First time racing M6 at the track
First time racing M6 at the track I just bought my car about a week and a half ago, it is my first manual trans car. Althought I can drive stick fine, I have been practicing shifting a lot lately, quick shifting around 4k, but 6k seems a little scarey for me, too much pressure. I think I will be ok, but Cecil County dragstrip is opening up this friday. I am going down to see what I can do in the car bone stock. I am curious to what techniques you guys use, what you shift and launch at? I will be on street tires, probably aired down to about 20-22psi. I heard that you shift around 6k 1-2 and 6-6100k 2-3 3-4? I was probably going to play it safe and shift a little earlier, until I get the hang of it. What do you guys launch at and what techniques do you use? Keep in mind this is a stock car as well, and I don't think I am going to try to powershift it just either either. I tried doing a search, but didn't come up with much? I thought this would be a popular post, maybe I didn't look for the right topics, but any help that you guys could give would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Hey man, I can't really say much cause I'm new to the game to. I however, just went out on my first run today. With my fully-optioned M6, I ran the numbers in sig. Basically with my bald *** street tires I drove through the water box and then dumped the clutch at about 2700-3000 RPMs to dry and heat them a little. At launch, I was somewhere in the area of 3500 eased off the clutch and spun all through 1st. From there just shift when it feels right to you. But for the most part your best shifts are going to come from th 5800 to 6100 range. I was shifting somewhere in there and I ended up ok. Just forget about being anxious or scared get out on the track and do it. It's well worth it for the great adrenaline rush. Don't expect too much from your first time. Just get to know the track and a feel for things and then once you're comfortable let it rip.
Peace,
Justin
Peace,
Justin
On your first pass, take a nice slow cruise down the track. Learn where things are like the 60 foot mark, the 330, 1/8 and finish line. Don't worry about going fast on the first pass. Maybe launch the car and then just cruise down the track.
After that, let her rip at you most comfortable level. Just remember, your at the track for yourself, not anyone else.
After that, let her rip at you most comfortable level. Just remember, your at the track for yourself, not anyone else.
Exactly as LIL SS said take it easy then step up.
Try dumping from the line at about 2K.
Then maybe shift at 5800 every gear to stay on the safe side.
You'll soon see how acurate the factory tach is........
Key point is get used to the car.
Try dumping from the line at about 2K.
Then maybe shift at 5800 every gear to stay on the safe side.
You'll soon see how acurate the factory tach is........
Key point is get used to the car.
I am used to the track, that isn't a big deal, been going there with my vette for 2 years now, over 100 passes easily. I just have to find the sweet spot with shifting and launching I guess, kind of a trial and error type deal huh? Thanks everyone.
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta
get a short stick asap. I would also recommend taking a few easy passes to get used to the shifter. You don't want to do the dreaded 3-2 downshift, like I did my first time out. adrenaline kinda makes you shift sloppily, try to really focus on your shifts.
Oh yeah, enjoy the rush of shifting down the track, IMO much more challenging than my A4 was.
Oh yeah, enjoy the rush of shifting down the track, IMO much more challenging than my A4 was.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
A couple of pointers. First, dont go through the water! Your front tires will track the water all the way up to the line. Go around the water box. Keep you street tires at about 26-28psi. Check them a couple of times during the day because when they get hot the pressure will rise slightly. Dont do a John Force style burnout. Just do a short (2-3 seconds) hop to clean and slightly heat the tires. When you do a long burnout with a street tire they get oily. Leave at about 1500-2000. Dont dump the clutch. Ease out while you slowly increase the gas. This will take a little practice. If you feel the tires letting go, let off the gas and dump the clutch. This will bog the engine but it is better than frying the ties. As soon as the engine bogs, hit the loud pedal again. When you shift start about 5700-5800. Work you way up until you start to hit the rev limiter then back off some. You wont hirt anything by hitting the limiter a few times. If you miss a shift no big deal. The limiter will kick in. To shift from first to second, at about 5000rpm start pulling straight down with steady even pressure. When you hit the mark to shift, just bump the clutch pedal and pull straight down. It will pop right in gear. For the second to third shift, do the same but push straight foward. Dont worry, you wont go into first. The trans will go right to third when you push straight foward. Third to fourth is the same a first to second. I have done this with all my 5 and 6 speed cars. My current Z06 is no exception. Good luck and I hope I helped you.
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Well I got went this past friday, 13.6 @ 106 with a 2.3 60ft. I know my 60ft times suck, I need to work on launching, but I really couldn't launch right because my car would roll forward if I took my foot off the brake. My first 2 runs I missed 3rd gear, I was trying to actually force it into 3rd, instead of just pushing it up like I did the last time, which is when I ran 13.6. I was too scared to just push the shifter straight up, not thinking it will slide over to third, but what if I push to fast? If that is the case and I can push as fast as I want, powershifting shouldn't be that big of a deal then, thats my only concern, the 2-3 shift. I haven't yet missed the 3-4, going 3-2, I pull a little away from 2nd when I go back to 3rd because it seems like its not a straight shot back, maybe because I am sitting on the left side of the shift, I don't know. Well atleast I have an idea of what it can do, the track wasn't prepped well at all though, everyone was spinning! Well, I can't wait to mod the car now and see what it does on some stickier tires, I wonder how much the stock 10 bolt will hold up too. Thanks for your replies everyone.
.
Get a aftermarket shifter ... stock one blows. Pro 5.0 or any of those, have an angled shift pattern, which makes it almost idiot proof (or at least alot more difficult to miss). The aftermarket guys also have a much more solid "in gear feeling" ... for lack of better words. It's far easier to tell when you are in gear then with the sloppy stock shifter.
Another tactic I use for the 3-4 shift is to angle my hand so my palm is on the left side of the shift ****, facing the passengers seat. This makes it so when you pull down, it is bringing it slightly to the right also .... I have yet to miss a 3-4 shift.
Get a aftermarket shifter ... stock one blows. Pro 5.0 or any of those, have an angled shift pattern, which makes it almost idiot proof (or at least alot more difficult to miss). The aftermarket guys also have a much more solid "in gear feeling" ... for lack of better words. It's far easier to tell when you are in gear then with the sloppy stock shifter.
Another tactic I use for the 3-4 shift is to angle my hand so my palm is on the left side of the shift ****, facing the passengers seat. This makes it so when you pull down, it is bringing it slightly to the right also .... I have yet to miss a 3-4 shift.
I am going to get a shifter soon, Pro 5.0 with a LSS. My problem isn't the 3-4 shift, I do what you do, slightly angle my hand to the passenger side, and it slides right into 4th everytime. My problem is 3rd, I tried to hard to slam it inot third instead of just sliding it straight up. I am still a little nervous about doing that though, going from 2nd to 1st will probably blow something up.
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,551
Likes: 0
From: St Louis, MO
I've never seen a 1st gear lockout on any T56. That said, you probably wont hit first if you push straight forward.
An aftermarket shifter helps because they have stiffer side-to-side springs.
An aftermarket shifter helps because they have stiffer side-to-side springs.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Newark, De
Where are you located at in DE? I was at Cecil Friday also. I caught your other post too. The track was horrible. My 60' was also a 2.3 coming out off of idle. I also had a 91 Vette but with a Carrol supercharger.
Jess
Jess
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
my best 60' on street tires is 2.02 with 20 psi... rev to about 4500 for starters... this is gonna take some practice, so try it on a pretty freshly paved road, its the closest thing to the track.... hold it at about 4500, and leave your gas foot where it is. when you get ready just let off the clutch kinda fast and kinda slow... if you know what i mean...when you are about half way out of the clutch go down on the gas faster than you let off of the clutch... like i said, its gonna take some practice, it took me 6 months to figure out how to do it. now i rev mine to 5000 and do the same... you want to have the tires on the virge of spinning, but not (spinning). after that i just leave the gas on the floor board and tap the clutch and slam a gear... ive never missed a gear at the track, seems like i drive better on adrenelin...
steven
2000 SS #3553
BONE STOCK
steven
2000 SS #3553
BONE STOCK
Leadsled1, I live in hockessin, what kind of car were you in? Do you live around here? Newark area? There were a lot of Fbodies up there, more LT1's then LS1's though. I couldn't afford a supercharger for my vette,that's where the bottle came in. I was planning on doing a custom turbo setup for it, but decided to go with a new car, I think LS1's have a better potential, atleast compared to my vette.
Stevo, I know what you mean, but it's a easier said then done type thing, sucks!. You said it right though, lots of practice, I am going to have to practice it a lot, but I don't want to wear out my clutch. I am not ready to do one yet, doing the trans in my old vette was a major PITA, especially on my back in the car when it's sitting on jack stands! Thanks for the help though guys.
Stevo, I know what you mean, but it's a easier said then done type thing, sucks!. You said it right though, lots of practice, I am going to have to practice it a lot, but I don't want to wear out my clutch. I am not ready to do one yet, doing the trans in my old vette was a major PITA, especially on my back in the car when it's sitting on jack stands! Thanks for the help though guys.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Newark, De
Yep, I'm up off of Old Baltimore Pike. I have a black WS6 with chrome wheels. I built the supercharger setup out of pieces, the local Vette shop down in Tampa had the brackets and idler, I got the head unit from a Mustang guy and I did my own intake and intercooler. I did a clutch on the 91 PITA! Dealing with the torque tube was a bitch.
Jess
Jess