I'm new to the racing game and require some experienced opinions.I have a 2004 maxima 6spd and i'm trying to accomplish the best time possible.

I have no experience in drag racing and I just started adding on my bolt on mods.So far all I have is a CAI and i'm running 15.5 on street tires.Other 6thgen owners say they do way better times but it could be because of my bodykit,street tires and inexperience.

Since then i've added the a full N1 catback exhaust with magnaflow 14816 mufflers and I also have a light weight crank pully to be installed.So by next spring I should have a y-pipe,catback,CAI,3pcs spacer kit,stage 3 clutch,weight reduction,timing advance,light weight crank pulley,optima red top battery,heat wrap,machined out my intake manifold for more air flow and possibly 2 slicks race tires.

So what is a good RPM to launch at with these mods with my street tires or slicks without spinning out the tires???

 

There are many variables at where to exactly on the rpm needle to launch. Basically, experiment with different rpm's and see what works best for you.

 

the maximas power band starts at around 4.3k i would start your launch at 5.5 and keep it in between 4.5 and 5k until your clutches matches gear speed and im sure you know what to do the rest of the way.

 

^that

highest i can launch is 3.2k sadly

 

The funniest thing is I thought you just floor it at the green light,it's turns out that it's more than that.I know maxima's have alot of torque but on the tracks you see it because you can't get that traction you need without launching at the right RPM and having good tires.

 

its all about clutchwork. the throttle will become natural, the best way to learn fast is to not concentrate on anything else but the clutch.

don't drive into the wall or anything... but put most of your effort and concentration into that clutch. your will be able to feel the breaking point and hover right before it in no time.

i haven't spend much time dragging a car, i've probably been to the strip 10-15 times, but it was a weekly thing before i sold my motorcycle. i've won 22 bracket races on my 07 zx6-rr but the same concepts apply in a car, except its all in the hands not the feet. easier i think.

the only reason i don't drag my max is because unlike my bike, where i could change out the clutch on a weekend in my garage (and i went through many of them) changing out the clutch in a maxima is not something i would attempt or want to pay for, and you will be going through your clutches fast if you make this a regular thing.

also do your oil changes more frequently, instead of waiting to 5k, do it at 3k.

 

I'm not the most experienced tracker, but as much advice as I've gotten from the best racers, the best thing for me was just practice. Find what works best for you and your specific vehicle. Once you learn the engagement point of your clutch, you'll figure out how fast/slow to slip it and at what rpm. This is all highly dependant on wheel and tire choice, clutch, and suspension mods.



shouldn't take more than a few hours to swap a clutch on a Maxima including a lunch break.

 

I never pay attention to my rpm, well I do but not to know when to shift. I do everything by sound and feel. Never had and issue. That rpm is a distraction and will not win you races, do it by sound and feel. You reaction will be by far more successful after you master that. I better insert this, this is just my opinion and it works for me.

 

agreed. As long as you know where your cars peak power lies and you know your in that area without looking, you will soon be able to go completely off of sound and feel. paying attention to your gauges IS a distraction and you want to wean off of that as you get more experienced. then you can put all your concentration in that green light, every split second counts when your in a tournament.

 

Lower tire pressure helps with traction on launches. If you're still on the stock big bubbly crap that comes on our cars, you need to get a set of good slicks mounted on a set of cheap-o rims that you can swap on the front of your car when you're at the strip.

 

Yeah I hear you on that.My problem was the balancing the clutch while trying to maintain the right rpm for that perfect launch.I feel you on the clutch because the clutch cost around $400-500 and labour is another $400-500,and trust me I burnt up that clutch good last time I went on the drag strip.

But thanks man.Hopefully when I add on all the mods i'll be running better times

 

That's how I started first,by sound.Unfortunately my inexperience caused me to either shift to early or too late and that caused me to loose.I mean on the streets I could shift by sound but from what I've learned is shifting just before the redline and the momentum will carry over to the next gear.

But yeah i'll try different things and see what works.I'm only doing bolt on's so depending on how tracking is will determine wheather I get slicks so that I can launch at a higher rpm.

 

There is soo much to learn about perfect launch and shifting.But yeah I get what you're saying.I bought some 350Z rims just to race but I know them slicks is specifically for tracks and i'll probably get a fine from the po-po or slide off the road if I use them to drive up to the tracks.I have 22's with no room for load so I can't even put the race tires with the 3ton jack required to change them.

But slicks definitely sound like something i'll have to get if I intend to improve my time

 

2,847 rpm

 

Do you get wheel spin with your street tires?

 

On the street it will peel through all of 1st gear even if I launch from idle. At the dragstrip I go to it either hooks or I get wheel hop launching from 2,500ish rpm. I tried launching from 4,500 once and the wheel hop was so bad it popped out of gear. Just have to practice man.

15.5 is kind of slow unless you're at a high elevation. Only track close to me is an 1/8th mile which I ran a 9.34 @ 77.58 mph with just a fujita intake. Would have been roughly a 14.3 or so in the 1/4th mile. Here's a link to that run since the embed code isn't working. http://youtu.be/kAfAEOaCSMA

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Toyo T1Rs hook up real nice, and they're a street tire. A bit pricey, but look into a set of those. They suck in wet conditions though.

 

Yes I know 15.5 is pretty slow,but I have no experience in drags,shifting at the right rpm,my car has the GTR bodykit,regular street tires and all I had was the CAI,so those could all be a factor why my time sucked.

But next year I'll be more improved performance wise and with the knowledge experienced gragsters here have I should improve my time.

By next spring I'll have the Cold Air Intake,3pc spacer kit,Block Off Plate,machined intake manifold,stage 1 or 3 clutch,racingline y-pipe,full N1 catback with the 14816 magnaflow mufflers,better tires,timing advance,optima red top battery,and for weight reduction I'll swap out the bodykit and remove the spare tire and jack.

So hopefully I could hit 14.0 or late 13's.That I could live with

 

If it's pricey I'll probably go with slicks. But I'll look into it. I have 22's for my daily ride,winter tires and rims,and 350Z rims just for racing so the weather shouldn't be a big issue. But good looking out

 

1) remove 22's

2) you can't launch that high with an auto the stock stall is around like 2 k

3) you need some suspension work done to be a able to launch good ... read around ... practice makes perfect

 

Lmao.I don't run with my 22's man.I bought the 350Z rims just to race,and my car is lowered on KYB GR-2 shock struts with a 1.5 drop in the front and 0.5 in the rear.But with all my mods i'm definitely picking up two slicks for the front so I can launch at a higher rpm.The 6spd just have too much torque