[GO 4LO]

Hi, guys,
We may be able to get our '91 TT out to the 1/4 track this weekend. Right now, it's bone stock. It has a new clutch (couple thousand miles), but it is a stock replacement clutch, not an RPS or anything. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you have suggestions on track driving. What rpm would be best to launch at with a stock-type clutch? Powershift or no? What rpm to shift at - redline? Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated, as we're new to this car. Thanks.
Chris

 

[KD4PWH]

Here ya go man...check this out.
http://www.team3s.com/FAQlaunch1.htm


Chris

 

[GO 4LO]

Great! Thanks for the info!
Chris

 

[maTT]

launch between 4500-5500rpm. dump the clutch, no slipping it!

keep you right foot to the floor the entire time. Never lift it. Shift at redline. dont worry about hitting the rev limiter, the ecu will just let it bounce there.

have fun, try not to miss 2nd

 

[GO 4LO]

Matt, do you seriously suggest dumping the clutch at that rpm, and full powershifting? The reason I ask is because the link above seems to suggest that this method will leave driveline parts lying on the pavement. If this will give us a better time, though, we'd try it (though we won't drive like that on the street). Thanks!
Chris

 

[ukyo]

launch between 4500-5500rpm. dump the clutch, no slipping it!

keep you right foot to the floor the entire time. Never lift it. Shift at redline. dont worry about hitting the rev limiter, the ecu will just let it bounce there.

have fun, try not to miss 2nd

I don't know Matt... I bounced off the rev limiter on my 2 - 3 and the car died on me. I ended up coasting the last few hundred feet to the traps.

Be careful hitting the rev llimiter. There's no harm in it, but it may turn the car off.

 

[cotmfk]

I don't know Matt... I bounced off the rev limiter on my 2 - 3 and the car died on me. I ended up coasting the last few hundred feet to the traps.

Ouch, that'll hurt the times!

 

[maTT]

my techniques should get you the quickest time, however they are not a "nice" thing to do to your car! If you drag race, you will break something. Probably not tomorrow, or the next day, but eventually it will.

However, I believe dumping the clutch is WAY better than slipping it. Once you start to slip it, it will just spin and spin and glaze your clutch rendering it useless.

I didn't have any problems with my car until I did a 6500+ clutch dump. That broke my clutch and flywheel (but there were no parts on the ground and I was able to drive home ) But it luanched like a mofo!

 

[wraith]

With a stock clutch, I recommend launching with the rpms above 3500-4300rpm bouncing up and down and time the up so it coincides with your clutch slip, then floor it as it grabs then shift quick to 2nd before it hits the rev limiter and do full on offs with the clutch and gas pedal. A stock clutch is pretty good, but its not going to handle the full throttle shifts well---your gonna smoke the crap out of it! Take 2nd all the way to redline, then shift to third and ride third through the traps. Don't worry about the rest of the 1/4 mile, just work on that initial launch for your first time. Bouncing the revs works best for me so I don't bog and it launches hard w/o that driveline crunching feeling.

Sam

 

[GO 4LO]

So you think we might be better off with, say, a 3500 drop than a 4500 slip? What if we slip it really fast, but don't quite drop it? Would that help? Also, this is a stock clutch, not RPS, so slipping might hurt even more, huh? I want to run fast times, but can't have this car break on us, as this is my gf's daily driver. Thanks.
Chris

 

[GO 4LO]

Oh, I see what you're saying, wraith. One question, though - do you not run first to redline, then? Just curious - why not?
Chris

 

[wraith]

Well yah, I never mentioned that because when you launch like I said, the boost comes on hard and the revs sky-rocket towards the limiter so fast, it feels like your out of first almost immediately. In other words, first gear would be run all the way to the limiter and sometimes if 2nd sticks your bouncing off the limiter before you actually get in 2nd.

Sam

 

[wraith]

If you drop it at 3500 rpm, the boost will not have a chance to really build and it will bog. If you slip it at 3500, you will load the engine more gradually and boost will build faster and then as you let the clutch out, the clutch will have to do more work trying to get a hold of the flywheel, but this will allow the car to move faster without falling on its face. Thats why I suggested bouncing the revs (blip the throttle) and sort of slip/drop (more like a drop but not side-stepping it) the clutch when the revs are on their way up (a bit higher then 3500rpm).

Sam

 

[KD4PWH]

But it luanched like a mofo!

I have seen Matt launch, and yes they are pretty insane! Check out this vid this is where Jack wrecked, and I think this is the race that messed Matt's clutch up. But the launch is great!

Matt's car is the red one.

http://web.qx.net/cm1994/Jack.mpg



Later,

Chris

 

[maTT]

Yeah that was it! That race cost both of us a lot of $$ my car is still down Glad you liked the launch though

I have seen VR4_OWNER (mike) launch his stock vr4 at the track many times. he drives that thing hard and it has NEVER broke!!! We use to go to the track every week! He launches at 4500-5500 and just dumps it. I still think this is the best way, but whatever works for you 8)

 

[Toxic13]

when JoeG ran his 13.09 bone stock i believe he was revving to about 5k then slipping the clutch out untill it grabbed then hitting 6500rpms and dropping it. he said he when he shifted he only let the throttle off the floor about an inch or so. this was good for 1.7 60' times and something like a ~105mph trap.

 

[JeremyG]

Check out this vid this is where Jack wrecked,

http://web.qx.net/cm1994/Jack.mpg

Holy cow, what happened to Jack's car??? How much damage?

I love the "oh shit" on the end of the video...

is there a continuation video that shows what happened?? Or pics?

 

[KD4PWH]

Holy cow, what happened to Jack's car??? How much damage?

I love the "oh shit" on the end of the video...

is there a continuation video that shows what happened?? Or pics?

The spot where we were racing wasn't really a good one. There was a pretty sharp left turn at the end of the straight area. Apparently, Jack was going to fast for the turn and lost control of his car, hopped a curb and ran into a fence. Here are a few pic that Eric Bowden took.

He has his car fixed now. He did a 99 conversion on the front end. It looks sweet!!

Chris