hey guys. i was wondering if anyone knows how to launch a 5 spd Max for maximum acceleration and minimum wheel spin. i've tried a search and didn't get much. is there a perfect RPM to launch at?? i need to know this info to put the smack down on my friend's 98 Accord V6 auto. we raced a couple of days ago and he won, partly beacuse i got massive wheelspin and partly because i need a new knock sensor. whats worked best for you 5 spds out there??

 

Two things work for me....one, drop the clutch at around 2800 rpm and floor it, or revving it to 4600rpm and slipping the clutch, using the clutch as a way to keep your tires at their *breaking point*, where they are about to break traction....as always, practice makes perfect...and be sure to upgrade your brakes so you can stop from 100-0 if a light turns red.

 

thanks, i'm eager to go out and try that!!

 

Also get a new clutch ready!

 

Man, there is no reason or excuse not to beat an Accord. You better go try again or get you car looked @. Also to your question.....I don't have an answer other than you just have to go out & just get used to your car. Once you get it down it is like learning to drive.

 

learn to shift

 

I usually do a 3k launch by releasing the clutch pretty quick but not dumping it completely. Usually spins just a little but it is not as hard on the tranny as doing a complete dump. Yeah, you can really break those front tires loose if you are not careful.

 

I usually launch around 2 or 1,5 k rpms cuz if I go any higher, my tires will spin all the way through first gear until I shift to second. I also slip the clutch and not dump as to prevent more wear and tear on the tranmission.

 

what do you guys think is worse on the tranny/clutch - slipping the clutch or dropping it? it pains me to do either one on my car, but its worth it once and a while. as for not beating the Accord, don't worry - i'm getting my new knock sensor, and then its rematch time!

 

ehh good a treah i can learn something good from... hehe

i'm so new at launches.... still learning since i got my manual only 5 months ago.

I never took the time to learn, but i think it's time.
Was heading to mcdonalds after being out late night. a friend was in his 240sx we pull upto a light. When it does turn green, i start to high in rpms and practically dropped the clutch at lightning speed. haha. I spin out through alot of first gear, still kinda keeping up. He's walking by me slowly. Once i hit 2nd, i started catching up again......... Needless to say, i have to learn how to launch properly.

I tend to bring rpms to around 2k, but when i let go of the clutch i end up not giving more gas, so the rpms just kinda keep dropping.
Gotta keep practicing.

 

Are we talking on the street or at the track? If you try launching at 1500-2000rpms on the track, you'll never get a good et because you are in 1st gear WAY too long. You need to be coming off the line at 3000rpms. That means you need to be launching at 4000+rpms. The best way seems to be to slip the clutch until the car starts rolling and then release the clutch fairly quickly.

As for the street, lower the rpms to about 3000-3300 and see how it does.

REMEMBER: You can't get too greedy with releasing the clutch too fast.


Dave

 

Well, at the track I haven't ever revved it up off the line. I just basically floor it on the last yellow and feather the clutch... seems to be working fairly well?? lol Still need to get lower 60' times, but a 2.25 isn't that bad?? Once I get a y-pipe, b-pipe, and other NA mods, I might have to change a few things off the line??

 

If you are slipping the clutch, what RPMs you hold the tach at when you are staged has no bearing on anything. There is a certain amount of traction your tires can provide. That means that they can hold a certain amount of torque at the wheels before they start to slip. Off the line your clutch and throttle modulation is all that matters. You can slip from 1500 rpms and have more wheelspin than slipping it from 4500 rpms if you don't modulate the clutch and throttle properly.

VeeTec, theblue and myself come to mind, as people who routinely pull 2.1 60' times without harsh clutch drops nor high rpm clutch slips. Honestly I don't even pay attention to my RPMs off the line anymore. Consistent clutch and throttle modulation are FAR more important than what RPM you start to slip the clutch at. If you can't slip the clutch consistently, it doesnt make one bit of difference if you hold the RPM at a constant position prior to launching.

In short, it takes practice to learn to launch your car. No one can tell you the "best" way because it depends on how well you can control your feet and the amount of traction you can get on whatever surface you are on.

 

good point, my first time at the track i would launch at 4k but not dump the clutch... i frget what my 60' time was but my 1/4mile run was a 14.98 on a stock 5th gen... all i need are better tires, and to find a sweet spot so i can launch perfectly

 

Just curious...what's up with your knock sensor and what kind of fuel are you using? 91+ octane right?

 

i agree. the way i drive it suits me best to use a low rpm launch technique. i hold the pedal lightly to 1,500 rpm. i mostly focus on the tree anticipating the third yellow light. i get a little tire slip and a lot of engine response. now can i please have my 13s? also, if you are new to driving stick shift i recommend learning how to "feel" the pedal. it's easy to take for granted that you can move the car using only the clutch from a standstill. when you learn the pedal feel it makes it easy to save the clutch and drive hard at the same time. take off casually from a stand without having to rev past 800-900 rpm even from a slight hill and you've mastered the basic fundamentals of clutch pedal feel. finally, you can learn how to match rev downshift, double clutch, heel/toe, or double clutch/heeltoe. it's fun!

 

i'm using 91 octane, but my car isn't running right. i pulled some codes and the "0304" (knock sensor) comes up every time, and according to some recent posts, this thing is making a fairly significant change in power to my car. i mean, if its not that, i don't know whats slowing me down. i should be able to kill an Accord V6 auto. well, my knock sensor has been ordered, so i'll let everyone know how much better i do after i get the new sensor.

 

I've gone done the track about 60 times now and I've experimented with every launch rpms possible, believe me If I launch at 1500-2000 while slipping the clutch and feeding it gas, it creates some wheelspin and then a bog at 2500 and then it takes off. The bog is what kills the ET. I was consistently in the 2.4-2.5 60' range until last season when I found out that upping my launch rpms resulted in far quicker 60 foots and quicker ets. If I launch right, I'm coming off the line with a little bit of spin and then the tires grab at 3000+rpms which gets me directly into the heart of my torque curve. Towards the end of the season last year I was getting some pretty consistent lower 2.2s which is really good for a FWD car on street tires at my track. Yesterday I was getting consistent 2.29-2.30 60 foots simply because it was opening day and the track wasn't prepped. I'm hoping for some 14.5s this weekend with a little VHT on my tires


Dave