Falls flat on it's *** in first!
 

I'm having a horribly track time consuming problem. 2.5 60' : 14.0 @ 110. I power brake up to 2000 RPM and then take off and it feels like my engine's falling flat on it's ass all the way through first as soon as I hit second my tires brake loose and the change is completely night and day. Is the slow start typical? A transmission problem? A timing problem or possibly an engine problem? Any thoughts would be appreciative.

I don't see an aftermarket torque converter in your mod list? How are you stalling to 2000 rpm with the stock converter?

It sounds like you're bogging. Have you tried launching from an idle?

My car goes to 2000 rpm before it won't rev any higher. I've never personally done anything to the transmission other than my shift adapter kit. Do you think that I could take be faster if I launched from Idle? I know that I got 13.85 @ 105 at idle stock.

That shift adapter kit, I'd start with that. I used to stall on the stock converter anywhere from 1500-2000. When the ass of the car goes up before the rear tires break loose and hold it there. 2.0 60 here. Your MPH is extremely high but I would check with that adapter kit first.

Hmm... When I get the adapter kit checked out what is it that I'd be looking for? I wasn't suspecting that to be an issue. Maybe I shoud have been. Thanks.

Are you on street tires? If so, you're probably spinning them, losing traction, and then when you gain it, you bog. With tires that don't hook, I'd launch from idle with a light stab of the throttle and then floor it.

This is what I was thinking. Even with tires that hook (mine do most of the time when aired down to 16 psi at the drag strip), I get my best 60' times and 1/4 mile ETs when I flash the converter, i.e., stabbing the throttle from an idle.

Traction control?

Thanks for all the advice. I was using the car in OD instead of just drive? Do you think that would hurt me on take off? I've read a bit about how D is better for racing conditions. I'm going to try this all out if or when I go again.

I'm also going to post this next part in another post but was curious what everyone thought. Ever since I put the turbo on my engine temp. has been known to sporadically increase into the red. The first time I was testing out a high speed run after the STS was put on at 140 I looked down to see my engine temp guage was pretty high. And the two other times I noticed it creeping up was when I had my AC turned on and when I turn it off the temp comes back down. I'm lost. Hope to hear some encouraging words.

First, I don't think leaving it in OD vs. D is your problem. Second, if your transmission is overheating, it can start to do whacky things. If you think you may have overheated it, I'd change the fluid as soon as possible and add a tranny cooler (or a bigger one if you already have one). It also would be a good idea to get a tranny temp gauge installed with that turbo so you don't have to guess about what's going on with your tranny temps especially since you have a turbo car.

Right. If the tranny goes into limp mode because of heat, the car will absolutely fall flat on its face. Another strong possibility is that your turbo is causing detonation, which will kick in KR and radically pull timing to the same effect.

Excuse the ignorance, what's KR stand for? I plan on taking it to Carolina Auto Masters in a couple weeks. I hope they can help me tune the car better and help me work out these little problems. I think I'm going to take the car out of being for sale. I have too many plans for it still. Hmm... time will tell I guess. Thanks everyone for your help. Any more suggestions? Keep them coming.

Knock retard. When your knock sensors detect knock aka detonation, your PCM pulls timing, that is, retards timing so you get knock retard. This will, btw, kill your power.