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Terrible 1/4 mile times in my SVT

20K views 43 replies 27 participants last post by  SuperStockAMX 
#1 ·
I took my focus to the track today for the first time, and needless to say I was pretty disappointed in it. I had traction control switched off and it just bogged down terribly at launch.... Is their a trick or something to get around this?, I had no wheel spin either time even though I let off the clutch at just under 3000rpms. Can you guys give me some pointers for next time, i need it, lol.

EDIT: I'm the 118 car with the 17s 1/4 mile.
 

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#3 ·
These cars take a lot of getting used to. Depending upon what type of mods you have will determine where you should launch from. I have a short ram, exhaust, flash tune, UDP, a few other little things and i find that i lauch best at 3200 RPM's. If i were you i would go to some empty parking lot and just practice. I did that with my svtf and i learned how to launch my car perfectly.
 
#4 ·
the traction control will not be disabled below 20 mph (I think it's 20) even if you turn it off. you either need to get a tune which will completely disable traction control when you hit the switch, or pull your ABS fuse. that'll help your 60 ft and get rid of the bog you had. it was the traction control kicking in. don't launch much over 3000 rpms, feather the clutch, and you should start seeing some better times. just don't feather the clutch for too long...you don't want to roast the clutch
 
#7 ·
Should make this a sticky somewhere...?

Tips on how to run a low 15 sec 1/4 mile in a STOCK SVTF.

1) If you have the Euro package, you have to pull the fues, #46, to turn traction control off all the way.

2) Do not heat up street tires. Street tires become almost gressy after a tipical burn out. Instead, simply "clean" them off. Stay out of the water, rev the eng to about 4k and pop the clutch. Let off the throttle after 3 or 4 revolutions of the tires.

3) Stage as far back as you can for your best E.T. Once the first light turns on, slowly roll forward and stop AS SOON AS the second stageing light turns on. If your racing heads up, Stage as far foward as you can. Roll though the lights, then back up, stop as soon as the second light tunrs on.

4) Rev to about 3700rpms. Tranny in first.

5) When the 3rd yellow turns on, pop the clutch and roll the throtle down quikly.

6) At 7100rpms power shift. Leave your foot planted to the floor, stab the clutch, all the way down, and let off as fast as you can, at the same time shifting as fast as you can, into the next gear.

7) Congradulations, with practice you can now run a low 15 sec 1/4 in your stock SVTF. Imagine what you can run modded...


Notes...
-Spinning tires is bad. However, in a stock SVTF, a little bit of wheel spin will yeild a better E.T. then trying to flote or slip the clutch for the avg driver. You need to practice this. If you spin to much, lower your launch RPMs, if you bogg AT ALL raise them. Popping the clutch should get you a mid 2.1 60ft time once you get it right. With that said, with even more practice, a slipped clutch launch should get you a low 2.0 60 ft time.

-Street tires vrs Drag Radials or slicks. Do not do a smokey burn out on street tires, that'll cause you to lose traction. You only need them cleaned of debri picked up in the parking lot or stageing lanes. Do not lower PSI to much on street tires, if I run 35psi on the street, I'll run 27psi at the track. On DR's or Slicks, the more you heat'em up, the better. The lower the psi with out slowing you down on the op end, the better. To heat'emn up right, you need to engage the parking break fully, water the front tires or drive through the wet box. Rev it up to 4k and pop the clutch. Hold your RPMS at around 5500 - 6k. Once you see smoke on both sides, count to 5. One, two, three, four, five. Then disengage your parking brake, and let off the throtle 1/2 way. Let'em hook, then depress the clutch and let off the throtle. Do not "test" the tires. Properly heated DRs or slicks have their best grip ONCE after the burn out.

-Why powershift at 7100 rpms when the red line is at 7250? Have you ever powershifted befor? If you hit the rev limiter during the shift, it will alomst defeat the pourpos of powershifting. Once you get it down, shift as high as you want with out hitting the limiter.

-All this take practice. Modify everything to yeild to your driving style and net you your fastest E.T. Things like Tire pressure, launch rpms, clutch usage, shift rpms. All this take practice to get dialed in. What I have typed up is just a good starting point for the novice.

-Good luck, be safe, and have a fuggin blast!
 
#13 ·
Shadowrunner said:
i think this would be good advice no matter what model focus you drive... putting this in my favorites
I cant't powershift @ 7100 RPM in my zx3 or my zx5 [scratch] Sorry could'nt resist. On the streets my lanches & shift points are different than my SVT. I have surprised a few v8s with my zx's.
 
#15 ·
Fordcus Fan said:
I cant't powershift @ 7100 RPM in my zx3 or my zx5 [scratch] Sorry could'nt resist. On the streets my lanches & shift points are different than my SVT. I have surprised a few v8s with my zx's.
lol, that's why I said for the SVTF. But I know what you meen. This is just a good place to start with, and most of the things I mentioned is good advise for anything you drive, just change some things to match what vehical it is. Sounds like you gotta pretty meen Foci Collection going. Congrats.
 
#17 ·
14.7? What mods? Thier is no way a STOCK SVTF is running 14.7s Are you sure they corrected the times correctly? Also, jfyi, corrected times are a educated guess at what you would run under realtive temps and humidity at sea leval. What were your uncorrected times and evavation, temps and things?
 
#20 ·
either you are all the way or you're not, take your pick [:D] lol you really don't have to answer that, all of us already know it lmao

**added**
i do love your garage ALOT so it's forgivable
 
#21 ·
lol, thanks budy, I just spit my Mt. Dew all over! Abour my garage, I'm poor now! lol Tires on this damn truck are EXPENSIVE! The F1s go from $240-$320, no one has'em in stock, and DRs start at $270 and have a tread rating of 100. :-( Pluss fuel!!! Thank God my SVTF still gets 30+ on the high way.
 
#23 ·
If you dont have a tune either your car will bog like none other off the line. Its amazing what the tune will do to the SVTF. Good luck getting ahold of wayne though[?|]
 
#24 ·
What is this low 16.s crap? That is why I put this up so we can stop seeing 16 sec time slips! Also, jfyi, reaction time has NOTHING to do with your E.T. You can sit at a green light for 30 seconds, and still run a 15 sec quarter miile.

I was running 15.2s at 92-94mph off the lot! No revised tune. As long as you launch correctly, you wont bog. But yea, get a tune, that should be the first mod, that and a cai.
 
#26 ·
No, the SVTF was never intended on being a "Drag Car". But you know as well as anyone else, that when you compare 2 vehicals, whats one of the first things someone asks? "What's it run in the 1/4 mile?" With these tips, the novice can now run the SVTF to it's fullest potential.
 
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