Tonight I finally got to use drag radials at the track (Nitto 275/40/17)
My previous best ET on Firehawk runflats was 12.57, with a 2.031 60' time.
Understand, I also have a big problem shifting into second gear, which seems like a synchro going to **** or something...
So tonight, I'm exited as hell, cause I can actually get the 404rwhp and 363rwtq I have to the ground with these Nitto's...I know this is an 11 sec car if I can work the damned bugs out, right?...
First run of the night, hit a 1.984 60' resulting in a 12.46 ET@116.25!!!!
YES!!! Just dropped a tenth off my best!
Now, if I can only drop that 60 to 1.7x, I'm easily in the 11's, baby <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> ........
Next run...OMG!!! 12.37@116.95!!!!
NEW ALL-TIME BEST!!! <img border="0" alt="[chug]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_chug.gif" />
But wait...the 60' was 2.060!!!-- I've done as good as that on the runflats before???? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />
Why did I shave 2/10 off with a "runflat-type" 60'?
So that's the first question...here's the second, and it has me pissed:
that was far and away the best 2 runs of the 9 total--
between spinning too much, or bogging at launch, to missing 2nd cause it literally felt locked out of the gear <img border="0" alt="[fight]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_punch.gif" /> , I did no better all night.....12.6x to 12.8x all nite...
My question is this... C5's are nothing like F-body's at the track, so unfortunately, the majority of the wealth of advise here on this incredible forum, as far as track info goes at least, is useless to me <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" />
I need C5-specific launching technique with stock clutch/drivetrain...(for now <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> )
How the hell do I get this C5 to launch right on these Nitto's?
I'm getting the car into the dealership next week to look at the tranny, so hopefully the shifting prob will get fixed...
which is undoubtably hurting me a lot at the track... but it's only part of the prob-- if I could get the launch speed up to where it should be, I'd be in/right at 11's WITH a bad shifting issue <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Please help... I'm dying to pilot this beautiful C5 into the 11's <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

<small>[ May 10, 2002, 01:38 AM: Message edited by: MDL-01C5 ]</small>

 

Ok, here goes
1 - the Nittos need to get really hot before you launch, you almost have to melt them to get traction.
2 - Tire pressure is a big key for the drag radials, try running 12 - 18 psi and see what happens.
3 - 275 Nittos really are too small for a modded motor, I can barely hook them with a stock motor.
4 - The ideal setup for a modded C5 drag radial car is the BFG Drag Radials mounted on 17 x 11" rims. (Mark C5Pig ran an 11.0xx on 315 BFG Drag Radials)
5 - You stated that your best run was 12.37 and that the 60' sucked, that is easy to explain, no spinning in second or third gear. You may not realize it, but a 1-2 shift and a 2-3 shift (especially powershifting) will break the tires loose, and therefore your et will suffer. With the Nittos, you are hooking up on that 1-2 and 2-3 shift. Look at the mph,116.95 seems to be consistant with the other runs you listed, therefore the car was not making any more hp.

In summary, I would say that with that power you should be able to sneeze and get into the 11's. I would get the 17x11 rims and BFG's. Launch that puppy around 4500rpm's and you will be very happy with the results.

 

Hey pk-- glad to see you here
I have the 275's because a buddy of mine has let me have some C4 "saw-tooth" wheels that he doesn't use... so the 275's are the best I can go on them... I can't afford to buy wider wheels anytime soon--if I could, I wouldn't be using the "bare minimum" DR <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> )
I was running at 25psi-- I'll address that next time.
I see you have a line-lock...do you have any staging recommendations for someone without that luxury?...
I can't seem to figure out how to keep this damn car from moving forward long enough to smoke the hell outta those DR's--even using a second-gear stage-- any advise on what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks for the advise <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

<small>[ May 10, 2002, 03:20 AM: Message edited by: MDL-01C5 ]</small>

 

I see three big problems that you do have.
1. tire pressure
2. no line lock
3. tires are too cold to work effectively

drop the pressure to about 18psi, when doing the burnout use first gear around 5k rpms (drop the clutch at a lower rpm and bring it up to 5k and try to maintain 5k), kind of tricky, drop the clutch and then hit the brake as fast as possible. When you see smoke from your side rearview mirror wait a second or two and let off of the brakes. Make sure you roll the car foward before you stop the burnout. Remember, the Nittos need alot of heat.
As far as the line lock, I went with the Hurst. It was a fairly easy install and works great, oh, and you don't need to bleed the brake system. With the line lock I use 2nd gear for a burnout and they heat up real nice, really quick.