Just finished a b16 swap into my 91 hatch with Y1 LSD, CM 8.5 pound flywheel, and ACT organic clutch. I don't know how to drive the car fast yet (15.7 in the 1/4). I'm having a hard time launching it correctly. It seems to bog in first once it gets in gear. Going to the dragstrip again on Friday and am looking for some tips.

How to launch?
Suspension settings? (I have GC and Koni yellows)
Tire pressure? (195/60/14 Falken Azenis)

Any other tips welcome....and I know...practice practice practice...i have been going out late nights to practice the launch. thanks.

 

anyone?

 

going to the track wednesday...any tips?

 

You know, I'm going to Michigan leaving tomorrow... I can come by and give you some pointers LOL... I drive a CRX Si with a B16A (14.6 in the 1/4) with a lightened stock flywheel and ACT HD clutch.

I don't have adjustable suspension so I can't help you there, but try 32psi in the front tires and 36 psi in the rears, or more if that's not too high over the max pressure rating. For burnout, a quick 2-3 second spin to get the tires up to temp is more than sufficient, and don't by any means go through the water box. Drive around it.

That bog in first is probably because you're not getting enough tirespin. Rather than slipping the clutch, try dumping it. I get best results launching between 3500-4000rpm depending on track conditions - 3500 for slippery times/days, 4000 for midsummer heat, and once as high as 4500 (though I just melted the tires off on that run). Don't fear wheelspin; a good clean spin is still applying forward force, but bunnyhopping of any kind is evil. Anyway, try dumping the clutch at about 3500rpm, then when the tires start to spin, let it go at the same throttle position as before until you feel the tires start to catch, and then hit the gas. If you time it right you hit the gas a split second before the tires catch and by the time the extra force hits the wheels they've gripped. It takes practice, and I usually can't do it very well

Anyway, which dragstrip are you going to? I'm curious if I can convince my 'other' to drive out and watch some races, since I'll be deprived of racing my own car

*edit* one more point... everyone tries to look for 'the magical setup' and goes to the track with 18 million adjustable things all at once, and starts playing with them all at once. That's BS. Instead, go with your setup as close to stock as possible, and slowly modify things one at a time, noting which changes you've made to your setup each time and how it felt. You can't just do one run for a particular setting; you need to do several, for consistency's sake. So if you change a tire pressure setting, do a couple of runs with that pressure in order to see how much better/worse it is.

Racing on the street - to practice technique - isn't that useful. The street's unevenness, grip changes, etc aren't very indicative of what'll happen in the 1/4 mile.

*edit again* Just noticed you're from Grand Rapids... I'll be in West Branch, right near there


[Modified by raene, 9:23 AM 9/8/2002]