I went to the track friday night. I have '97 SE 5-speed. The powertrain is completely stock, just a drop-in K&N filter. I have the stock rims with 225/50/16 Dunlop SP8000 tires. Even with decent rubber, I had severe problems getting traction. My first run I dropped it at 3K rpm, it was a little to high I spun like crazy. The next time I dropped at 1.5K rpm, the tires grabbed initially but once the torque kicked in, the car started bouncing again. I was also catching rubber on my 1-2 shift, which I normally dont do with these tires. The last few runs were 1/8 mile because of fluid on the track (that sucked). Anyway, let me know what you guys think of my times. Is my car a little slow or am I a bad driver? Or both? The links are below.

The images are a bit large in size for slow connections, my crappy scanner software only saves in bmp....sorry.

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte327n/images/ts123.bmp
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte327n/images/ts45.bmp

 

First off, NEVER dump the clutch. Dumping the clutch in high torque fwd car will only make for horrible wheelspin. Second, the 1/4 mile track is like ice compared to the street because of all the rubber. A 3.3 60 foot is REALLY bad You're doing pretty goo if you can get your 60 foot into the 2.2 range. Your second run with the 2.4 60 foot is pretty good, but I can't figure out why you only ran a 16.0@86mph. Where are you shifting, how quickly, what gear are you using as you cross the line, what's in your car? A stock Maxima 5 speed should be able to get mid 15s with a 2.4 60 foot. Are you at a high elevation?

Try this:

remove your spare and jack
run about a 1/4-1/3 tank of gas
-take your front tires down to 25 psi
-pump the rears to 42 psi
-take the rpms up to 2500 and quickly slip the clutch "feeling" for traction
-shift the 1-2 at 6500, 2-3 at 6000, 3-4 5800

Hopefully this will help.

Just for comparison so you can gauge your car here's my 14.7:

60' 2.246
330' 6.174
1/8 9.476
mph 74.96
1000 12.309
1/4 14.732
MPH 93.83
(KCIR 1000' elevation)


Dave

 

Where are you shifting, how quickly

I was shifting at redline, 6500 on the tach. That's the 1-2 shift and 2-3 shift.

What gear are you using as you cross the line

Third gear as I pass the line.

what's in your car?

Everything, I took nothing out of my car.

Are you at a high elevation?

I don't know, but it was a cool night.

Also...
I was running with about 1/3 of a gas tank.
I left the pressures like I always have them:
~36 front, ~33 rear.

Thanks for the recommendations. I will use them next time I go to the track...this time with a y-pipe and possibly an intake.

Anyone else have comments about my poor performance???

 

it says poormans CAI
what kind of CAI is this is it just a homemade thing u made or what

 

u need to shift earlier on the 2-3, and you should definitely be into 4th gear when you cross the line, you problem is that in second and third gears, when you get over 6000 rpm the engine power drops off, and in those gears, you spend a good amount more time over 6000 than in first when it doesn't matter.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 97max5spd
[B]I went to the track friday night. I have '97 SE 5-speed. The powertrain is completely stock, just a drop-in K&N filter. I have the stock rims with 225/50/16 Dunlop SP8000 tires. Even with decent rubber, I had severe problems getting traction. My first run I dropped it at 3K rpm, it was a little to high I spun like crazy. The next time I dropped at 1.5K rpm, the tires grabbed initially but once the torque kicked in, the car started bouncing again. I was also catching rubber on my 1-2 shift, which I normally dont do with these tires. The last few runs were 1/8 mile because of fluid on the track (that sucked). Anyway, let me know what you guys think of my times. Is my car a little slow or am I a bad driver? Or both? The links are below.

The images are a bit large in size for slow connections, my crappy scanner software only saves in bmp....sorry.

The first time at the track is always an adventure. I went to the 1/8 mile track first, to practice my launches and to get used to the lights. I've been able to get my reaction times down to about .65 pretty consistantly (.500 is perfect). Launching this car is a definite challenge. Out of about 15 runs, I've been only been able to get my 60' times under 2.3 twice.
All of Dave B's suggestions are good points. You should experiment with either leaving your car in third, or shifting to fourth for the best results. I've gotten my best times by keeping it in third.

Good luck!
Terry

98 SE/ 5 Speed/ CAI/ Stillen Y Pipe/ RT cat/ Courtesy B Pipe/ Stock Muffler
FSTB/ Clear front bumper lenses/ Clear Tails

14.73 @94.1

 

I have never shifted to 4th.. i usually let it bounce off the rev limiter in 3rd..

oh you reaction times did you have to wait for the green light all the time hahah.. never leave at the green light.. leave at the third yellow

and strip the car .. as Dave B said..

 

I've run quite a few 14.8s and 14.9s by leaving my car in 3rd. I had tried shifting to 4th before, but with no real improvements in et and trap speed. Last time at the track I thought I had a really bad 60 foot so I decided to shift to 4th really early (5900 indicated) and when I got my slip I freaked. It was a 14.7@94mph with a 2.25 60'. Before this I had shifted into 4th at 6200 which was obviously too high. Next time at the track I will try this:

1-2 6500
2-3 6100
3-4 5800

I think shifting to 4th helps IF you're getting your ets into the lower 15 second range and are using all of 3rd. My dyno runs (in 4th) show my power falling off pretty dramatically after 5700 rpms. This says to me that running 3rd the entire length of the track actually hurts the et. By the time I crossed the line, my car was at 6500 rpms. According to the dyno I am only making 145 fwhp at 6500rpms. When crossing the line in 4th, I'm at 5300 rpms which is means I'm making about 170 fwhp and I'm right near peak hp (exactly where drag racers say you should be crossing the line).


Poorman's CAI- stock intake box with all resonators removed with a undernose intake pipe added (along with the stock intake snorkel) and a cotton drop-in in filter. Dyno tested to make the same power as the POP setup.

Dave

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll take all of it to the track next time. I think my main problem was lauching the car that night. I expected to launch like I would from a street traffic light. I'll keep the shift points in mind too. I plan on going with a friend who has a CL Type-S so it should be a good race.