1st time to track... I can't drive!

[BlackBeauty]

I need tips please. As the subject says, I went to the track last night for the first time with this car. My car is set up for 12's (I believe), I just had to figure out how to launch it. Here's my set-up to give an idea:
stock turbo/ic/injectors
adj. fpr (45psi line off)
Walbro 307 hot-wired
9" K&N
adj. wastegate rod (24psi)
Thrasher 92
Hooker cat-back
SMC alky kit (spray on 15psi, pump speed 8)
BFG DR's 275/60/15 (30psi, mounted on stock wheels)

I believe that's all, performance-wise. Anyway, on my 1st and 2nd run, I launched at about 1lb. of boost, cause I didn't want to power brake for long to overkill the tranny. I would just stand on the brake, and when the tree starts counting down, then I would floor it and go. I ran a 13.996@100.81 . So that's pretty far off from what I was hoping for. My 60' was 2.2, not good. On the 2nd run, same thing, except I raised fp to 46 line off, got a 13.81@100.58. So on the third run, since I read about you guys launching with anywhere from 15-25psi , I did a good burn-out before approaching the line to heat up the DR's, then built boost to 5psi and launched, spun half way down the track. I had to let off to stop spinning, then got back on it. 60' 2.398, ET 16 . That's when I decided it was time to go home, since I was being bugged about not having a helmet (why do I need one, I have a 16 second car). The reason I bought the DR's was so I could HOOK. What do you all suggest? Should I run lower tire pressure (didn't think of it at the time)? Airbags (I don't have posi)? Thanks.

 

[FJM568]

You're mph would need to be around 106-8 for a high 12 sec car...ET will come from traction...You can have a really crappy 60' and still mph high but have a slow ET but if you get traction and cut a good 60' with the same power levels, your mph will still be about the same but your ET will get better...MPH is a better indicator of how much power you are making...

Tune your car in w/o the alky until you get it running right...Then add the alky and tune it in...

Did you have a scantool hooked up??? What kind of readings were you getting??? More info would be good so that we could help you out more... It'll just take some more tuning...

 

[BlackBeauty]

I have all that stuff tuned somewhat, I have a ScanMaster and all that, but I was just lookin' for advice on launching, since my 60'ers were so bad, considering the DR's. I wanna know if airbags would make that much of a difference.

 

[FJM568]

You should be able to run 12s with race gas on the stock stuff...Airbags will help you on traction...but the power isn't there to run the mph you need to hit 12s...

I would shut the alky off, drain your gas tank, refill with race gas, and run the piss out of it...I don't know much about tuning with alky, but something is definately wrong with the tune...Actually if you shut the alky off and back the boost to about 17# on the 92 oct pump gas, you should run about the same numbers, around 14 @ 100...put race gas in it and go over 20# on the boost and low 13s should be there(with tweaking)...

Don't take this the wrong way, but a lot of people throw parts on their car and expect it to run 11s untuned...It don't happen that way...You have to tune, tune, tune...Personally, as I've said, I've never run alky, but it sounds to me like your flooding the motor with it...Lean the alky jets out and till you get some detonation...go conservative on the boost, then gradually increase the jets on the alky and increase the boost little by little until you don't see any gains or slows down or more detonation...These cars are very responsive to tweaking, you just need to know how to do it...Watch your scantool, O2s read a little different when running alky, from what I've heard...

Is there anyone else in your area that can help you out???

 

[UNGN]

Don't try to go fast with a T92. Use a T100 or a T108. The T92 is for driving to the track, not driving down the track. Mine gives up 4-5 mph in the 1/8th mile vs. a T108.

Make a TC lock up switch. Worth a proven .2 seconds and 2 mph, no matter how bad your launch is.

Lower your tire pressure down to 18 psi. Get a right side air bag. Put 25-30 psi in it (this will help compensate for the lack of positraction). Dman33 was cutting mid 1.5's without a posi by leaving a 15 psi and having 40 psi in the bag + slicks. The huge boost launch help plant the tires into the pavement. Coming out at 1/2 throttle and pedalling it will never plant the tires. With a stock turbo launch at about 5 psi and keep raising the right side airbag pressure until it hooks (or you get to 40 psi)

Turn the fuel pressure back to 45 psi. Why would you raise it? That is dumb. If it knocks, add octane or lower the boost. With thrasher chips, Don't mess with the fuel pressure until you are running 11.9's not 13.9's, unless you have some type of super wideband O2 sensor that says you don't have enough fuel pressure.

 

[turboost]

Your 1st time track experience sounds exactly like mine. I had all the stuff in the sig except the 51 and THdp. I had street radials and a 93/110 mix with some alcohol. When I bought the car it ran 12.7 on slicks. My first pass down the track was a 13.9 @ 99mph. I then added the 108 chip and got a 14.0 at 100mph, then a 13.8@101. The lowest I got that night was a 13.6 @ about 102mph. The next day I came back and started making adjustments and by the end of the day I was running a 13.0 @ 105mph with no boost off the line 21psi and a crappy 108 chip (acts like it has a built in stutter at 1700rpm and won't rev any higher till about 3/4 throttle). It just takes time and lots of tuning and practice. You are running more tire pressure with those than I was running with my street tires. I did notice that last week when I dropped my fp down 3 psi on the stock turbo it pull considerably harder and my o2's were still right around the 790-800 range so just start tuning it a little at a time and practice.

 

[BlackBeauty]

Thanks for the tips and advice FJM, UNGN, and TurboBoost.

I've never run alky, but it sounds to me like your flooding the motor with it...Lean the alky jets out and till you get some detonation...go conservative on the boost, then gradually increase the jets on the alky and increase the boost little by little until you don't see any gains or slows down or more detonation...

I did all that yesterday, and it seems like I had it right to begin with. I often read people on this board with their alky pump speed way up in the 7-9 area when running 20+psi, so I don't think I'm flooding the motor.
UNGN, are you suggesting I run a 108 octane chip with 93 pump gas and alky? I will search on how to make the TC lock-up switch, and I'm thinkin' about ordering a pair of airbags tomorrow (Summit sells them in pairs, $62). I rose fp because I was getting a little bit of knock down the track every couple seconds (~.9KR), and then it would go away. Also my freakin' fp gauge leaks (I exchanged the original one that leaked for this one that leaks), so I hope that doesn't give me faulty readings. I will keep trying to tune.

 

[FJM568]

Pump gas and alky is almost like higher oct race gas...The higher timing race chip will give you more power with pump gas and alky than your 93 oct chip...Your motor will be more responsive...You just need to make sure you never run out of alky when running the higher timing chip...

 

[UNGN]

Originally posted by BlackBeauty
UNGN, are you suggesting I run a 108 octane chip with 93 pump gas and alky?

No but a T100 is a much better chip for the track than the T92. The T92 won't get out of its own way in 3rd gear. For the track, I would use race gas, anyway. If I had the choice of running mid 13's with alchy and a T92 or spending 20 bucks on race gas and running low 12's with a T108, I know what I'd do. Not everyone thinks like me though, so with alchy I'd give the T100 a shot and run lower boost from your T92 setting. It still should be quicker than the 92.

 

[BlackBeauty]

Does locking the convertor harm the tranny?

 

[UNGN]

Originally posted by BlackBeauty
Does locking the convertor harm the tranny?

Ummm, lets see. My tranny and converter have about 95K miles on them and they are unrebuilt original. I have no aftermarket trans cooler and have run 400 or so drag strip passes with probably 80% of those locking the converter at WOT. Last time I went to the track (late november 2001 - i've been rained out a couple times this year) I ran the quickest and fastest it has ever run.

Is it hard on the transmission? Yes. Racing in general is hard on the transmission.

Will it cause something to break? If locking the converter on a 12 second car causes something to break, it was going to break, anyway.

 

[Famlycar]

Originally posted by BlackBeauty
I need tips please. As the subject says, I went to the track last night for the first time with this car. My car is set up for 12's (I believe), I just had to figure out how to launch it. Here's my set-up to give an idea:
stock turbo/ic/injectors
adj. fpr (45psi line off)
Walbro 307 hot-wired
9" K&N
adj. wastegate rod (24psi)
Thrasher 92
Hooker cat-back
SMC alky kit (spray on 15psi, pump speed 8)
BFG DR's 275/60/15 (30psi, mounted on stock wheels)

I believe that's all, performance-wise. Anyway, on my 1st and 2nd run, I launched at about 1lb. of boost, cause I didn't want to power brake for long to overkill the tranny. I would just stand on the brake, and when the tree starts counting down, then I would floor it and go. I ran a 13.996@100.81 . So that's pretty far off from what I was hoping for. My 60' was 2.2, not good. On the 2nd run, same thing, except I raised fp to 46 line off, got a 13.81@100.58. So on the third run, since I read about you guys launching with anywhere from 15-25psi , I did a good burn-out before approaching the line to heat up the DR's, then built boost to 5psi and launched, spun half way down the track. I had to let off to stop spinning, then got back on it. 60' 2.398, ET 16 . That's when I decided it was time to go home, since I was being bugged about not having a helmet (why do I need one, I have a 16 second car). The reason I bought the DR's was so I could HOOK. What do you all suggest? Should I run lower tire pressure (didn't think of it at the time)? Airbags (I don't have posi)? Thanks.

You think you can't drive at least you didn't do your burnout in REVERSE like I did the first time I ever went to the track. It takes practice, and more practice. I don't know how much of a burnout you do with the BFG's but I would just turn them over enough to get the trash off. I took a GN with complete stock suspension and sorry Hoosier QT Pros and cut a 1.77 60ft. The car was stock except for exhaust, Green Stripes, and Cold Air kit. Practice, practice, and more practice. Good Luck.