Tips for Etown on Saturday?

[Koll]

What are some tips you veterans can give a rookie? Also, Would I be better of running through the gears (and shifting at around 5k/5500 when I start to run outta cam) or just putting it in D?

[Mike]

it will be easier to talk to you there.....

but if your trannys stock you might find it easiest to just put it in d.....

[foff667]

talk to njspeeder he'll help you out.

[badzracing]

Originally Posted by Koll

What are some tips you veterans can give a rookie? Also, Would I be better of running through the gears (and shifting at around 5k/5500 when I start to run outta cam) or just putting it in D?

There is more line pressure running through the tranny when you shift it manually. Should never race an automatic in "d" unless you don't like your tranny.

[12secondv6]

Which car are you bringing?

Basic things.... less weight makes the car go quicker.

RWD 28 psi rear tires, 50 psi front

FWD 26 psi front tires, 50 psi rear

When was the last time a tune up was done?

If on radial tires go AROUND the water box, not through it.

Once around the water box, give a quick snap of the tires to clean them off.... BIG burn outs don't help.

Roll to the line...... first time, just leave it in overdrive, launch off idle to get a feel for it.

Don't bother manually shifting the auto.

After a couple passes.... slowly raise the rpm's at the line.... this is done with 1 foot on the brake and 1 foot on the gas slightly.

Try idle
Then try 1500
Then try 1600
Then maybe... if it grabs.... 1800 rpm's

I don't know which car you are bringing..

Post the car... and its mods/ suspension, tire.

Look for me.... silver bird... black hood

[Squirrel]

check oil(change if necessary), clean out all the crap you dont need, wear jeans, bring a helmet, bring a pen, get some good sunoco/mobil/exxon gas in there not the local cheap crap 8)

[skorpion317]

as James, Craig, and a bunch of other people will tell you, weight reduction is God. Take the passenger seat and rear seats out, as well as the spare tire and jack. Run the car on a 1/4 tank of gas.

launching - try it at 1500 RPM's. if it spins, launch at a lower RPM. if it grabs, then try a slightly higher RPM the next time.

Burnouts - unless you have drag slicks or drag radials, don't do a prolonged burnout. A quick spin of the tires will do the trick.

Manually shifting an automatic - DON'T do it. you can possibly damage your transmission, and it actually makes you slower. Just leave it in Drive.

Heat - Heat is your enemy. you want the engine to be as cool as possible. that doesn't mean you have to ice it. Just keep your hood open whenever you can. With the air temperature still being cold, it should cool the engine considerably.

[NJSPEEDER]

if the tbi is motor is all stock or exhaust only you are gonna wanna shift it at 5K.
raise your front air pressure to 55-60psi to help teh car roll easier at the track.
rear air pressure shoudl be kept fairly high since you are dealing with a radial tire. once you get into teh 25-27psi range you can start to see teh tread face actualy cuip a little which costs you contact area nd grip.
do not waste your time or your tires on a big burnout. street radial tires are designed to operate in a narrow and rather cool temperature range. if you boil them up they will get oily and spin. just drive around teh water and nail it to flip them over real quick, that will scrape off any crap they have picked up and help you hook.
biggest thing is to jsut have fun.
you can spend some time learning how your car wants to be staged or stalled up at the line whiel you are there as well.

later
tim

[Savage_Messiah]

Doesn't look like I wil be coming out to the track I'll be... finishing my winter mods :P

[Koll]

Originally Posted by 12secondv6

Which car are you bringing?

Roll to the line...... first time, just leave it in overdrive, launch off idle to get a feel for it.

Post the car... and its mods/ suspension, tire.

Its the camaro.
Should I put it in OD? I thought just D was best.
As for mods, there are none. Tires are P215 65 R15 (BF Goodrich)
And unless you consider a shot suspension system a mod (jon and nick can tell you) then nothing has been done.

And I thought only cars that ran under like a 12 ET wore helmets.

[Mike]

all drivers must have long pants and a helmet.

i would say put it in d the first time, if it stays in second gear up to the traps, or shifts realllly late towards the end of the track, try putting it in second for a run...

[Batman]

I don't know if I would pump my street tires to 60 PSI to gain .1. Up to you, but you are primed for a blow out if anything is on the track. I drop the rears to 25 and pump the fronts to maybe 40. Leave the car in D, not OD, although it probably won't matter, I highly doubt you will get much past second gear. Quick spin of the tires to clean them off. Try launchin at 1500 or so and see what the car does and adjust accordingly. Keep in mind the first 60 feet is the most important part of the run

[Tru2Chevy]

Originally Posted by Batman

I don't know if I would pump my street tires to 60 PSI to gain .1. Up to you, but you are primed for a blow out if anything is on the track.

If there is something on the track that is gonna pop your tire, it will cause a blowout at 30 psi too....

Most street tires are rated at 45-50 psi cold, which means that they can handle higher psi than that safely (which happens when they warm up). A 1/4 mile pass that lasts under 20 seconds during which you most likely will not break 100mph will not heat up a rolling (non-drive) tire very much, so bumping up the psi a little bit more isn't really a big deal. I wouldn't recommend 60 psi if the tire is old and beat up, but if it's in good shape, I say go for it. I always pump the rears in my Lumina up to 60psi when I'm at the track...30-32 front and 60 psi rear dropped my 60' time by .05 seconds.

- Justin

[Koll]

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

If there is something on the track that is gonna pop your tire, it will cause a blowout at 30 psi too....

Most street tires are rated at 45-50 psi cold, which means that they can handle higher psi than that safely (which happens when they warm up). A 1/4 mile pass that lasts under 20 seconds during which you most likely will not break 100mph will not heat up a rolling (non-drive) tire very much, so bumping up the psi a little bit more isn't really a big deal. I wouldn't recommend 60 psi if the tire is old and beat up, but if it's in good shape, I say go for it. I always pump the rears in my Lumina up to 60psi when I'm at the track...30-32 front and 60 psi rear dropped my 60' time by .05 seconds.

- Justin

They are fairly new. Les than 2 or 3 months old (back right is a little worn tho )

[NJSPEEDER]

koll, shift it yourself at 5K for the best results. the shift goivernor on stock tbi cars is a bit on teh conservative side(jsut like everything else gm has ever made )

later
tim

[89 Trans Am WS6]

Originally Posted by badzracing

There is more line pressure running through the tranny when you shift it manually. Should never race an automatic in "d" unless you don't like your tranny.

No, there is LESS line pressure in a auto trans if you shift it manually. That is bad.

Also you want your engine at operating temp, not as cold as possible. Thats when damage is done.

What you want cold as possible is your intake charge.

A engine that is at operating temp will be more efficient and make for a cleaner, fuller burn.

[NJSPEEDER]

shifting manually will not have any negative effect on the trans. i put literally 1000+ laps on my old 91rs and only went through 1 tranny. and that was after i had put 80k or more of very effective drag strip, autocross, daily driving, adn open track event abuse on it. all it had in it was a transgo shift kit for about half of that time.

latr
tim

[Savage_Messiah]

Wait, tim had a running camaro!??!

[NJSPEEDER]

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

Wait, tim had a running camaro!??!

THAT'S IT!!! lol

actually my old car was great, i woudl still have it if i had been smart enough to do all that stuff AND put in some subframe connectors. hehe
took the front clip off to do a little bit of spot rust repair and realign the panels and found out the car was 3/4inch out of square just in teh area forward of the firewall. not a good thing
new car will be lighter/faster anyway. that is assuming i ever have time to work on it again.

later
tim

[12secondv6]

Well... since it is your FIRST time down the track... leave the shifter in overdrive......

We want you focusing on driving... and on the road... and not looking at the tach.... and the shifter.

Between rounds... pop the hood

Front tires..... if you want to be conservative... 50 psi cold
Rear tires..... no lower than 28 psi.

Think about this.... when you get there... tires will be hot... once they cool down they will drop 2-3 psi.

Because it is the first time.... we should keep it simple.

If you have any stuff in the car... leave it at home.

You need a helmet... you can rent it at the track.... $2 or $3 and you leave your license with them

Hope that helps.