My First Time on the Drag Strip
#1
My First Time on the Drag Strip
So I went out to Palmdale last night.
Car filled with Junk and spare tire and all
Track condition there, rocks everywhere... I couldnt tell where the end of the track was on my first few runs, so let off the throttle too soon... (oops)
Mods -
* Tilton 8lb Flywheel / 2disk Cerametallic Racing Clutch 7.25"
* K&N Typhoon Intake
* RT High Flow Cats
* Nismo Exhaust
* Nismo Wheels wrapped in BF GOodrich KDW RT's
* Oil change should have been 3800 miles ago
(( I didnt know you were suposed to start on the yellow or 2 lights before the green, I started on Green DOH! ))
With the Tilton Clutch it is hard to get a good launch since it either locks up, or well... locks up... cant slip the clutch at all so its full blast, My launches were at 1200RPM and still spun the tires...
My best run of the night
Reaction - 1.027
60 - 2.211
330 - 6.092
1/8th - 9.318 @ 76.499MPH
1/4 - 14.375 @ 97.204MPH
I plan on going back there soon, with my floor matts, junk thrown out, spare tire removed... and lunching on yellow now that I know...
Thoughts?
Car filled with Junk and spare tire and all
Track condition there, rocks everywhere... I couldnt tell where the end of the track was on my first few runs, so let off the throttle too soon... (oops)
Mods -
* Tilton 8lb Flywheel / 2disk Cerametallic Racing Clutch 7.25"
* K&N Typhoon Intake
* RT High Flow Cats
* Nismo Exhaust
* Nismo Wheels wrapped in BF GOodrich KDW RT's
* Oil change should have been 3800 miles ago
(( I didnt know you were suposed to start on the yellow or 2 lights before the green, I started on Green DOH! ))
With the Tilton Clutch it is hard to get a good launch since it either locks up, or well... locks up... cant slip the clutch at all so its full blast, My launches were at 1200RPM and still spun the tires...
My best run of the night
Reaction - 1.027
60 - 2.211
330 - 6.092
1/8th - 9.318 @ 76.499MPH
1/4 - 14.375 @ 97.204MPH
I plan on going back there soon, with my floor matts, junk thrown out, spare tire removed... and lunching on yellow now that I know...
Thoughts?
#2
Cranky FI Owner
iTrader: (14)
You really need to work on getting your 60ft's down. I know its hard launching a car with a light FW, but you have to practice. Try to work on your shifting also. I hit a 2.14 60ft my first run ever and went 13.80 @ 101, so you can go 13's on a 2.2 60ft if you can shift really fast. Your trap seems really though for a Z with mods. What where you shifting at? And please change your oil! You work at a dealership you cant get one of the techs to change your oil for you...?
Last edited by Alberto; 01-08-2004 at 08:20 AM.
#3
Originally posted by Alberto
You really need to work on getting your 60ft's down. I know its hard launching a car with a light FW, but you have to practice. Try to work on your shifting also. I hit a 2.14 60ft my first run ever and went 13.80 @ 101, so you can go 13's on a 2.2 60ft if you can shift really fast. Your trap seems really though for a Z with mods. What where you shifting at? And please change your oil! You work at a dealership you cant get one of the techs to change your oil for you...?
You really need to work on getting your 60ft's down. I know its hard launching a car with a light FW, but you have to practice. Try to work on your shifting also. I hit a 2.14 60ft my first run ever and went 13.80 @ 101, so you can go 13's on a 2.2 60ft if you can shift really fast. Your trap seems really though for a Z with mods. What where you shifting at? And please change your oil! You work at a dealership you cant get one of the techs to change your oil for you...?
I need to get my reaction time down i know that for a fact...
I shift faster then I can think, I am shifting at 6600 RPM...
With the launch, Have you launched the Z with the TIlton racing clutch? its almost impossible to start from a dead stop... but, once your moving it is amazing...
There was a track Z there that was stock... His 60 foot time was much better then mine, but my over all time was over half a second better then his.. so i dunno...
first time on the drag strip.. i like tracks better.. its what im building my car for...
#5
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Jason,
I left my stock clutch in with a JUN lightweight flywheel and I still have difficulty launching the car. I lower the air pressure in my tires to 22 pounds and it seems to help a little bit. I have varied my pressure from 20 to 25 pounds and it seems like 22 is the best for me.
Don't worry about the times because it all depends on the track conditions. You can't compare times because your track conditions are different than other track conditions. Only way you can compare is if both times were run on the same track same day, same time. Times vary drastically from day to day. I have runs that range from 14 flats to 13.4 on different days just because track conditions were different. Trust me when I run .6's of second quicker than my slowest so is every else thats running.
I left my stock clutch in with a JUN lightweight flywheel and I still have difficulty launching the car. I lower the air pressure in my tires to 22 pounds and it seems to help a little bit. I have varied my pressure from 20 to 25 pounds and it seems like 22 is the best for me.
Don't worry about the times because it all depends on the track conditions. You can't compare times because your track conditions are different than other track conditions. Only way you can compare is if both times were run on the same track same day, same time. Times vary drastically from day to day. I have runs that range from 14 flats to 13.4 on different days just because track conditions were different. Trust me when I run .6's of second quicker than my slowest so is every else thats running.
#7
Im going back this week... To the same track to see if I can improve my time there...
Talking to some people at the local street import parking lot meets, they were shocked I ran a 14.375 at Palmdale.
The track is 4000 Feet above sea level.
One guy did the math with some conversion rate and said it was a 13.6?
Got me there...
I let the rear pressure down to 24lbs... Ill try dropping them a little lower..
I am going to clean out my car (daily Driver)... take out my floor mats / rear mat / spare & jack / soda bottles and things from the rear glove box I had forgotten about.
and also not be on a full tank of gas :-/
I want to see what I can do with a good launch and the excess weight removed...
Thursday Jeff and I were going to go to irwindale and do some 1/8th runs...
well see
Ill post what happens next!
Talking to some people at the local street import parking lot meets, they were shocked I ran a 14.375 at Palmdale.
The track is 4000 Feet above sea level.
One guy did the math with some conversion rate and said it was a 13.6?
Got me there...
I let the rear pressure down to 24lbs... Ill try dropping them a little lower..
I am going to clean out my car (daily Driver)... take out my floor mats / rear mat / spare & jack / soda bottles and things from the rear glove box I had forgotten about.
and also not be on a full tank of gas :-/
I want to see what I can do with a good launch and the excess weight removed...
Thursday Jeff and I were going to go to irwindale and do some 1/8th runs...
well see
Ill post what happens next!
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#8
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I frequent AutoX's in the area, so last night my friends drug me to the drag strip to race my Z.
Best time all night was a 13.70 @ 102. I cut a 2.0 60' on the 18" track rims and stock tires. I felt pretty good about it and would have kept running it, but someone hit a wall and the track shut down for about an hour and a half.
Launching the car on these 18's is a pain the **** though. If I dump it from above 1,500 I have nothing but spin.
Anywho, better luck next time. For me, if the launch doesn't go down well I just bail on the whole run.
Best time all night was a 13.70 @ 102. I cut a 2.0 60' on the 18" track rims and stock tires. I felt pretty good about it and would have kept running it, but someone hit a wall and the track shut down for about an hour and a half.
Launching the car on these 18's is a pain the **** though. If I dump it from above 1,500 I have nothing but spin.
Anywho, better luck next time. For me, if the launch doesn't go down well I just bail on the whole run.
#10
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Palmdale is one of the slowest drag strips around. Your friend is right, 14.3 at palmdale is about 13.5-13.6 at any normal strip. I've seen stock Z's pull low 15's there. Sure, it's kinda depressing seeing those numbers.. but using the calculation on a high elevation strip like that is essential if you want to compare it to others. It's even on the LACR website.
Nice run!
Nice run!
#11
Like it's already been suggested, try lowering your tire pressure to about 22 psi so you can cut better short times. Take out any excess weight from the car like all that junk you had in there at the time. Also, it doesn't really matter if you go after the green light on the tree, it won't effect your ET at all. You can go 10 seconds after the light turns green, and you'll still run a 13.x or so, it only matters when you're trying to beat the guy next to you.
#13
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Originally posted by Jason@Performance
You did a 13.7 at Palmdale?!??
You did a 13.7 at Palmdale?!??
Sorry for the confusion, but I'm a Texas boy.
#15
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I would really expect better times than that... last time I ran my Z at an 1/8 I got
60ft 2.125
1/8mph 79
1/8et 9.18
keep in mind that is with zero performance mods, stock tire pressure, jack+spare+crap still in car, and all my audio equipment + all the fatmat... keep practicing- it will be interesting watching ur ETs fall after some practice.
60ft 2.125
1/8mph 79
1/8et 9.18
keep in mind that is with zero performance mods, stock tire pressure, jack+spare+crap still in car, and all my audio equipment + all the fatmat... keep practicing- it will be interesting watching ur ETs fall after some practice.
#16
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Originally posted by Jason@Performance
Im going back this week... To the same track to see if I can improve my time there...
Talking to some people at the local street import parking lot meets, they were shocked I ran a 14.375 at Palmdale.
The track is 4000 Feet above sea level.
One guy did the math with some conversion rate and said it was a 13.6?
Got me there...
I let the rear pressure down to 24lbs... Ill try dropping them a little lower..
I am going to clean out my car (daily Driver)... take out my floor mats / rear mat / spare & jack / soda bottles and things from the rear glove box I had forgotten about.
and also not be on a full tank of gas :-/
I want to see what I can do with a good launch and the excess weight removed...
Thursday Jeff and I were going to go to irwindale and do some 1/8th runs...
well see
Ill post what happens next!
Im going back this week... To the same track to see if I can improve my time there...
Talking to some people at the local street import parking lot meets, they were shocked I ran a 14.375 at Palmdale.
The track is 4000 Feet above sea level.
One guy did the math with some conversion rate and said it was a 13.6?
Got me there...
I let the rear pressure down to 24lbs... Ill try dropping them a little lower..
I am going to clean out my car (daily Driver)... take out my floor mats / rear mat / spare & jack / soda bottles and things from the rear glove box I had forgotten about.
and also not be on a full tank of gas :-/
I want to see what I can do with a good launch and the excess weight removed...
Thursday Jeff and I were going to go to irwindale and do some 1/8th runs...
well see
Ill post what happens next!
not to argue but the track is exactly 2800 ft. above sea level
#19
Sponsor
Performance Nissan
Performance Nissan
Originally posted by aznkukuboi
haha hey i want to buy a 350z from your place
can u get me a car at msrp including tax?
ahah
imma go there n see later on
haha hey i want to buy a 350z from your place
can u get me a car at msrp including tax?
ahah
imma go there n see later on
#20
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Originally posted by aggiez
Nah man, I did a 13.7 at Houston Raceway Park. My home away from home.
Sorry for the confusion, but I'm a Texas boy.
Nah man, I did a 13.7 at Houston Raceway Park. My home away from home.
Sorry for the confusion, but I'm a Texas boy.