Any suggestions for a drag strip newb?

[falanger]

So it finally warmed up enough here yesterday to try out my new Dragy. I did a couple of runs on a deserted, private road and the results were interesting. The car is putting down some power for sure (93 mph 1/8 mile, 117 in the 1/4 mile) but the ET (8.4 and 12.6) sucks because I have so little traction and so much wheelspin off the line. Definitely suffering from a case of AWD envy right now.

The tracks will be opening soon and I hope to improve so I won't get embarrassed out there. Other than throwing on some drag radials, is there anything I can do to get a better time?

 

[C Mandy]

So it finally warmed up enough here yesterday to try out my new Dragy. I did a couple of runs on a deserted, private road and the results were interesting. The car is putting down some power for sure (93 mph 1/8 mile, 117 in the 1/4 mile) but the ET (8.4 and 12.6) sucks because I have so little traction and so much wheelspin off the line. Definitely suffering from a case of AWD envy right now.

The tracks will be opening soon and I hope to improve so I won't get embarrassed out there. Other than throwing on some drag radials, is there anything I can do to get a better time?

Just wondering what's done to the car already. mine is stock and I have gone 12.903 at 107.51mph. 117 trap speed is a 12.0 possibly 11.9. If you run at a good track they should have it prepped with VHT. traction shouldn't be an issue. The track we run at does it twice a night and my son can launch his pickup in 2wd and not spin

 

[Doel]

Not much too it at a drag strip. Make sure to avoid the water box, do not drive through it, go around. You can back into it and in the damp (not wet) area in front of it, spin your tires just for a sec to get any debris off. Launch control and go. You can play with rear tire pressures, but don't go below 25 lbs. If you have a JB4, you can boost by gear.

 

[brancky3]

Your trap speeds are great - you have JB4 and what else? Definitely try boost by gear on the street (try entering 5.0 in 1st gear) but at the track you may not need it at all.

 

[falanger]

Just wondering what's done to the car already. mine is stock and I have gone 12.903 at 107.51mph. 117 trap speed is a 12.0 possibly 11.9. If you run at a good track they should have it prepped with VHT. traction shouldn't be an issue. The track we run at does it twice a night and my son can launch his pickup in 2wd and not spin

I have a JB4 running maps 3 or 5, 30+ % E85, Injen intake, SSR pipes and Ark catback. With all that, the car launches like a rocket, hell I even get wheelspin all the way thru 1st in ECO mode..lol.

But it sounds like I need to just hold off and keep the WOT runs to the track only.

 

[falanger]

Your trap speeds are great - you have JB4 and what else? Definitely try boost by gear on the street (try entering 5.0 in 1st gear) but at the track you may not need it at all.

JB4, intake, midpipes (which I thought were downpipes), and catback. With all that the car is just an out of control fish on dry land, sliding side to side, fighting for traction all the way thru 1st.

Not to sound even more newb-ish, but, how do I enter boost by gear? Is that different than entering lower boost on map 6?

 

[brancky3]

JB4, intake, midpipes (which I thought were downpipes), and catback. With all that the car is just an out of control fish on dry land, sliding side to side, fighting for traction all the way thru 1st.

Not to sound even more newb-ish, but, how do I enter boost by gear? Is that different than entering lower boost on map 6?

Open JB4 > Settings > User Adjustment > in the 2nd 'section' you'll see 'max boost 1st, max boost 2nd'. The value you enter here will be the amount of boost JB4 subtracts, NOT the max. So if you are hitting 16psi and you enter '6' on 'max boost 1st', you'll be hitting 10psi instead.

 

[falanger]

Open JB4 > Settings > User Adjustment > in the 2nd 'section' you'll see 'max boost 1st, max boost 2nd'. The value you enter here will be the amount of boost JB4 subtracts, NOT the max. So if you are hitting 16psi and you enter '6' on 'max boost 1st', you'll be hitting 10psi instead.

Wow how did I not know that. Thank you so much, I'll try this when I get out later.

 

[Soca Boy]

Does the JB4 void your warranty?

 

[Doel]

Does the JB4 void your warranty?

if they see it on your car, yes. It's easily removed though.

 

[Soca Boy]

Ok, so just pop it off before service.

 

[falanger]

Your trap speeds are great - you have JB4 and what else? Definitely try boost by gear on the street (try entering 5.0 in 1st gear) but at the track you may not need it at all.

Ok so I tried lowering the boost and went out for a quick run....and promptly threw a CEL. I checked through the JB4 and it was code P0049. Thankfully resetting the battery cured it...

 

[brancky3]

Ok so I tried lowering the boost and went out for a quick run....and promptly threw a CEL. I checked through the JB4 and it was code P0049. Thankfully resetting the battery cured it...

What was your setting in the app? Did you get a log by chance?

 

[Doel]

What was your setting in the app? Did you get a log by chance?

I second the log question, that's an overboost CEL I believe. You didn't turn up the boost by accident did you?

 

[brancky3]

I second the log question, that's an overboost CEL I believe. You didn't turn up the boost by accident did you?

He did mention something about map 6 above... maybe it was just a happy little accident

 

[Doel]

He did mention something about map 6 above... maybe it was just a happy little accident

lol overboosting is never a happy accident.... that's how you blow a motor. He got lucky that didn't happen.

 

[falanger]

What was your setting in the app? Did you get a log by chance?

I set max boost in 1st gear to 6, and I attempted the run on map 5. I wasn't able to get a log because it happened so fast; I remember a strong launch with a bit of wheelspin, then hesitation after it shifted to second, then the CEL.

I looked up the code and it appears it was turbo overspeed. After the battery reset, the CEL was cleared and it didn't happen again, though I tried all other runs on map 3.

 

[Doel]

I set max boost in 1st gear to 6, and I attempted the run on map 5. I wasn't able to get a log because it happened so fast; I remember a strong launch with a bit of wheelspin, then hesitation after it shifted to second, then the CEL.

I looked up the code and it appears it was turbo overspeed. After the battery reset, the CEL was cleared and it didn't happen again, though I tried all other runs on map 3.

make sure you get the logs over to Terry so he can look at them

 

[falanger]

So I wanted to bump this rather than start a new thread to share my boneheaded newb mistake I made last night at the track....

I've been a few times but I cannot get the tree down and always end up leaving the line a split second too late. The pit attendant or whatever they're called noticed this and tried to help. Before my third run of the night, he came over and explained what light to watch for and when to take off.

So I'm there, lined up against a tuned Q60, excited since I'd never run against one before. Here's the newb mistake that cost me the race; when the lights started the countdown, the attendant tapped on my window, telling me to go, which distracted me just long enough to miss the launch.
Judging by the Q's time, unless he let off when he saw I didn't launch, I would have had him.


Ah well, no one to blame but myself; live and learn....

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

By time you see the last yellow, you should already be hitting the gas. If you're waiting for the green, your RT is going to be way slow.