[josh99ta]

Those were my three runs of the night. Density altitude and race weight are estimates, but should be very close (weight might be 3540-3575, DA might be 1600-2000). All runs were at 18 psi in the ET Streets.

First run: Brake stalled to 2500 RPMs, went 75% WOT then 100% within a fraction of a second. Used to street and drag radial runs, not traction.

Second run: Brake stalled to approx. 1200 RPMs and flashed it 100% WOT. Car launched great and stuck. I was consistently two tenths faster the entire way down the track, but between 1000' and the 1/4 mile I lost those two tenths. What in the world could have caused that? I'm pretty sure I didn't let out before the traps, but my windshield had fogged up bad and I was driving blind. ANY IDEA WHAT HAPPENED HERE? Dont have any logs.

Third run: Ricer Civic fully staged immediately and the track guy was motioning for me to hurry up. Not a great burnout, lined up out of the groove, didn't get a good launch (1500 RPMs), stuck initially, but just after I got out of the hole I felt it slip-and-grip two or three times.

Seems like for my car the TCI likes to be flashed. Koni SA shocks were on full soft. Front sway bar was still on but I took out the driver's side endlink. Stock springs all around. Koni rear SAs one turn from full soft.

Hopefully after the pulley, and if I can track down an LS6 intake, I'll have some solid 11 second runs. Some skinnies should put me consistently in the 11s. I think come cooler weather, if I can replicate some of those low 60' times, I can see some 11s for sure, even as the car sits.

And for what it's worth, my street weight is 3650. The car is a mild street ride that I get to the track a handful of times a year. The car ran 13.8 @ 101 bone stock years back.

 

[Jaberwaki]

just 2 things i would recomend.

1. next time out, flash your verter off idle dont stall up at all(best way till you get a trans brake)
2. adjust your rear shocks for the track, you want them as firm as the track will prep will allow, so if you are dead hooking on setting of 1, then go 2 clicks up, continue to do this till you break traction, then back it down 1. that should be your sweet spot.
weight transfer is a good this, but too much can slow you down. you only want enough weight transfer to hold traction, any more is too much.

to proove it i had my qa1's set on 0 dead hooked and ran 11.7
the next run i turned it up to 4 ran 11.5 still dead hooked.
turned up to 6 and spun out of the hole

 

[josh99ta]

Thanks for the tips jaber. I hadn't thought of it like that. So let me ask, which is better to adjust, shock or tire pressure? I would think I'd want to start with my shocks at a decent setting and my tires at a decent pressure. If I couldn't hook I'd want to lower the shocks until traction or until full soft, then I'd want to start messing with tire pressure. Tire pressure seems like a last resort to me if you can adjust the shocks simply because the less pressure you have the more drag you create.

 

[Chris 96 WS6]

I would want the lowest tire pressure possible that doesn't cup the tread...so you maximize your contact patch and whatever wrinkle is in the sidewall, as that is like a free variable rear gear at launch.

But maybe Jaberwaki can comment a bit more on how you balance that vs. the shocks. Not ever having adjustable shocks before, this is interesting reading to me too

 

[Jaberwaki]

Actually tire pressure is much like shock rate. you want the most you can get away with and still have traction.
ie. if you can dead hook with 30psi, then you should not be running 12 psi, the reason is simple, you lower your tire pressure to minimize shock to the contact patch on the launch,(as the tire crinkles it absorbs the initial shock keeping you from losing traction)
however the same crinkle works against you at the big end of the track and lowers your mph. your IDEAL run will be had when you have your shock rate and tire pressure at the max they can be WHILE still holding traction.

that being said i would adjust the shock rate before the tire pressure, reason being the shock rate effects your 60' more, and we all know the 60' is the most important.
i would not adjust tire pressure until you reach 5-6 on the rear shocks,then start bringing it up 5 psi at a time...

 

[98TAauto]

just try one thing at a time and make a few passes and see if it helps....

I always stalled up to like 1600rpms and rolled slightly, then punched it and hoped mine hooked. I was on nittos at 20psi.. sometimes they would spin, but usually they hooked for me if i rolled SLIGHTLY. My 60's SI were in the 1.58-60 range on nittos and I had stock shocks and etc etc. It all depends on track prep with DR's

try 20 and if they hook, then whats the point in going lower. On et streets I made 4 passes doing about the same roll and punch and cut 1.55's

its no point running 12psi if they are hooking at 20. The more air in them, the better yout mph should be