Tried again.. FAIL

Riptide · 06-20-2009, 11:06 AM

We had street legals last night at the track and so I went out wanting to work on my 60'. The DA was pretty bad, 5000', though it does get worse later on during the summer out here.

Just can't seem to figure out how to launch the car. I ran it 10x and tried experimenting with launching from 2000-2800rpm. No matter what I do I just can't seem to find the sweet spot between the clutch and the throttle where the tires hook up. I'm either spinning or I'm bogging it right as I get the clutch out. 2.4 60' times almost the entire night. I managed a single 2.3. And I turned TC on as a test and got a 2.2.

Kinda getting a little discouraged. Mishri has a pussy auto and the same setup as I do except he has 4.10 gears and UDP,CMDP. Same stock tires. No problems getting 2.1 60' times for him.

I'll give this one more shot but I'm getting to the point where if I can't get this down then I think it's getting close to where I need to make a decision. Do I want better times at the drag strip or do I want the fun of driving a manual car? It's looking like I'm no AmericanSpeed.

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S8ER01Z · 06-20-2009, 11:24 AM

Clutch slip for the win. Just remember it's not an on / off switch.

I slip the clutch out slow until I am about 10 ft from the tree.

USMCrebel · 06-20-2009, 11:53 AM

smell the clutch!!! it means your slipping it right if you can

Mishri · 06-20-2009, 02:17 PM

the funny thing is my best 60fts i did it with no burnout and just revving it to about 1k-1.5k then flooring it..(2.0 60ft) i can hear my tires squeeling but it always gets me a better 60ft than trying to leave w/o spinning.. also.. when i was intake/tune only my 60fts were all 2.4s and it didn't matter what my launch technique was.. (TC on or off)

just get some dragradials!!

candymanjl · 06-20-2009, 02:35 PM

my best 60' on my first trip to the track with my bone stock car and the stock 400 treadwear perelli's was a 2.1. like you I tried several different things. I personally think that wheel hop is my worst enemy at the moment. I agree with some of the other guys that slipping the clutch is probably the best way to launch the car with near stock power but I don't feel like replacing my clutch soon

like Mishri said, just get some drag radials and then it's way easier

Stkjock · 06-20-2009, 03:12 PM

I agree with the slip of the clutch technique, without DRs somethings gotta give, and for traction gotta be the clutch

AmericanSpeed · 06-20-2009, 03:28 PM

Just keep practicing man. If you are bogging on some and spinning on the others, you know you are working your way to that middle ground and sweet spot.

It will come! And when you do eventually get that nice 60', you will know. I remember the first time I pulled a really good 60', it felt so much different. You will really feel the car plant your @ss in the seat.

I wasn't pulling good 60' times for a good while, takes time bro.

Riptide · 06-20-2009, 03:33 PM

Are you guys serial? I need to smell the clutch? Yikes! :/

Meh I'm not gonna give up yet. I agree with Mishri that if anything the drag strip is fun just because where else can you do 0-100mph legally.

At some point though a person has to know their limitations. I shouldn't need to run the car 50-60x before I start to improve. At that point something needs to change. Either I need to ditch the car and get the auto or I need someone who knows what they are doing to help me out.

Should I be trying to practice this stuff before I go to the drag strip? It's illegal ofcourse to hit 60mph on most roads around here but it might be easier on the car to practice launches that way since I don't need to go balls out for 1320'.

Stkjock · 06-20-2009, 04:03 PM

you dont need an auto, get some DRs on 17s and it'll be easier to get it to hook

Riptide · 06-20-2009, 04:42 PM

I know that would help man. But Mishri's 4.10 geared auto didn't need them. And neither did AmericanSpeed's car.

It's a band-aid for poor driving. That's why I keep resisting them. And if I get them and eventually get FI then I'm back to the same problem again.

I don't quit easily I'll go out a time or two again and try. But another 30x down the strip I better have some results or I'm gonna have to just suck it up and admit that I can't drive a manual nearly as good as I thought I could.