Leave traction control on or off?

Launch rpm?

Do a burnout?

The car feels like it will go 11's easy if it hooks up.

What is the lowest ET for a modded E55 on street tires and on drag radials?

Sorry for all the newbie questions. Just looking to the experienced guys for some help. Thanks.

 

I believe DerekFSU has low ET without Juice...here is the the advice he gave me.

1) Purchase a GOOD tire pressure gauge. You want to run the DR's between
15-22 PSI. I'd start at 18 and see how they hook. You want to pump up the
front tires to 45. Makes them good and bouncy for less resistance.

2) Take a little notebook with you to take notes on your runs. How did you
launch? RMP's at launch? Dyno mode or ESP off or normal? Right lane or
left lane? Tire PSI? If you track all this, it will help to show the
patterns.

3) Learn how to get your car in and out of dyno mode. There are several
threads explaining this. You MUST be in dyno mode to do a burnout.

4) When getting ready to run and you pull into the waterbox, shift your car
into 1st gear. If you don't, the car will shift into second during your
burnout which will slow it down. Do this burnout for a solid 6-8 seconds.

5) Try powerloading it up to around 1500 RPM's or until the tires feel like
they are going to break loose. The better the track is prepped, the better
your launch will be.

6) You will see 3 yellow lights then the green light. If you wait to see
the green light, you have waited too long. The saying is, "See the first
yellow, see the second yellow, go on the third yellow." I go when just when
I think the third yellow is coming on.

7) Floor it. If your tires break loose, then let off just enough for them
to hook up and then immediately floor it again. This will be trail and
error to determine how hard that track will allow you to launch.

8) Make sure to take a helmet and make sure it is SNELL approved or you will be turned away from most tracks.


PS You will suffer heatsoak. Take 2 or 3 bags of ice to lay on the
manifold. The sooner you get there before the runs start, the longer you
can lay the ice on the engine before you have to run. This makes a BIG
difference.


*********There are also some guys here that so the "no power brake...the 1/4 gas at green light just to start rolling....then roll on the throttle to floored. SGC uses this method (ESP OFF) and ran near 12flat on street tires.

So many different methods but the bottom line problem is.....trying to get a 4000lb car (4200 with you in it)...with 600+ ft lbs of torque starting at 2000rpm to launch without tire spin.....when you master that....car will take care of the rest.

If it's your first time ever drag racing.....just use (ESP on) to get the hang of it...then branch out from there.

If you do not have LSD, I have heard she can get a little wild with ESP off so be careful.

Let's us know how you do...and get ready for a hell of a crowd around your car....sure is an attention getter.

 

 

My advice is a bit directed at those with modded E55's. Before mods, I did not ice and the runs were as consistent as could be. The heatsoak becomes an issue once the boost is increased.

Without DR's, you will be hardpressed to launch without traction control and have a better time than WITH traction control. I think it's possible but it will take A LOT of practice IMO.

 

This sounds very confusing! Are you saying it would be better to run with the ESP off if you don't have on slick's?

 

Sorry for the confusing, seems clear to me. You will be hard pressed to get a better time with traction control off than with traction control on unless you are running DR's. With DR's, then you bypass ESP completely by using dyno mode.

 

Dude, all you have to say is: DR=no traction control
Stock Radials: Traction control on
This "hard pressed to, blah, blah, blah," really is confusing.

 

you're going to HRP aren't you??

I ran 12.01 bone stock there...awesome track...if you go tonight, let me know and i'll meet you out there.

John

btw...my avatar picture is from HRP

 

Had I been on the toyota forum, I would have quickly refrained from using such confusing terms as "hard pressed."

In terms of your simplification, I disagree. I think that with enough practice, one could get a better launch without ESP while on stock tires. I was unable to do it but I did not practice it much.

 

Ah yes, hard pressed. Meaning unlikely, but not impossible. Got it.

So for a first timer (with E55) like me, ESP on right?

 

My car launches much better with the ESP off on the stck radials. I guess with DR's you are saying leave the traction control off as well? Smooth track the ESP light is likely not too come on unless there's some wheel hop involved.

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused by what you're saying. Do you race with the ESP on or off with DR's?

 

my experience with a stock car and stock tires...esp on with the rear conti's at 25psi and work your way to full throttle...i 60' a 1.80 and the esp light never came on the whole night.

but...every driver is different with their own ways that suits them best.

too me, it like asking which is the best wax to use...they're all good but which one do YOU like the best!

just my $.02 cents worth.

john

 

I give up. Do it all and figure out what works for you just like the rest of us.

 

That's a awesome 60' time on conti's.

 

my time slips are posted at dragtimes.com

you've got an awesome ride that hauls ***...got to get my wife a new car (the new 3-series) then i can buy some goodies for the E...and MAYBE be as fast as you!

take care

john

 

I don't know Derek. My ESP light flashes even beyond 60 feet sometimes. That means I'd be spinning instead of letting the computer do its thing.

I guess one can get lucky once and have the car hook perfectly and stay hooked without ESP. But I think (just based on how the ESP light flashes with the stock Conti's) you can get 12.2's or better 8 out of 10 times with ESP on, and maybe once or twice with it off.

If you are at the strip and expect to get like 3 runs the whole night, try the ESP off once. If it doesn't work for you, just leave it on. No sense in wasting your runs.

I meant to try it at the track rental I just did, but I didn't think it would have gotten me anything better than what I was running. Next time I do a rental, I'll try it.