TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

So I've finally got all my data lined up and went over it all with a fine toothed comb. ET's are about what's to be expected but final trap speed is throwing me off. Let me explain from the beginning.

7-17-2009 (Top Gun Raceway DA 6,346ft)
Mods [ Lid - P&P TB - Catback ]

I take my car to the track for the very first time. End up doing a handful of runs all about the same pulling a best of...

I1 2.223
I2 6.011
I3 9.042
MPH 81.673
I4 11.629
ET 13.787
MPH 105.042

(Decent for a lid and catback car at 6300ft!)

9-23-2009 (Sacramento Raceway DA 1436)

Next I decide I want to see what my car will do at sea level. I drive 2.5 hours to the Sacramento Raceway, do a handful of runs and pull a best of...

I1 2.242
I2 5.975
I3 8.950
MPH 83.5
I4 11.470
ET 13.589
MPH 107.364

So I picked up 2 tenths off my 1/8th mile and 2 tenths off my ET with a gain of 2mph in my trap because of running 5,000ft less DA. Again, not to shabby for a lid/ catback car with a crummy 2.2 60ft.

So now I decide it's time for the rest of my mods. I install an LS6 intake, Long Tube Headers, and a cut out finished up with a basic mail order tune. I assume I should at the very least knock 2 tenths off my ET and gain 2mph Now it's back out to the two tracks for a comparison...

5-22-2010 (Top Gun Raceway DA 4,626ft)
Mods [ Lid - P&P TB - LS6 Intake - Headers - Cutout - Catback ]

New/ Old
I1 2.219 I1 2.223
I2 5.972 I2 6.011
I3 8.967 I3 9.042
MPH 83.07 MPH 81.673
I4 11.487 I4 11.629
ET 13.597 ET 13.787
MPH 107.25 MPH 105.042

So looks like I knocked off about 2 tenths from my 8th and quarter mile times and picked up over 2mph, pretty much what I expected. Now it's time to hit up Sacramento where the DA is closer to Sea Level and not almost 5,000ft!

10-03-2012 (Sacramento Raceway DA 943)

New/ Old
I1 2.296 I1 2.242
I2 5.794 I2 5.975
I3 8.694 I3 8.950
MPH 86.772 MPH 83.517
I4 11.257 I4 11.470
ET 13.235 ET 13.589
MPH 107.582 MPH 107.364

HHmmmm...This is where I'm confused. I'm over 2 tenths faster in the 8th. I'm over 3mph faster in the 8th. I'm 3 tenths faster in the quarter mile, then all of a sudden trap speed doesn't improve? Clutch is not slipping, car wasn't hesitating, shifts were perfect, where did that 3mph go? I should have trapped 109-110mph? 107mph? That's what I trapped at Top Gun (same mods) at a 4,625 DA. Check out those slips side by side...

DA 943/ DA 4626
I1 2.296 I1 2.219
I2 5.794 I2 5.972
I3 8.694 I3 8.967
MPH 86.772 MPH 83.07
I4 11.257 I4 11.487
ET 13.235 ET 13.597
MPH 107.582 MPH 107.25

Only thing I can think is maybe the radar at Sacramento was wrong. What do you guys think?

Oh, just for comparison I was racing there with my brother as well, he has a 2001 M6 Trans Am [ UD Pulley - CAI - Lid - P&P TB - Gutted Cats - Cat Back - Lightweight Fly Wheel ]

Mine/ Brother's (Cold Drag Radials)
I1 2.296 I1 2.248
I2 5.794 I2 5.784
I3 8.694 I3 8.725
MPH 86.772 MPH 84.125
I4 11.257 I4 ?
ET 13.235 ET 13.282
MPH 107.582 MPH 107.045

Then he put on DR's...

Mine/ Brother's (DR's Heated Up)
I1 2.296 I1 2.114
I2 5.794 I2 5.582
I3 8.694 I3 8.452
MPH 86.772 MPH 85.921
I4 11.257 I4 ?
ET 13.235 ET 12.930
MPH 107.582 MPH 105.273

He kept it in third and bounced the rev limiter through the traps that run, hence the lower trap (105) vs. what he was trapping (107).

big dave

My guess is the mph clock is wrong. You should be picking up between 22 to 24 mph after the 1/8th. 109 - 110 is what you should've been seeing.

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

That's what I'm thinking too. When I first went to the Sacramento Raceway when I was just lid/catback I was pulling 106-107mph traps and then out of nowhere pulled a 13.3 @ 111mph, there's no way that could be right.

flintwrench69

iTrader: (11)

Every one of your posted 60 times are terrible. I can see maybe 2.1 60s with street tires but even with DRs theyre no better. You would easily be in the 12s with a 1.9 60 time & that should be a minimum of what I would expect with a DR car. How are you leaving the line? Slipping the clutch with about 3-4k rpm? Good burnout after backing into the waterbox? I know your focusing on the trap speed but you need to improve your 60 times.

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

My 60ft's are horrible. I'm still running the stock Eagle F1's WS6's come with. They have a ton of tread left and look almost new because I don't put any miles on the car but they are old and the rubber is extremely hard. They provide no traction at all, and coupled with my stiff strano lowering springs and Koni shocks (almost no weight transfer), I'm lucky to pull a 2.2 60ft. I've tried every way imagineable to launch. Slipping the clutch, dumping the clutch, letting out the clutch both of those ways at all different RPM's, just letting the car roll out a foot or two and then gradually laying into the throttle. All tries come out the same with 2.2-2.3 60ft. Any type of throttle in first gear breaks the rear tires loose and when I slam it into second the tires break loose and spin almost halfway through second.

On a side note I want to make sure no one thinks I'm asking how to improve my ET at all. I understand my 60ft is bad and I can pull 12's with a good tire and better 60ft. I'm just curious if anyone has any insight on the wonky trap speed I obtained and if anyone has had experience with track equipment being off. That being said I am planning on going back to the track before this year is up and trying out my brother's Hoosier DR's. Only reason he got a 2.1 60ft with them is his power steering pump is leaking into his clutch and his clutch is slipping from it. He revved up to 5k rpms, slipped the clutch a tad to get the car rolling and then dumped the clutch. The clutch slipped through 1st gear a bit and then grabbed.

flintwrench69

iTrader: (11)

Your strano springs are not the problem, the tires being old & hard is.
How can power steering fluid get into the clutch bellhousing? Seems almost impossible. You would get black flagged at the track if it was leaking like that.

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

My brother talked with someone from Monster clutch and figured out why it was slipping. It's leaking where the steering shaft connects to the rack. Behind that is a small opening into the bell housing. At high speed the fluid is being thrown back into that small opening into the bell housing and contaminating the clutch. How much fluid is required to contaminate the clutch disk and cause it to slip? I wouldn't think it would have to be enough to be dripping on the ground.

BayAreaSS

iTrader: (10)

When you ran at Sac the first time the 1/4 mile mph was off. It use to read fast back then. They fixed that in 2010 I believe.

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

You should be well over 110mph. These cars can get to 110 with free mods alone. Not saying they all do it. But me and my friends have done it.

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

That's what I was thinking as well.

Nice man, that is exactly the info I was looking for! When I ran 110.9 back then I was like, "No way, so a full bolt on car would run like +114mph?" That's cammed LS1 territory.

BayAreaSS

iTrader: (10)

yes there were bolt on cars running high 12s at 114 with full weight and bad drivers lol. Most people I know lose 4mph after they "fixed" the traps

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

Haha, oh man. I've been on this forum telling people all these years that my lid and catback TA traps 111mph, LOL. When everyone would question me I thought, "I must just have a strong running car", LOL.