It also depends on how steep your power is falling off by redline, if it's a slight dropoff you still need to shift at redline because you want to maximize average hp during your runs. If the power is freefalling to redline then that's different.

But shifting too early can land you too low in the powerband for the next gear.

I personally achieve my best results when I shift at 6500rpms, past redline, even though the peak is way before that.

It depends on the particular car.

 

There's no argument from me there, I can see that he's making more power than me. My argument is about whether or not he's making 300 whp. If it was all shifting, his last half of his run would gain more since all of his shifting was in the first half. I'd guess he's making closer to 285 whp. (that's just a guess)

Just for reference:
I figured out the approximate DA for his runs. According to the weather data for 10/18/08 at around 1:00 P.M. (as per the date/time on his slips) in Seattle, his DA was -297 feet.

http://www.wunderground.com/history/...q_statename=NA

He should be running waaaay stronger than he is. I look forward to seeing some future slips with improved driving skills.

 

Agreed.

 

Warmmilk pulled 13.4 at 104mph on a stock 07 Z at the same track. I have drag raced before only once at the same track. I had 2 runs. This was my second time and i had 3 runs. My car is also 2" lowered with bunch of additional stuff on my suspension. Do you guys think that this might create additional drag to the car? Like i said my car does not squat whatsoever, so wheel spin and hop was inevitable, plus i was running with 10 sec hot rods all of my runs, and it was bad. I was shifting at 8k and even if i had hit the rev limiter i would not know/feel it.

 

Too many unknowns. Changing things is always going to change performance. Some will help, some will hurt. If anything, I would think lowering your car would reduce drag. But one can only guess. No squat makes it harder to launch but should have no effect on your top end. Shifting at the right rpm will surely help, 8k sounds too high to me.

Take things one step at a time. Go back and work on your launch and shift points. Take notes so you know how it helped or didn't help. Then as you eliminate parts of the equation, it gets easier to see other areas to improve on and things which may be hurting performance.

 

i am dyno'ing the car next week again. See what will put this time.

 

I would use a different dyno shop. If both shops produce the same numbers within about +/- 3 HP, then you can put a little more weight into the results. Dyno results can vary a LOT depending on who does the dyno and what type of dyno it is.

Based on your timeslip and DA for the track, I don't see any possible way you are making 300 whp. No offense intended.

 

Dyno's are worthless and a waste of time in relation to drag racing. They only serve 2 purposes, really.

1. Bragging rights.
2. Gauging gains after installing equipment.

 

+1, that's the experience i have had so far

 

Being an experienced drag racer and whp of the car is kinda not relevant. You cant really extrapolate the power you have just by my sloppy driving. I have never been interested in drag racing. I was just curious to see what i could do.

 

I don't doubt that, but during the last half of the track you don't have to shift. You were already in third gear at the 1/8 mile mark and you already said you don't have to shift to 4th for the 1/4 due to the 8k redline. It doesn't take skill to mash the gas pedal and your car simply doesn't have the gains it should have for 300 whp, sorry. Saying it has 285 whp is being very generous...

If you'd rather have a sheet of paper that says you have 300 whp and say you can't drive, that's your call. Personally I'd rather have a car with 285 whp and be able to say I can drive it.

 

well, i am being realist here. What do you see? Me having a 285whp and being a good driver or the vice versa? I dont care if my car really has 300whp or not. I am not satisfied with what it ran period.
As you see Alberto's post, he said that he trapped 106 with 265 whp. Therefore, that is in the range of a stock HR. However, not everyone out there is capable of utilizing these 265whp and running 106mph. There are only couple of cases as you see. I was probably bouncing the rev limiter since all three times i was trying to get thru the 1/4 in 3rd gear, i dont know.

 

You have already stated that you are a novice drag racer. Me being an experienced drag racer I can look at your slip and tell you that you are NOT making 300 whp.

From the 1/8 to the 1000' you are in 3rd gear the entire time, just like each and every 350Z of any year with the stock gear ratio regardless of redline because you are nowhere near it. You only gained .012 over my 100% stock 350Z.

Here is the real kicker... You ran in a DA of about -297 while my run was in a DA of 1391. That is nearly 1700 difference. Even a completely stock Z might see the same gains your car did at your track that day. You should have easily gained .05-.075 for having 30 more whp than me with the DA advantage.

Now, unless you are telling me that you actually took your foot off of the gas, then your car has nowhere near 300 whp, end of story. Any experienced drag racer will know that there is no possible way your car is putting down over 30 more whp with times like that. I am done debating this.

Links, figure the DA yourself:
Weather for the track the day I ran:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/...q_statename=NA
Post I made that same day with my timeslip (which I can scan if necessary):
https://my350z.com/forum/6348684-post1401.html
Track I ran at:
Bradenton Motorsports Park. Elevation 65'
Pic of car at the track:

 

did you see the dyno sheet i posted. Why are debating? Who are you debating with? I am DISCUSSING my crappy time. I was looking for opinions from people who are really experienced. With all due respect but i dont see how you are more experienced then me since you ran pretty much the same time with less trap, which i will give you a credit since the track you went to has DA of 1391.
Carry on man, I have nothing to say anymore, since i cant believe the dyno.

 

you are gonna have to elaborate for me please. I got confused here. Too many experienced opinions.

 

LOL, um... ok. Wanna meet up and race for money? Your 300 whp car against my stocker? We're even in driving skill, right? You should have the win easily.

 

too bad you are on the other end of US

 

For the right price it don't matter to me. I'll put my title on it. One of my worst times beat your best time and you had much better DA and "300 whp".

I can't drive, that's why my time is 6th on the top 25 list and has been there for quite some time... You haven't even come close to beating it with your modded HR yet. I need not say anymore. We will not race because you aren't going to do it and until you post up some better times you can't beat me on paper either. Private message me if you would really like to race for titles, or something worthwhile to drive to Seattle for. I'm game.

 

cool. So do you feel a good driver comparing to a person who's had only three runs at a drag strip? Like i said, i track and autoX the car. Nothing so far has been set for drag racing on this car. However, i bet it has a lot more potential, i just need to start running it more often.

 

Tuning on the street may be best, but it's not always realistic. Dynos can be utilized for tuning boost, fuel, and timing curves, as well as setting adjustable cams, etc. I know what you were saying, but there just a little more.