1/8th of a Mile advice.

[shadowdlink]

Hey guys, just been wondering couple of things about drag racing. I'm thinking of running my car on the Houston Motorsports Park this friday.(since I've been going there like every Friday for the past couple of months to watch)

Now, I've heard that on a stock motor 93 octane gasoline does nothing but to make your car run rich(in other words... rather than help it, it cripples it). But I have a slightly modified stock engine.
Would a few gallons of 93 octane help me gain a few horses at all, or should I just stick with regular unleaded?
My F22a1 set up:
- P12 ECU
- Short Ram ebay Intake
- H23 IM with A6 runners
- ebay 4-2-1 headers
- 2.25 piping and cat(magnaflow)
- 2.25 magnaflow exhaust
- NGK spark plugs... if that counts as mod.
- and 16" OEM Acura 2.3 CL rims

Another thing that I'd like advice on is launch. I'm thinking that 4k rpm-ish(yeah, I've got a 5-spd) would be a good way to launch. Though I've noticed that most FFs(mainly engine swapped EKs and EGs) launch at redline..... they rev their motors like crazy for their launch(I don't think that I'll try that on my engine though...). Then again, some of them have slick tires with little psi on them. Anyhow, need input on this and some advice on shifting too if possible.

I'm not that optimistic, I'm thinking I'll probably do 12s or 11s if I'm lucky. But hey, to hell with it, I just want to run. Anyhow, any advice would be appreciated.

[Flatline]

if you have never ran before, don't set times for yourself.
take this as a bottom line. the only thing you can do after is go up.



Try launching lower first. I launched around 3k with my H22 and spun tires like mad.

The more you do it the better you'll get. you have to get used to.
Just treat it like a little street light run. Relax and take your time. Don't over do it either. No need to redline every shift.

Most F22's don't gain power over 5500 so shifting around there might be ideal.
And the only reason higher octane helps race cars is because it allows for more aggressive tuning. If your car isn't tuned for a higher octane(and i mean like 104 or something) you won't see any gains.

[deevergote]

4k is pretty high. Your motor makes a fair amount of torque, which will spin the tires.

Most of those cars you see aren't launching at their redline (if they are, they're stupid). Most likely, they have a rev limiter. They're probably bouncing off of a limiter set at 3500 or so.

The only way to determine your best launch RPM is to try and see what works. It depends largely on your tires.


As for shifting at 5500... it's true they don't make much power over that, but you have to remember that you have to shift into the powerband, or you're going to bog. You want to take the motor as high as it needs to go so you'll be shifting into the powerband (where it's making the most power... not peak power, but the range where the power is greatest).



I hope you've made the IAB system work on vacuum if you're running a P12 with the H23 manifold. It's not as much of an upgrade with the H23 manifold as it is on a bone-stock F22A1

[shadowdlink]

I hope you've made the IAB system work on vacuum if you're running a P12 with the H23 manifold. It's not as much of an upgrade with the H23 manifold as it is on a bone-stock F22A1

Yep, they are vacuum operated. They seem to open around the 3-4k mark, and you can really fell when they do... or at least hear.

Anyways, thanks for all the advice guys.

[visualpoet]

You've got a similar set up to what I run. I don't have my a6/h23 manifold swapped yet and I'm running 15" rims.

Track launching is different than street launching. The starting line at the track is covered in rubber from thousands of tires. Most of them slicks. Slicks rubber is different than a street tire, it's much softer, much grippier, and much oilier. As this rubber sits in the sun and rain and whatever other weather you get, the oils in the compound "float" out of it and make it more slippery than the street is. It's a noticeable difference. At the track I can't go WOT in first gear at all. I've tried launching it at 2500 and it spins. If I baby it off the line and then stomp it, tire spin from 3500 up, so I have to feather the throttle through first gear. you'll find your sweet spot after several runs.
Your mods are probably letting you make a little more power than normal over 5500. I know I'm pulling strong until about 6k with my A1 manifold, so you should be getting plenty of air in the higher rpms.

My best advice for the track is to keep out of the wet spot. Your tread holds water and will wet your launch point, making the tires spin easier. I'd drive around it and then light them up to heat them.
Let some air out of the tires. Most tracks should have an air pump to reinflate before you hit the road. A lower tire pressure will help you hook, you'll have to play with it to see where it works best for you.
Don't worry about the guy in the other lane. Worry about you.
Run test and tune runs until you feel confident in your car, then you can try brackets (racing to match the time you tell them you'll run).
Stage deep. This means positioning your car as far back as possible when tripping the staging lights. Staging can make as much as 2/10ths of a second difference in your time in the 1/4 mile because if you stage as early as possible, you're technically moving already when you cross the second light and start the timer.
Don't be disappointed if your numbers aren't what you expect.

[chickoomaster]

oops, lol what he said ^ :P

[eazyduzit509]

Nice job guys, sounds right on. My buddy raced me once in his mom's stock 5spd KIA, and was reving at like 4500 or more, I know this because the engine was screaming and when he dropped the clutch the tires spun for what seemed like forever (He was driving it like he stole it, haha)... I havn't "raced" enough to find a sweet spot for me, off the line, probly around 2500 though... I'd love to race him now and see what happens...

[shadowdlink]

Hey, thanks visualpoet.
That advice is most appreciated.

But yeah, in terms of times... I'm not really expecting much or anything at all for that matter. I just want to run for the hell of it.

[dbsharp]

you should be able to get a mid 10 or so with practice. 87 octane is fine for your car.

[AbsurdNY]

I have heard of people advancing their timing and using higher octane gas with varied results.