I've never run my car before so I tried it this weekend. I ran a 15.7 twice and then a 15.8 at the end. It was around 95 degrees when I ran the first two and about 85 when I ran the last one. Should I be running faster?

Thanks

 

YES YES AND YES!!!!!!!! Did you have VSA off, brake torque to 2k rpm, ease in the throttle....what was your 60 foot.

 

the elevation is pretty high at the track you ran at, right?

 

sound's like the 1\4 mile times of a broken IMRC, doesnt it?

 

What the hell is wrong with all of these people running mid 15's stock? I havent been out to the track yet so I shouldnt be speaking, but damn its making up look bad.

 

i'd check the acutator, but it might be the elevation+heat

 

The elevation and heat are likely contributors, but I should still be able to run a low 15. I had VSA off and torque braked. I believe my 60 foot was like 2.4 - 2.9, but I'd have to double check the slip.

 

2.4 is decent, but 2.9 is absolutely horrible. I would say that a pretty good 60' time for our cars is around 2.3-2.4.

I ran a 15.2 with just a K&N filter. It was just below 80 degrees w/ near 100% humidity. So your time sounds about right, considering you said it was around 95 degrees. At that temperature, I wouldn't even think about going to the track, but that's just me.

Nonetheless, considering the conditions, those are pretty decent times. But if you're cutting 2.9 60' times, then you should concentrate on your launch. Remember than 1/10 off in the 60' time is more than 1/10 off in the quarter. So if you could cut a 2.3-2.4 60' time, then you could run high (albeit really high) 14's compared to the 15.8 run.

Good luck and hope you had fun. If you get a chance, make sure to run back-to-back about 10-15 runs. Our cars like it better that way, and that's how I cut my lowest time so far.

 

Thanks for the input. I think my main problem is the reaction time to the light. Below are my times:

1st run -
1/4 - 15.7 but didn't get my slip

2nd run -
R/T - .545
60ft - 2.4
1/4 - 15.7

3rd run -
R/T - .360
60ft - 2.9
1/4 - 15.8

Any additional analysis is always welcome How do I improve my R/T? Should I gas it right when the last amber light comes on?

 

R/T is only important when you're racing against the guy next to you. In the actual 1/4-mile time, the R/T does not count. You can sit at the light for 15 seconds after the light turns green, and you would still get the same 1/4-mile time. Does that make sense to you?


Looks like you red-lighted on the 3rd run. That's a no-no. If you ever got involved in bracket racing or anything like that, you would get disqualified. But right now, it's fine.


Your first priority is working on the 60' time. By the way, how come you only made 3 runs? Too many cars there? I usually go on days when it's dead, and I make anywhere from 15-25 runs in an hour or two. It's fun.


One way to improve the 60' time would be to brake torque at the light, and as soon as you see the 3rd (last) amber light go off, release brake pedal and ease into the throttle (by the the light will be green, and you will get pretty decent R/T).

The intial throttle input should be smooth and easy, and as soon as you start rolling and it feels like you have traction, mash the pedal. All of this should take less than a second. Just keep practicing, and after each run, think about what you did wrong and how you can improve on it.

Any idiot can floor a car down a straightaway. But drag racing is all about the launch (and shifting if it's a manual or you choose to do it manually on an auto; but most importantly, it's the launch). If you mess that up, nothing can help you down the strip.

Mess around with the tire pressure, too, if you want. You could lower the pressure on the front tires to about 23-25, and pump the rear ones to 40 or so. This will reduce the squat and give you better traction off the line.

 

Probably just the high temps and your first time out. What was your trap speeds?

And how are you guys getting better numbers by hot lapping? The engine has to get a serious amount of heat-soak after a couple passes in a row, and I thought that the J32 pulled timing like crazy once the temp reaced a certain point?

 

Well, the PCM adapts to the driving style, and after several laps back-to-back (I'm talking no-line at the dragstrip), the computer starts to get into the "fast mode." I don't know how else to say it.

That's how I did it, and that's how Darrin ran a 14.2 -- after doing a lot of runs in a row.

 

I understand that, my Taurus had the same sorta thing. I just dont see how the engine wouldnt get heat soaked though. Are you guys running a cooler T-STAT or water wetter?

 

I am not running a cooler t-stat.. yet.

I'm getting the Mugen t-stat and fan switch next month. By the way, nice run with the CL-S6. I ran a 14.5@98 with I/H as far as performance mods are concerned. You definitely have a much better starting baseline than I do. Damn automatics.

 

I want to be close to 13's by the end of the season, with no hp mods at all.

 

Man, I hate you.

Just joking.



I'm gonna get the Mugen T-stat, fan switch, better tires, and V-AFC II. Except for the tires (which will most likely come next season), the V-AFC II is already on its way, and the Mugen parts I will have next month or so. I'm hoping to break into the 13's before tires. From there, I'm gonna take a break in modding, save up (A LOT) and get the twin-turbo setup. The following time they see me at the track, they will have a nice surprise.

 

Better driving + traction should net me close to a 2.0X 60' which would be 3 tenths faster than the stock tires right now. I'm hoping more miles (15k vs. 5k) and better air will maybe give me a mph or so since I went last year. I may experiment with a spring block to help with rear squat, but we'll see how necessary that is.

 

Not necesarily. Tracks are converting to a different system now due to different rules in different classes of racing. Previously, a perfect reaction time for professional, and some sportsman drivers, was a .400. For the remaining sportsman competitors a .500-light was considered a perfect reaction time. Under the new changes, the timing system will be modified to display a perfect reaction time as .000 for all categories All of my local tracks (4 of them) have switched all classes to run a .000 a perfect light. Anything below a .000 (negative numbers) would be a red light. This makes it easier for everyone watching the racing, people moving from one class to another, etc. Also, tracks are switching to LED lighting instead of incandescent bulbs, these light up faster and are less prone to damage from the vibrations of louder cars.





Back on topic:

Please post your trap speeds. They will give us a good indication of how much power your car is making.

What was your tire pressure set at? I see you have aftermarket 18's so I'm not sure where your tire pressure should be at. You should be lowering the front tire pressure and raising the rear. This will reduce the amount of weight transfered to the rear off the line and help you keep traction.

 

Your 60s are terrible. Learn how to launch and give it another try.

 

Yeah I don't know how you got a 2.9 60'. I was at the track a few months ago. It was the first day the track had reopened since they put new asphault down so there wasn't much rubber on the track. I didn't ease in the throttle at all, I just floored it off the line. I spun all through 1st (like burnout type spin, smoke everywhere rubber on the fenders, etc), let off quickly at 6500rpm, shifted into second, spun again until about the 330' mark and still managed a 2.510 60' time. On my next run I launched like I normally do w/o 100% throttle off the line an managed a 2.2 60'. I'm baffled by a 2.9

 

I think this is correct. When I ran at Beech Bend in KY a few months back, I pulled off a 0.070 R/T and some people were going crazy. They told me anything below 0 (negative numbers) is red-lighting. Well, it didn't matter much though because I had 40 psi on all 4 tires and got 2.7-2.8 60' times and my best run that time ended up being a 15.2. I have run 14.7 before on the same track on a cooler day on 32 psi tires back when I was stock and hadn't added the Icebox.

 

An .070 light is pretty good. Back on the old system I managed a .502 which I was quite happy with to say the least.

Keep you rear tires at 40 and lower the fronts to around 23 and you'll get a much better launch off the line.

You don't need super expensive tires to improve your grip either. I pull 2.1 60's on stock wheels with my Conti' ContiExtremeContact tires. $86/ea @ www.tirerack.com

 

I had some +15sec 1/4's with outstanding 60' times in my stock TLS (incl. K&N filter). My actuator was working fine. Maybe it was the IMRC. In 25 runs I never got below 15.2 regardless of the 60' time.

 

How do you practice launching? I always get major tire slippage

 

The runs would not affect the fuel trim values which is really the only adaptive function in the ECU. The cool down period may swing the fuel trim values some to a more desireable value for power but this would be minimal and probably not measureable. However, the runs could affect the transmission response. If the ECU sees a consistant request for higher load it responds with higher shift points and firmer shifts.

IMO, this is most likely the reason and gains in ETs outside of better launches due to getting the feel down.

 

I'm going to compare, my times with the amount of time between runs.

 

Actuator & IMRC = Same thing

 

Dang...my measly CL-P was able to pull off a 15.4 in 90 degree temperatures....low humidity though.

 

My 15.7 run had a trap of 91 at the 1/4 mile.

I'm reading a bunch about people burning out. I can't burn out even when the VSA is off. Does this seem odd?

 

Yes it is odd, im very very surprised you cant.

 

i think my actuator is broken as well. need new tired too. anyone wanna help me install my cai?

 

You're about 3000 feet above sea level (that presumes you are in Boise). So, you have the altitude working against you. (Obvious comment)

My car feels really slow in 90-degree weather, and it hauls-ass at 60-degrees. Due to the local topology, there are days where it’s possible to run at 60-degrees on the coastal side of the Santa Monica Mountains, and then be in 90- to 100-degree heat in about 15 minutes (in the hot valley). IMO, you'd need to have a dead-butt dyno to not be able to tell that the car is VERY, VERY slow.

The guy doing the 3.5L car work was doing 14.2 second runs with the temp @ 90+ degrees, and the car had every option you could imagine (headers, 3.5L, intake, light wheels, mild port/valve work, etc), and the same basic setup runs down around 13.6 on a medium heat day.

Check your actuator -- as mentioned.

IMO, it doesn’t mean much that you can't spin the wheels. It really depends on the surface, the tires, and the temp out.

IMO2, if you spend too much time analyzing 60-foot times and other info when your are being double handicapped (altitude & weather) you’ll go nuts… Try again on a cooler day (60-70 F).

 

What is an actuator? Stupid question probably, but I have no car sense

 

Click Here

 

It's this deal here:



This operates a big valve inside the manifold that changes the volume at a certain RPM. I don't know exactly how it works. EricL could probably explain it well.

 

Sorry didn't know they were the same thing. I had the actuator checked and it was fine. I just cant figure out why I got such outstanding 60' times and horrible 1/4 ET's. Only thing I can think of is my a/f ratio or my modded exhaust.