Pilot Sports and my son picked them up with ~90% tread. So, they should have been somewhat broken in.

 

Indeed he did. Honestly, it feels quite a bit quicker than the Genesis V6 6MT I drove a few months ago.

 

even though i race on street roads every time i drive. i'm going to the track for the first time in my life this week and i was curious b/c i've never gotten my qtr mile time so i was wondering what i should expect when i go this week. just so i know if i did bad or good.
i have an 04 TL 5AT w/ a-spec kit, h&r ss, aem cai, kn , ur pulley, p2r tb spacers, rv6 j-pipe, rv6 race pipe, stage 3 exhaust.

 

what should might qtr mile time be near?

oh and btw my tires suck. and im on 20's

 

That will depend greatly on your ability to launch the car on 20s with bad tires. You've kinda pre-gimped yourself out of getting good 1/4 times with what are probably very heavy wheels and almost no sidewall. Something much smaller (16-17") with more rubber would probably net you much better times. Do you have any friends you can borrow some track wheels/tires for the front from?

Good luck.

 

good idea i will try to find some tires from a friend. actually i probably need to buy new new tires anyways. any that you recommend on my 20's?

 

Well with 20" wheels, you'll have a hard time finding any tires that will really "hook" because you need sidewall flex which you can't get with such low profiles on the 20s.

My recommendation is to get some good all season or summer tires (depending on weather where you live) for your 20s that will last a long time, then get a cheap set of 2 either stock or cheap aftermarket wheels that fit your car in the 15-16" range (not sure what fits over TL front brakes) that you can use just for the track or racing. Make sure they are wide enough for the tires you choose, though. Throw some hoosier or M/T DRs in just the right size on them and you'll be amazed at how much better your times get.

For choosing tire size, you'll want to get some baseline at the track with your current setup. Look at exactly what RPM you are at and in what gear as you are crossing the traps with your current tire diameter. You can use a gearing calculator to determine what to change. You'll normally want to go with a lower diameter tire to the point that you cross the traps about 500 RPMs after peak power in that gear.

For me, I would have to go down to 24" total diameter tires in order to cross the traps at around 6500 rpms in 4th gear, compared to 5700 or so RPMs with my 25.7" 245/40/18 tires that I run on the street.

 

wow thanks a lot for all the info. i might just sell my 20's and buy a whole new setup for racing since i have already done a lot of racing mods.

 

Yeah with those 20's you probobly have negated all the benifets that your mods have given you. Get rid of those 20's for the stock wheel and tire set up and you should be in the mid 14's easy in perfect conditions. Stock your vehicle is a low 15 second ride with the 17's.

 

Tire diameter has an impact on gearing??? So you mean to say if I bought 2 16" Motegi Traklites for track use and some nice, beefy tires when I cross the finish line I'd be at a higher RPM than with my current 17" wheel/tire setup?

 

I think so doesnt tire diamter and gearing go hand in hand??? Thats i what i always thought.

 

Tires are basically another final drive. If you think about it logically, you will see what I mean.

Take a 24" tire vs a 26" tire. The circumference of the 24" tire is roughly 75.4". The circumference of the 26" tire is roughly 81.7". Each time either of these tires make a full revolution, they will move the car forward by the amount that is their circumference. The taller tire directly results in more movement from the same motion (IE higher gearing) while the shorter tire results in less movement from the same motion (IE lower gearing).

Using tires to change gearing is a common practice on the drag strip and there are gearing calculators all over the internet. You just input each gear's ratio, your final drive ratio, your rev limiter, and the tire diameter then it will tell you what speed each gear will end @ the indicated RPM. This makes it easy to choose a diameter based on what your trap speed is and in what gear/rpm you want to cross the traps. Generally speaking, you want to cross the traps about 500RPMs after peak horsepower in the final gear.

As a side effect of having smaller diameter wheels/tires, they can also be lighter which reduces parasitic loss. Of course, lowering the gearing with a smaller tire also makes it harder to get traction in the early gears than with a larger tire, so mind you they should be sticky tires!

 

hmm, ill be looking for this next time im at the track.

If I trap 100mph, that's right after I shift into 4th gear...but I dont think thats anywhere near peak horsepower. Peak horsepower shows up at 6200RPM's which is about ~115mph in 4th gear...it doesn't add up or am I missing something. Maybe I misunderstood your post lol

 

You had to have misunderstood. That means your tire size isn't optimal, lol. It would be highly unlikely for you to just automatically have perfect gearing without changing anything. When I said "generally speaking you want to cross the traps about 500 rpms after peak power," I meant that as the GOAL that most people work towards to get their gearing setup just right.

 

my bad i fail lol

 

Very good info!! Thanks Slow03Maxima.

Generally speaking, should this make a big impact on 1/4 mile times and traps? Or just a slight yet better impact? I'm thinking about getting a pair of wheels and tires for track use only at some point soon.

Also, do you mean that say, ~90mph is the end of 3rd gear on stock size tires (though I have 225/50/17 so slightly larger, but same effect), that if I got a smaller diameter tire that 3rd gear would in fact end before 90mph? And that I'd be at a higher RPM when I shift to 4th? I understood, but I don't think I got it 100%.

 

I thought it was the other way around, if 3rd gear ends before 90mph you would be at a lower RPM when you shift into 4th gear?

Damn, I'm like confused right now ...long day at work lol

 

Well traction will be the biggest factor for how much of an impact it has. With lower gearing from smaller tires, you'll need good rubber to hook, but you will accelerate faster because of the more aggressive gearing as long as you don't cause yourself to need an extra shift (having to shift to 5th on a 6speed). Generally speaking, if your gearing is bad enough with your current setup, you could see 2-3 .10ths and 2-3 mph optimally.

If you end 3rd at 90mph right now at let's guess 6700 rpms, then with smaller diameter you would be at a lower speed with the same RPMs. For example, my car going 110 on 245/40/18s (25.7" tall) is at 5800 rpms in 4th. With 24.5" tires, I am at 6300ish rpms in 4th at 110 mph.

Now your actual gear spacing will not change. When you shift at 6700 RPMs from 1-2, and it shifts down to say (guessing) 4800 rpms, that will not change with final drive or tires... you can only change gear spacing with the actual individual gear ratios of each gear.

 

Ahh I see, I see. Thanks for the clarification! I will definitely be investing in some smaller diameter/sticky tires then!

And I will most certainly not need the extra shift as 4th ends around 125mph with my current tire setup lol. Hmm...maybe we could see a 105+mph trap from the J series with bolt ons.....

 

yeah so i went to the track for my first time today. i have an 04 5AT with aem/p2r tb/ UR pulley/ rv6 jpipe and race pipe, dynomax re and mid muf delete. but im riding on 20" rims and dropped on h&r sport spings with stock shocks. i ran 15.07 on the 1/4 mile. why was my time so horrible? is it the rims and stock shocks?

next week im switching setups to 18" rims with z rated falken tires and going with the new suspension, neuspeed super cup kit. will that help my times?

 

The 20s have a lot to do with it, I'm sure... but what was your '60 foot time?

The single most important thing is your launch. You want to get down to 2.1-2.2 '60s which is pretty quick but average/doable for an auto FWD on street tires. Each .10 in the '60 foot will normally gain you .20 in the 1/4 mile... Tire compound and smaller wheels will help, but just make sure you're practicing the launch and get good at it.

 

yeah i also figured my launch wasnt to good. the wierd thing is when i had a worse 60 ft i had a better 1/4 mile. i ran twice here are the times.
first run.....60' - 2.403......1/4mile - 15.079
second run.....60' - 2.329........1/4mile - 15.098

i know that isnt much of a difference on the 1/4 mile but still kinda awkward.
definitely gonna practice my launching

 

so how fast can my 1/4 mile times really get in a 2004 base 5AT?
is it worth it?
after i get my new wheel and suspension setup (18/'s and nuespeed super cup kit) i also want to get pcd, pnp mani, pnp runners, and mani spacer..........
i already have aem/p2r tb/ UR pulley/ rv6 jpipe/race pipe/dynomax res/mmd. i ask this b/c i want to know if its even worth spending all the money in doing all these mods on a base automatic 5 speed

 

Here is an excellent example for you. My stock diameter street tires are 25.7" tall and have me revving to about 5900 in 3rd at the top of the 1/8th mile. My 225/50/15 hoosier DRs are 23.9" tall and have me revving out to about 6700 in 3rd by the end of the 1/8th mile.

My best run ever at piedmont dragway (1/8th mile) on street tires was a 8.7@83 previously. My best run ever on slicks at ANY track was a 8.331@83.65

And thanks to the 3" exhaust and smaller diameter drag radials! This would equate to about 12.7-12.8@108-109 in the 1/4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlw5_Cfob7Q

 

Hey everyone, new on here. Just went to the track for the first time in my 07 TL-S auto (noob) and my best run of the night was a 14.80 is that bad? I thought these cars were low 14 sec cars or do I just suck?? Thanks.

 

Here's a timeslip. I had a full trunk of crap, spare, floor mats and half a tank of gas. Also had VSA on.

 

I can't see the timeslip right now, what's your 60' time?

14.80 is a little high but definitely not bad for a 1st timer!

 

2.36 60' time

 

I think that's pretty good considering you have VSA on, it was your first time, and you had a bunch of stuff in your trunk. If you check out the MVR 155's time slip, he also has a stock Type S auto with 1/2 tank of gas and he ran 14.5@97.2mph. His 60' was 2.2s. It was also his first time in the TL-S. You should probably aim for that next time. And perhaps when you get better you will be able to hit low 14's with 60' of around 2.1s.

 

Ok, once you get that down just a bit, you'll see the 1/4 time improve alot Hope you had fun!

You going back anytime soon?

 

Yes, I want to redeem myself I think if I turn the VSA off and get rid of as much stuff in the car as possible I can take that down a couple tenths of a second.

 

03 TL-S, AEM CAI, custom exhaust everything after stock CAT, stock suspension and rims, crappy chinese tires.

This is my first time to the track, I didn't know there was bracket racing after free runs, decided to do it, there were anywhere from 50-70 cars and I came in 5th

I am missing a few slips, but here are the ones I had:


Reaction:1.176 lol sleepin
60 Ft: 2.267
330': 6.295
1/8: 9.577
MPH: 75.545
1000: 12.415
1/4: 14.801
MPH: 97.373

Reaction: .582
60 Ft: 2.331
330': 6.374
1/8: 9.666
MPH: 75.668
1000: 12.515
1/4: 14.909
MPH: 96.868

Reaction: 0.493
60 Ft: 2.288
330': 6.333
1/8: 9.620
MPH: 75.841
1000: 12.465
1/4: 14.855
MPH: 97.143

Reaction: 0.560
60 Ft: 2.304
330': 6.303
1/8: 9.571
MPH: 75.902
1000: 12.400
1/4: 14.781
MPH: 97.554

Reaction: 0.116
60 Ft: 2.316
330': 6.318
1/8: 9.592
MPH: 75.643
1000: 12.427
1/4: 14.814
MPH: 97.298

Reaction: 0.434
60 Ft: 2.304
330': 6.323
1/8: 9.603
MPH: 75.984
1000: 12.445
1/4: 14.835
MPH: 96.980

Reaction: 0.392
60 Ft: 2.303
330': 6.325
1/8: 9.606
MPH: 75.634
1000: 12.443
1/4: 12.832
MPH: 97.222

I was gate shifting with VSA off the entire time, maybe next time after my 1-2 shift I am going to put it into drive and let it shift a bit earlier into third and see my results.

 

you meant 14.832?? lol! Very consistent! I wonder how you'd do with better tires and traction.

 

yeah, I put up a decent MPH so I think if I hook better I can drop that time by a good amount

 

A little spring cleaning and look what I found cleaning out one of my junk drawers . . . time slips. It's only been 4 yrs . .



I also used the Density Altitude Calculator and had a corrected time of 14.22 @97.69.

Here are the mods at that time.

02 WDP TLS Black Interior; 17x7 Konig Appeals SMF – 18.2lbs each
P225/45ZR-17 Falken ZE-912; CT Icebox, Custom RamAir;
CT Sways & Springs; Mugen Cooling & Thermoblok Mods
NEO Anti Freeze & NEO 5w-20 oil w/Militec-1

Ruf

 

I remember that one. I ended at 14.7 after begining at 15.1. First time ever to the track.

 

Nice times! Very good 60fts on all runs!

 

Thanks, but now you got me thinking . . . did I get good 60' times because if the busted motor mounts and the bad wheel hop I had? It'll be interesting to see what they are without the wheel hop, whih could mean more spinning . .

We'll probably never really know as I've added so many more mods it'll really make launching harder.

Ruf

 

should i get a pair of drag radials for my car or is it not worth it for a 04 tl 5at? or maybe just get a set of stickier summer/race tires for the front? right now i have all seasons on 235/45/17.

 

I wouldn't get any drag radials for your car. When your all-seasons wear out it wouldn't hurt to upgrade to a set of summer tires for better handling but if off the line traction isn't a problem I wouldn't sacrifice the better treadwear rating