First time @ track...

[SVOrange]

Well I wanted to get a baseline before I start really modding, so I went to my local dragstrip. Elevation is around 400 ft. Keep in mind I am learning this car and had NO idea what the best method of launch was. I have standard all season 60k mile tires. BTW, rather than making you search for constancy, I will tell you my number is 223F.

The first pass I tried what I always do when performance driving any car. Needless to say, it didnt work. I revved to 2000 RPM and tried a combo of slip and added gas. I dont know if this is due to the dual mass flywheel or a clutch that has 82k on it, but it slipped ALL the way through first even after I dropped off the gas. Here is the time slip.


By fiveohwblow

The second pass I just tried to idle off to cure the slipping. This worked, but produced turtle 60 ft times and crossed the line with a 16.1. Here is that slip.


By fiveohwblow


Now, after I was turning around to collect my slip I stopped while no one was around and tried a 2k side step. SOB it worked!!!! I thought since when I feathered it and it slipped it would be worse with a side step but it wasnt. This left me with my third run. I tried a 2.5k side step but was so distracted I took FOREVER to take off and once I did I got a chirp chirp BOG.. Not enough, but here is the time slip.


By fiveohwblow

The last run of the night I tried a 3300k side step. It hooked immediately but only "sort of" it felt as though I was scratching the tires but truly my clutch didnt like that launch too much. Although I slipped the entire way I would only say at a rate of about 30% which is detrimental to 60 ft times, but helped my overall time. I was rewarded with my best time and decided to call it quits. Here is that time slip.


By fiveohwblow


So my question is, would a new clutch and flywheel enable me to feather the clutch and add gas from the line in the future or is this the doomed SVT behavior? As an FYI, I have tried every way known to me to test this clutch and it does NOT slip anywhere else, just on hard launch.

Thanks!!

[Sponsor]

[focusmaniaczx3]

not bad at all. all the tracks around here are 1/8th mile tracks and you are getting about what i was with bolt ons. a new clutch and light flywheel will help you alot on the launch. also you should look into getting limited slip differential if you are getting the tranny dropped for clutch. you might spend a little extra cash but you wont regret it. your 60ft times will drop to around 2.2-2.0 with LSD and decent street tires. put DR's and dump the clutch at about 5000 and you are looking at sub 2 sec 60ft times easy

[GreenEnvy]

does your car have traction control by chance?
And yes, it does sound like your clutch is about to end it's life... or your trannys if it decides to explode.

[SVOrange]

Originally Posted by goinloco1

does your car have traction control by chance?
And yes, it does sound like your clutch is about to end it's life... or your trannys if it decides to explode.

Lol my tranny is in pretty good shape, but I cant say so much for my 5.0

It does have traction control but I disengaged it and it effectively is disengaged thanks to Toms tune.

The odd thing is in my experience the clutch usually will slip while going down the road lugging it in say 5th or 6th at lower speeds such as 50 or so. Mine does not do this and grips all the way through first if I dont feather the clutch, just leave like I would from a stop sign.

[SVOrange]

Originally Posted by focusmaniaczx3

not bad at all. all the tracks around here are 1/8th mile tracks and you are getting about what i was with bolt ons. a new clutch and light flywheel will help you alot on the launch. also you should look into getting limited slip differential if you are getting the tranny dropped for clutch. you might spend a little extra cash but you wont regret it. your 60ft times will drop to around 2.2-2.0 with LSD and decent street tires. put DR's and dump the clutch at about 5000 and you are looking at sub 2 sec 60ft times easy

Thanks!

[1turbofocus]

I trick I use to do is hold the ebrake on hard why slipping the clutch then release both at the same time , this loads the car and takes the shock out that causes the most damage to things but is rough on the clutch if done for long times , I would do it when i saw all stage lights

Tom

[SVOrange]

Originally Posted by 1turbofocus

I trick I use to do is hold the ebrake on hard why slipping the clutch then release both at the same time , this loads the car and takes the shock out that causes the most damage to things but is rough on the clutch if done for long times , I would do it when i saw all stage lights

Tom

Awesome thanks! I will give it a shot next time I go

[B3NN3TT]

I have found that in cars like these, making less than 200 horsepower, feathering the clutch is a huge waste of time. A nice quick clutch dump (I don't like to side-step) gets your power down best, obviously, and with the least amount of damage.

The SCIENCE of it is finding the perfect launch RPM. If you launch at too high an RPM, you get too much wheelspin, or worse, wheel hop. Too low, and it bogs. You want to split the difference between bogging and spinning. It sometimes takes a few runs to figure out where the "sweet pot" is for launch. And it's different for every track.

[focusmaniaczx3]

Originally Posted by 1turbofocus

I trick I use to do is hold the ebrake on hard why slipping the clutch then release both at the same time , this loads the car and takes the shock out that causes the most damage to things but is rough on the clutch if done for long times , I would do it when i saw all stage lights

Tom

oh Tom you really are a mad scientist. im so trying that next time i go to the track.

[SVOrange]

Originally Posted by B3NN3TT

I have found that in cars like these, making less than 200 horsepower, feathering the clutch is a huge waste of time. A nice quick clutch dump (I don't like to side-step) gets your power down best, obviously, and with the least amount of damage.

The SCIENCE of it is finding the perfect launch RPM. If you launch at too high an RPM, you get too much wheelspin, or worse, wheel hop. Too low, and it bogs. You want to split the difference between bogging and spinning. It sometimes takes a few runs to figure out where the "sweet pot" is for launch. And it's different for every track.

I agree and normally that is what I would be doing. Unfortunately when I tried to do that the clutch just spun 2k launch with VERY LIGHT feathering wasnt working. Pissed me off to say the least and this is why I think my times suffered. New clutch and I wouldnt side step. To be honest, the third run is the only one I did side step, the fourth I did just dump it but that led to clutch spin again. All well, looks like I was average with a horrible clutch and will be above average with a functional clutch.