Going to the track this Friday, need some tips!

[d0n_3d]

OK guys...this will be my first time racing the car on my brand new M/T ET Drag slicks...I plan on running my RA 108 race chip with some 110 leaded race gas and boost turned up as far as it will go (stock turbo)...

what kind of boost should I leave with at the line? what should i put my fuel pressure at for this higher timing chip? right now my fp is at 46 psi with line off...should i tune for a lower fuel pressure while still not knocking? when is too much fuel pressure going to slow me down? i have stock everything except for minor electronic stuff and exhaust...is it possible to put the wastegate rod TOO short??? i want to rip off some low 12's with my combo...check my website for all the mods i have done...temps are supposed to be in the 40's during the night so that will help...think i can do it? can i rip off a low 12??? i am going up against ALOT of rice friday night because it's a domestic vs. import race...thanks for any tips guys...

 

[y-hate]

Give it HELL son, Give it HELL

 

[d0n_3d]

oh i plan on doing that....i just hope i don't break anything!!!

time to fry some RICE!

 

[Jimn8or]

Go to GNTTYPE.org and read the suggestions about your first visit to the track, there's some good advice there. WATCH a few races FIRST, noting how the staging process works, lane right of way and the 'kill it buddy' hand signal and the 'Get that leaking POS off my burnout box' hand signal is a good one too to know.
There are the following BASIC variables that will affect your ET as a start to this list:

Fuel pressure
Boost
Scantool
Tire pressures [yes, front and rear]
Air-bag pressures
O2 condition
Temp
Humidity
Track altitude
Launch boost
Length of burn-out
Type of starting light system
Amount of VHT applied to first 30' of track
The experience to interpolate all the above factors.
Blah, blah blah blah blah.

Absolutely no mal-intent what-so-ever here, but I bet on your first day at the track you'd have a tough time getting a 10 second car to run 12's...I know for certain I couldn't have. Not trying to burst your bubble at all here Don, go out to have fun. Leave the beer at home and become a sponge at the track. Watch your pre-Friday comments amoungst your circle as there are imports out there with far less performance than your GN, but far more experience at the track!! There simply is no substitute for experience.

Good luck and have fun!
HTH
JIm

 

[d0n_3d]

i have raced before just not on slicks...i ripped off a 14.2 and 14.1 up in michigan a few weekends ago on street tires and pump gas with boost at 17 lbs, knocking up to 11 degrees and spinning halfway down the track...not bad i think!

i have had 110 leaded in my car before and 0 knock on 22+ lbs of boost...so i have the traction now with the slicks and i have the race gas so no knock...i think 12's are very doable if things go right...

 

[azgn]

Jim speaks the truth.....you basically have a stock car with slicks on it...launch it as hard as you can.....if you were running 14's before, do not expect 12's with a tire change......take care of the basics, enjoy that cold weather (I would kill for some of that) and have fun

lay low until you know......

 

[UNGN]

First time you go to the track, tune for maximum mph. That way, if the track conditions suck, at least it won't be a total loss. Shoot for at least 108 mph. Anything above 108 and low 12's should be in the bag, no matter what your ET is, now. 105 to 107 is good for not locking the converter and will be good for high 12's. 104 with 22 psi of boost still needs tuning (you can run a twelve, but you are going to need a 1.8 or better 60ft) Knock will kill mph, so tune for no knock (back off the boost or add octane)

Once you are satisfied with the HP number (high mph) then you can work on your launch and wittling down the 60fts.

With a stock turbo, try to leave the line with atleast 3 psi or as much as you can without wheelspin and without having to pedal the car. You want to plant your right foot and hold it there for a 12 count or the finish line, what ever comes first.

 

[JUSTAV6]

What Track Ya Going too??

Originally posted by d0n_3d
i have raced before just not on slicks...i ripped off a 14.2 and 14.1 up in michigan a few weekends ago on street tires and pump gas with boost at 17 lbs, knocking up to 11 degrees and spinning halfway down the track...not bad i think!

i have had 110 leaded in my car before and 0 knock on 22+ lbs of boost...so i have the traction now with the slicks and i have the race gas so no knock...i think 12's are very doable if things go right...

 

[d0n_3d]

U.S. 41 Dragway here in Morocco Indiana...

I am going to be running 110 leaded race gas so there shouldn't be any knocking whatsoever...last time I had 110 in my car I completely scared myself driving on the highway with almost 25 lbs of boost with no knock on the gauge...it was amazing

As for building boost at the line...is it more I build, the harder I launch, the faster I go? Does it make a difference if I leave with 5 lbs or 3 lbs? I will try to launch as much as I can without spinning the slicks.

My car is running great and I will be shooting for that high mph like UNGN said...

 

[azgn]

the more boost you leave with, the better your 60' time and the quicker your et (to a point).....I leave with 15-20 lbs of boost on 28X9 slicks....trust me, you won't spin the slicks (if the track is any good at all!)

.1 in your 60' time is worth about .15 at the other end.....probably the most important part of a 1/4 mile race is the first 60'.....

 

[c&cgn]

Originally posted by d0n_3d


As for building boost at the line...is it more I build, the harder I launch, the faster I go? Does it make a difference if I leave with 5 lbs or 3 lbs? I will try to launch as much as I can without spinning the slicks.

My car is running great and I will be shooting for that high mph like UNGN said...

Yes, more boost = better launch and better ET. Your brakes have to be able to hold the boost though. Line loc, and larger wheel cyl's and shoes help for holding more boost.

I also find that I can launch with more boost if I hold as much as possible and then try to spike the boost up as the lights are coming down. I do this by giving it more gas while my foot is still on the brakes just before I am about to launch. This allows you to launch with more boost than what you can normally "hold" with the brakes.

 

[OKTurbo]

d0n_3d....

I'm not sure about LOW 12's, but I have faith.....you can get a 12.

As far as fuel pressure...I would start with what Red recommends for the 108 chip (43psi - line off). His race chips are fairly rich anyway and they need a lot of boost. I would start at 19-20 lbs of boost at WOT and see what happens. I have a RA108 chip, but haven't been to the track yet to try it out.

You do have a knock gauge, or better yet, a Scanmaster don't you? I checked out your website and it looks like you have the basics taken care of. I noticed your reference to Turbolink....GOOD....but the laptop is kinda hard to see when you're screaming down the track. A Scanmaster / knock gauge would be easier to keep and eye on.

I leave with about 5-7 lbs of boost and get 1.7-1.8 60 foot times using Hoosier QT Pros. A word of caution....the slicks will feel WEIRD going down the track. If you've never driven with slicks, it will seem strange...they kinda "float" down the track. I use 12-14 psi in the QT pros. Not too much of a burnout....just enough to get some smoke....watch the side mirrors. Don't drive through the water box....drive around and back up into it.

The first few times don't worry too much about reaction times....just wait until you're ready and floor it. You'll get the best reaction time if you go on the last yellow light.

Don't spend too much time trying to tune the car at the track....keep it conservative and practice driving. Just relax and try to do your own thing....don't worry about the guy in the other lane. I've lined up against open headered big block that came in on a trailer (I drive mine to the track)....it's intimidating when you can't even hear your car running!

Print out a copy of http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/sunday.html and keep it in your pocket. Read it every chance you get until you know it by heart.

HAVE FUN....

Good Luck,
John

 

[Quickturbosix]

Don is that the "fast and the furious" deal at 41? Tree comes down at 10:30pm right? I might make it there. My car isn't done yet but... I have an extra ecm that is DS ready and I can bring my laptop along if I make it. Maybe I'll see you at the track.

 

[d0n_3d]

Originally posted by Quickturbosix
Don is that the "fast and the furious" deal at 41? Tree comes down at 10:30pm right? I might make it there. My car isn't done yet but... I have an extra ecm that is DS ready and I can bring my laptop along if I make it. Maybe I'll see you at the track.

yup it's the fast and the furious...tree comes down at 10 actually.....test and tune from 4:30 until then...i will be there around 8 because i have to wait for my friend to get off work...he will have a 87 olds cutlass 442...make it if you can man....i would LOVE to see some TR guys there let's fry some rice!

 

[d0n_3d]

Originally posted by d0n_3d


yup it's the fast and the furious...tree comes down at 10 actually.....test and tune from 4:30 until then...i will be there around 8 because i have to wait for my friend to get off work...he will have a 87 olds cutlass 442...make it if you can man....i would LOVE to see some TR guys there it's a GORGEOUS day out today and temps will fall in the 40's tonight so let the turbos sing and let's fry some rice!

 

[blackshoebox]

Just a few little things...

1. Relax, and concentrate on a good launch, don't pay attention to who you are racing, pay attention to how much boost you want to launch with, and then go..remember you can sit at the line however long it takes to build boost, and until you move, the clock does not start.
2. Fill up your front tires with about 45-50 psi, this will help with rolling resistence, I have heard of guys getting up to a tenth with just this trick, i do it all the time when i go to the track. Just remember to deflate them after your done at the track.
3. Write down everything you did( ie fuel pressure, boost level on launch, and @ the top of the traps. Along with any knock(if you have a scan master.)
4. Your FP@46 off the line sounds rich to me, with race gas you should be able to take that down to atleast 42 off the line if not lower. Tune as lean as possible without knock, and you will see maximum mph through the traps. But keep in mindset that you want to drive home after you race, so don't push things, if something goes wrong anytime during the pass, lift out of it. There will always be another time to race
5. I think you mention it was going to be 40 degrees tonight. This is a good thing, you should pick up a tenth or two, just because of that good air.(Us florida guys pray for one or two nights a year like that to race @ the track) Keep in mind through, if it gets colder throughout the night, the car will run leaner so be attentive to FP, and listen for any KR. If you get knock, raise the fp 1-2 psi @ a time.
6. Good luck and post the results, Im curious since i never really had the chance to stretch the limit of the stock equipment, when I got my buick, it had been running low 12's for a while with bolt-ons.

Shoebox

 

[TRENT THOMPSON]

or you can not mess around with going slow and mash the parking brake and leave as hard as you possibly can. it is all in the first 60'. try too get at least 22# of boost in it if there is no knock.

stock cars can go way fast if done right
stock turbo,dp,inj,Ic = 12.01@112.79 1.62 60'
you can do it take my word