Wow Dean I am really surprised that the car launches better with the TC on. When I get on it with the TC on and I spin the tires it feel like someone pulled the coils out of the car. Almost completely dies on launch! Puts me on my nose. Is your TC working correctly?

 

Thanks bud, will be my first time so I'll be trying not to embarass myself first and foremost, everything else is secondary...

 

Well if it doesn't work correctly then atleast it seems to be not working in the right way, if you know what I mean. I think it is my driving skills that make me think the car launches better with it on. I did have 1 good launch with it off, but I still got some spin. The VHT they use on the track just makes street tires slick, my best bet would be DR's or slicks to launch well with TC off. Also I spun 2nd everytime and on some I spun 3rd, so my tire are my weak link. BTW I was the fastest S197 (4 or 5 out to play) that night and only 3 camaros (several out) ran faster than my 13.3 but they where spraying .

1st gear seems really really short now, I bounced off my 6800 red line before I knew it was close to 6000 oops!! What is the best rpm to shift at for the 1/4 with CAI/Tune/LT's?

 

Don't worry Al, my first time out I ran awsome, but my second time to go I killed it 3X doing a burn out, scratched 2nd 2X's, and scratched 3rd 1X. Then this last time I ran good, so you will have good and bad days, all you have to do is practice. My wife said she never knew I killed it, but she heard me grind gears.

 

Oh definately practice is needed LOL Been working on speed-shifting. I've had the car for almost 2 years and haven't missed as many gears as I have in the past few days! Still have to find a nice quiet place near me that I can work on my footwork for doing a burnout, and my launch. I know it is different on the street then it will be at the track but at least I will have a starting point...

 

 

Sure Tom, it's like a disaster. You don't want to look, but somehow you HAVE too. LOL

 

Hey Dean, how much did you end up cutting off from the passenger side hanger?? Looks like I'll need to go in that direction. I got everything to line up, but it turns out that the h-pipe was too tight, and that brought the over-axle pipes in closer to the center. That now causes two problems, first, the mufflers won't line up thats to the tabs at the end of the over-axles, and two, it's now too close to the trunk and rattles against that. So opening the h-pipe up to fix those two I end up with the rattle again from the hanger...

TBH, if it wasn't so noticible at idle (which I guess is where most rattling occurs), I probably wouldn't care as much since I can't hear anything but the headers when I'm pushing it...

 

Al, the hanger on my passenger side was the rattler, and I know it is a BAD rattle. Annoying as heck when car is cold or at idle. I just cut about an inch off the end that stuck out from the other side of the rubber mount, and also tried to bend the hanger on the hpipe down some. It has never made a peep since. Let me know if you need some pics......
Sorry to hear that about your mufflers not lining up, I have my stockers on and never even looked at them till I had everything bolted up and tight. I just got lucky they where lined up when I finished lol. I still need to get the passenger muffler bracket welded now (it is cracked), that is the last rattle on the car, I hope.

 

Appreciate it Dean, I figured that was the case. The muffler rub is because of the way I twisted the over-axle in the h-pipe. Once I clear up the hanger I'll twist the pipes back to normal and that should clear up the mufflers as well!

If you've got pics of the cut and bend you did I'd like to see it. If not, don't go through any trouble, I'm sure I'll see it when I get it off... AGAIN lmao

Either way though, how did you go about bending it without compromising the weld?

 

Now you know why I bought an automatic. Your brain and reflexes don't work as great as they did at Tom's age. We'll see what he is driving in 20 years. So I took the mash and go way!!!!!! It is really pretty easy. I don't have your issues Al.
Scott

 

Thanks Scott, you're a real gem

I like the mash and go method, just trying to keep the 'grind' or 'missed gear' out of the equation.

 

I've been right where you are now..... You'll get the feedback from some posters that says "LEARN TO DRIVE, DUMBA$$".....or "shoulda bought an automatic 'cause they're easier". When really what they mean is "slip the clutch hard, starting at 4000rpm and higher" or "yeah the auto is easier, and I'm lazy and like it that way" respectively.

Truly I think the best thing you can do to improve your times (ruling out practice because if you're like me there just isn't time to get to the track but maybe once a month and we only have four good months of track weather) is to buy a set of sticky drag radials. They not only allow you to hook up with ~300+ rwhp, but they also are forgiving of alot of typical driver errors when it comes to launching without a lot of practice.

In 20 years, I'll probably be dead and gone at the rate I'm moving...... Don't get me wrong, autos have their purpose and the 5r55s in these cars is actually a really good auto trans.

Rule #1: don't take advice on driving a manual trans from someone who now drives an auto.

 

It's simple really, I just need to go, mess up, take my lumps, and learn so I can get better. I can ask all the question I want, but nothing applies until I am there doing it.

 

Well you guys have heard my next advise more than you want too. Take the advise of your elders. It's a live and learn life. Heck a year ago Tom was all over the Vortec SC when I keep telling him twinscrews and just the other day he was pumping up how good the Saleen TS was. So I guess he got a little older in the last year!!

 

Yeah...in Minivans

 

I just used a pry bar, put it between the part that it rubbed and the hanger and pryed it down about 1cm, then used an air cut off tool to trim 1in off, a grinder would work too.

I did not make pics as I worked but I can see if I can take a good one with the car on the ground when I get home. Good Luck!

 

hhahahaa

Good info Dean.

 

ouch!! :-)

 

Sorry...couldn't resist.