I was not able to get my launch control to hold rpm unless I cut both fuel and spark. This of course does not build boost properly on the line...and at 3800rpm I believe I was up to 3psi of boost.

Tire pressure was at 18psi cold...and I'm running 3.27 gears. I know that 275's would be a muuuuuch better tire for me. I found the tires/rim's for a steal though...and seeing as the tires were brand new I figured the least I could do was to give them a shot. I'll more than likely swap them out when the chords start to show...but I don't expect that to happen until later next year.
 
Hmm you should air the tires down, start at 15 and see if that helps. But 28's would really help out a lot I think. Have you thought about a automatic? Not suggesting you cant drive or anything just curious.

For sure...next time I will.

28's would be far too tall of a tire I think. Right now I'm barely over 5000 rpm when going through the traps.

You know...I actually have thought about an auto (no offence taken BTW :nice:). A fellow stanger that has a very similar combo to mine (different turbo & carb instead of EFI) with the same amount of boost is running 10.7's at the same mph with an auto! There is a huuuge advantage with a turbo setup....but at this time I'm just not willing to give up the streetablitiy of a 5 speed. If or when I ever decide to step up to an auto, I would HAVE to find something that has an overdrive as I want to have something that I can take anywhere.
 
You know...I actually have thought about an auto (no offence taken BTW ). A fellow stanger that has a very similar combo to mine (different turbo & carb instead of EFI) with the same amount of boost is running 10.7's at the same mph with an auto! There is a huuuge advantage with a turbo setup....but at this time I'm just not willing to give up the streetablitiy of a 5 speed. If or when I ever decide to step up to an auto, I would HAVE to find something that has an overdrive as I want to have something that I can take anywhere.

thats the one bad thing with turbo stick cars is making boost, but its sooooo much more fun to rip on some gears =) :nice:
 
Yea, even with powershifting the boost drops off. Read over where it said you had 3.27's so the 26" tire is the way to go. I believe a 3 speed auto with 3.27's and a 28" tire wouldnt be bad though rpm wise on the highway and trap rpm either. 99% sure a auto is going in my car this winter, either C4 or a TH400 but chances are it will be the 400.
 
Yea, even with powershifting the boost drops off. Read over where it said you had 3.27's so the 26" tire is the way to go. I believe a 3 speed auto with 3.27's and a 28" tire wouldnt be bad though rpm wise on the highway and trap rpm either. 99% sure a auto is going in my car this winter, either C4 or a TH400 but chances are it will be the 400.

Actually, megasquirt has a flatshift function that will keep boost loss in-between gear shifts to a minimum. Granted it's not going to be nearly as good as an auto...from my understanding it works quite well.

Good luck with the auto! I can't bring myself to do it yet. If I start getting more serious about all out ET's over street-ability....then I'll look hard into it myself.:nice: