I went to Milan Dragway in MI. yesterday to race my05 G.T. for my first time ever. My first run I did 13.59 1/4 mi. at 94.3 mph..The reason I ended up so slow is that I wasn't sure where the Finish Line was so I let up before I reached it. Still a pretty good time I thought since the car in the other lane was a friend of mine with an 85 Camaro with a 330 HP. crate motor and a frequent drag racer {he turned13.87 at 98.9mph}. Man what an adrenaline rush!!! I have a SCT2 programmer and C&L CAI. and was running the Brenspeed 93 octane tune on an other wise stock auto. coupe. My best time was a 13.53 at 102.6mph. I also put my stock air intake and returned it to the factory tune and with what I felt was a good launch turned 14.10 at 97.62mph.My wife also ran the 1/4 but didn't do well[14.80 at 99.5mph.] but loved the experience.Many of the people we went with were very impressed with the runs and the looks of our car and so are we .

 

What is everyone using as a launch rpm for manual trans cars on stock street radials? I seem to be having better 60' times (2.1) with 2000 rpm launch vs. 2500 rpms or higher (where I had 2.2 second 60' times as an average). Should I go lower, maybe 1800 rpms? I am not stomping the gas at the green (last yellow), I am easing the gas on quickly.

Now for the dumb question, am I still in 1st gear at the 60' mark (shifting around 6200 rpms). Just curious if my sideways-slipping at the 1-2 shift is hurting my 60 time or the times further down the track?

 

Throttle steady at 3000 rpm at launch, then feathered clutch while I eased the throttle to the floor. Hardly mattered, though- I left the TCS on!

60' time was still under 2.0

 

I just ran mine at the track for the first time last weekend. It was my first time at the track in any car. My numbers weren't great.... but it was about 38 degrees and the track was completely unprepped. There were lightly modded cavaliers not able to retain traction halfway down the track. Also not enough people out to heat up the ground.

My best 1/4 was 13.96 at 104 mph

my best 60 ft was 2.18 ( I think this is where the lack of traction was really killing me)

I got to put in about 20 runs since there were so few people. I wasn't worried about heatsoak, just the practice of starting off the line.

I never shifted in to 4th, I tried launching anywhere from 1800 - 2500. TC on and off. It seemed that 2000 rpm (on 255-45-18 BFG KDW NTs all the way around) was the best to maintain traction and keep moving down the track. My only other mod is Eibach pro kit springs.

The 104 trap speed makes me think I should have been much faster... opinions? I'm not that experienced with track times.

I also never completely dumped the clutch, it was spinning enough with a feather. (cold weather?)

any suggestions? The very experienced guys I was out with said that a prepped track would make a world of difference. (we were at Lapeer Int. Dragway, MI... ha)

 

You are pulling some good numbers for only having a TB spacer. I heard that the BFG tires you have don't hook up very well, though...

I have only had one run in my car so far, so I'm no pro! Shifting into 4th ruined my ET and my trap speed, that much I do know.

 

Hey guys, this is my first post on this forum. I'm a regular on Mustangworld. I like the setup on this site, very cool. Anyways, I have the current mods and I'm wondering what kind of numbers my car is capable of? I've havn't taken her to the track yet.

06 GT 5spd
3.55
MAC axleback
C&L CAI w/Diablosport high Octane tune, 91
Steeda UDP's
stock 17's

Input would be great, thanks.

 

I went to the track for the first time ever and have pretty close to the same setup. I was running about the 9 sec mark the whole night. That was an 1/8 mile track.

 

I have tried a bunch of ways to launch, TC off and on. By far my best launch was at Fords at E-town a few weeks ago. Pulled a 2.023 60'. My only mod is a Pro5.0 shifter and I was running the stock street tires.

I launched at about 3500, easing off the clutch and onto the gas. Dump the clutch and floor it at this RPM and you'll wheel hop like no other. I may try a lower RPM launch next time and see if I improve the 60' - seems to be the consensus on this board as to the best launch RPM for stock tires.

No way to tell what I ran - we were shortened to 1/8th because of the wind and a leaf blew across the beams before I got to the line. The 5.705 330 ft leads me to believe it would have been somewhere around 13.55-13.60. I ran a 8.933 (8.80 dial in) in the first round (loss), spinning through first (2.077 60').

 

then you must have seen me......i made it into the semi-finals.....dailed in at 8.95 ran and 8.89 what can you do......i must get the launch down pat....i am having way to much wheel hop leaving the line........i try to feather the clutch i guess i am dumping it to hard.........

 

Werked 66 and 06VistaGT,

Are you guys getting wheel hop or wheel spin? I haven't had any problem with wheel hop myself but I am spinning like crazy unless I launch at a pretty low RPM and /or feather the clutch quite a bit.

 

i would say both.....

 

I haven't been to a track yet but I have to go soon or I'm afraid I am going to get in trouble on the streets. I have a 07 GT automatic with only engine mod being a GMS CAI (no tune). This thing feels so fast I can't keep my foot out of it. I'm from the Detroit metro area and have been thinking of going to Lapeer or Milan but I don't no when they close for the season or how good they are. Any comments welcome from you Michigan guys. And by the way, GO BLUE.

 

I had definite wheel hop issues the first few passes I made this summer. I had no clue what I was doing and just dumped the clutch at like 4000 RPM. The run I made in the first round at E-town, I just let off the clutch a little too quickly and spun the tires coming out of the hole.

From my experience, wheel hop is pretty easy to diagnose - the car shakes like mad. I could be wrong, though.

 

So...it sounds like the wheel hop issue is manifesting only when launching at a very high RPM (eg. 4K) for you guys. Is that correct? I think 2800 - 3000 is the highest I have launched at and it spun bad but no wheel hop. I am planning to use a set of drag radials next season. I should be able to launch at much higher RPMs when I get them so I'm wondering if I will encounter the wheel hop issue on the stock LCA's. I am going to wait and see before getting some aftermarket LCA's.

Oh, and by the way...Go Bucks!!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I think it should good game. [/threadjack]

...with Troy Smith being named MVP of the game. okay, okay...I'm done [/threadjack_for_real_this_time]

 

i would say you are correct.....i did everything you did..not sure how high i was launching at but i was wide eyed racing for the first time......

 

I can't wait to do this in the spring. I have 06 GT Vert, auto trans, GMS CAI & GMS Fuego tuner, DynoMax exhaust (willing to sell it to get GMS exhuast).
I've never raced do to bad heart. I got a new mod this summer (heart transplant) so now I can give this a good'ol try.
Input on my plan would be helpful from you auto runners. First I'll be on street trires, but am guessing I drive around water box, turn off TC, line up, do I put in drive (OD off), then appliy brakes and load up the car a bit, and let her go ***** to the wall on green? Does that sound close? Please share good tips to help me look like I know what I'm doing.

 

The ultimate mod.

 

Don't mean to butt-in, I'm not a drag person ('cept at lights), but the AT in the S197 isn't bad, if you take the time to figure out how it responds. I never have to touch the shifter to get the best out of it, but you gotta hit the throttle with just the right amount, and let up easy at the right point, else it bogs down like Bush trying to use his brain...

The only time I've had to "override" the AT computer is on rare occasions at-speed (like, when passing on the highway) and it won't let go of OD.

Don't know if that helps.