Going to the Track

[habitatguy187]

Ok, in three weeks i'm going to the track to race my father in laws 73' cuda (around 400hp). So I decided to practice a couple launches the other night, and even around 2500rpm I'd just sit there and slip the clutch. The clutch is stock and doesn't slip even in 5th, but I can't launch it at all. Am I doing something wrong? I thought you just revved up and dropped it??? Any help will be appreciated as I'm sick of being made fun of for my foreign car. Also any tips for the track? Thanks

 

[habitatguy187]

BTW I also have a ported 2g exhaust manifold and a heavily ported 2g o2 housing ready to install.

 

[Boost92awd]

Rev it up to about 4500 rpms and slip the clutch. Your trying to launch your car at way to low of RPM.


Here check this out to.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/175287-launching-your-car.html

 

[2GAWD4U2NV]

Those 2 upgrades will help a little on spool up, not really hp though. Actually you are slipping the clutch. Factory clutch, I'm guessing, might be around 1800lbs? I can slip my ACT 2600. It just depends on how much you let out on the clutch. You have to "feel" it. Launching a car and dumping the clutch will only get you a bogged launch, and possibly broken axles. Easiest thing to do, you didnt' state what size turbo you have, but I imagine this will work for almost any up to 800hp+. First of all, on my T-25 I had a 1.8 seconds 60 foot and 8.7 seconds on the 1/8th mile. I know how to launch these cars. That was also without two step, anti-lag, or NLTS. 2g factory ECU. Anyways, before you get to the staging line, stop about 3 feet away from the staging line. Pull E-brake up and apply throttle, say about 3k, and slip the clutch until you stage. Doing so well teach you where your clutch starts to engage, disengage, and well set you up for the launch. Keeping the E-brake pulled up slightly, you now want to stage. When you hit the first light, allow the other person to stage both lights before continuing,you then want to pull harder on the E-brake and then hit the second light. You now want to pull even harder on the E-brake not allowing you car to move forward and begin to slip the clutch at around 4500rpms. It will want to catch and go, just pull on the E-brake enough so where it won't. This preloads the suspension and reduces 60 foot time and axles from snapping. Win win scenario. Plus if it's AWD, it's going to pop your head off the back of the seat. . If you do it right, you actually are only slipping the clutch from the time both cars are staged at 2 lights and then the light drops, approximately 1 second? Longer clutch life and drivetrain life. If my car was running I'd throw a Launch Technique Vid in. That will be in the next 2 weeks. 8 month build should be finished this week. WOOHOO! 450awhp!

 

[soldave]

Those 2 upgrades will help a little on spool up, not really hp though. Actually you are slipping the clutch. Factory clutch, I'm guessing, might be around 1800lbs? I can slip my ACT 2600. It just depends on how much you let out on the clutch. You have to "feel" it. Launching a car and dumping the clutch will only get you a bogged launch, and possibly broken axles. Easiest thing to do, you didnt' state what size turbo you have, but I imagine this will work for almost any up to 800hp+. First of all, on my T-25 I had a 1.8 seconds 60 foot and 8.7 seconds on the 1/8th mile. I know how to launch these cars. That was also without two step, anti-lag, or NLTS. 2g factory ECU. Anyways, before you get to the staging line, stop about 3 feet away from the staging line. Pull E-brake up and apply throttle, say about 3k, and slip the clutch until you stage. Doing so well teach you where your clutch starts to engage, disengage, and well set you up for the launch. Keeping the E-brake pulled up slightly, you now want to stage. When you hit the first light, allow the other person to stage both lights before continuing,you then want to pull harder on the E-brake and then hit the second light. You now want to pull even harder on the E-brake not allowing you car to move forward and begin to slip the clutch at around 4500rpms. It will want to catch and go, just pull on the E-brake enough so where it won't. This preloads the suspension and reduces 60 foot time and axles from snapping. Win win scenario. Plus if it's AWD, it's going to pop your head off the back of the seat. . If you do it right, you actually are only slipping the clutch from the time both cars are staged at 2 lights and then the light drops, approximately 1 second? Longer clutch life and drivetrain life. If my car was running I'd throw a Launch Technique Vid in. That will be in the next 2 weeks. 8 month build should be finished this week. WOOHOO! 450awhp!

But isn't the clutch slipping from the point you hit 3k and start the staging process until you actually launch? Or are you letting off the clutch inbetween these steps?

 

[nlzn]

Everyone has their own technique. I prefer to do a slight slip (I run a 2100 with my 16g setup, I put down about 280) ill let it out just enough to where I can feel it start to release and I'll hold at about 5 1/2grand and feather it into second to stay out of spinning.

You can do a full dump from 5500 and above on that stock turbo and not bog but you're shocking the hell out of the drivetrain when it hooks.

 

[2GAWD4U2NV]

But isn't the clutch slipping from the point you hit 3k and start the staging process until you actually launch? Or are you letting off the clutch inbetween these steps?

Not really. I used slipping to make it a little easier on him. It's more of an engage just enough to roll to the first staging line. Then the same to the second staging line. That's when you actually "slip" the clutch as you have the E-brake preloading the suspension, not allowing the car to roll forward, yet the car is in gear and clutch is engaged slightly.

Also, I would like to add, coming off the tree, you don't ride the clutch out, nor do you "dump" the clutch. You find a mixture in between the two. It will keep rpms higher, builds better boost off the line, and overrall is just a better more productive way to launch (in my opinion, you know what those are like though). Here, take a look at this. It will help explain it better: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dsm-video-links/295024-eclipse-gsx-vs-mustang-gt.html

If you go to that, look underneath the vid. It tells you what mods I was on.

 

[under50k226]

Ok, in three weeks i'm going to the track to race my father in laws 73' cuda (around 400hp). So I decided to practice a couple launches the other night, and even around 2500rpm I'd just sit there and slip the clutch. The clutch is stock and doesn't slip even in 5th, but I can't launch it at all. Am I doing something wrong? I thought you just revved up and dropped it??? Any help will be appreciated as I'm sick of being made fun of for my foreign car. Also any tips for the track? Thanks

Yup you're not using enough RPM's. I ran a 14.961 and slipped the clutch from between 5000 and 5500. I had a 60' time of 2.023 sec, which I think sucks. The guy there with a 92' said he was at 13psi with the stock clutch, stock stuff. And he ran a 14.02. He said that he was bringing his to the red line at the stage, and then slipping it from there, no drivetrain shock it just shot off. It was cool. Unlike me... But ne way its different for every car, and surface. By the way do you guys think that is cool to sit a stock one up there where the red line starts? His looked to be fine and had way more miles than mine, way more.

And have fun racing your father in law good luck to you.

 

[chanley talon]

What does his 73 cuda run? Is it the 8th or the quarter mile? Your mods suggest to me at best a 8.90 in the 8th mile But heres a tip if you dont have a down pipe i would remove if possible you stock one for the race. Also find 110 octane or higher race fuel really helps with knock. Turn your boost up a liltle while running race fuel . Oh and Make sure the cuda is running on street tires hahaha. You could remove the spare tire and jack from the trunk and the passenger seat. All this will make lower e.t.s . If your really serious you could remove the power steering belt but you need to leave alternator belt on. hope this helps ya.

 

[habitatguy187]

What does his 73 cuda run? Is it the 8th or the quarter mile? Your mods suggest to me at best a 8.90 in the 8th mile But heres a tip if you dont have a down pipe i would remove if possible you stock one for the race. Also find 110 octane or higher race fuel really helps with knock. Turn your boost up a liltle while running race fuel . Oh and Make sure the cuda is running on street tires hahaha. You could remove the spare tire and jack from the trunk and the passenger seat. All this will make lower e.t.s . If your really serious you could remove the power steering belt but you need to leave alternator belt on. hope this helps ya.

, yeah it's 1/4 mile. And yes, he'll be on street tires. And he's never ran the cuda so he doesn't know, I'll let everyone know in about 3 weeks .

 

[cougarelimin8or]

Do not dump the clutch. I made that mistake while launching and instead of slipping it I by mistake dumped it and the car launched at 5200 rpm and fell flat on its face. From dumping the clutch I receved a 2.6 second 60 foot time. The next run I slipped the clutch at 5200 rpm and got a 1.8 second 60 foot...you do the math

 

[2GAWD4U2NV]

Do not dump the clutch. I made that mistake while launching and instead of slipping it I by mistake dumped it and the car launched at 5200 rpm and fell flat on its face. From dumping the clutch I receved a 2.6 second 60 foot time. The next run I slipped the clutch at 5200 rpm and got a 1.8 second 60 foot...you do the math

Also, dumping the cluthc, especially at higher rpms shocks the drivetrain... I mean you are at +/- 4500 rpms and you let all the way out on the clutch all at once... Broken axle anyone? Maybe a little gear rippin'? Haha