rasputin, was the TCM reflashed following the transmission rebuild? This must be performed as a means to clear old junk and allow the new. This should dramatically improve shift sequence. What tire are you running? This'll make a huge difference, plus, the first run likely glazed them. Otherwise, ET's will improve following a few adjustments. I've got to get to a track. Lebanon Valley Raceway, NY is closed. In the spring....?

 

Hmmm not sure what you mean bfgross. The tranny has never been replaced, but it does lurch and a reflash is on the list of things to do in 2013. Car has 57k miles. Mid grade 275's in the rear on stock rims.

 

Sorry rasputin, thought you had a trans. rebuild. Reflash the TCM, big difference. Tires may not be up to the task.

 

rasputin,

Cool! Sounds like you had fun at the track!

If you have them, please pm me (or post) your 60' times. I am not sure of the cause of your tires breaking loose after you launch.

Let's see if we can determine the cause of your tires spinning:
What type of tire are you running?
How old are your tires?
Were your rear tire pressures between 20 and 35 PSI?
Were you forced to drive through the water box?
Was the track's surface temp below 40-45 F?

 

Is it not ironic that Riskii began this thread and died about this time of the year?

 

My sixty foot times are listed after each of my ET's in my original posts, so you can see they were not great. I ripped off a few 2.05's in my Camaro several years ago so I know it possible. Really, the spinning happened from 2KRPM and up. It felt like I was floating down the track in all of first gear, but without any viscous yaw (world class suspension at work).

Driver was 28PSI, passenger was 26PSI. Tires are mid grade, W rated ones from discount tire. They are not great, but definitely not crap at $200-$220 a piece.

I did not driver through the water box. I did a quick squeal before each run. I bet track temps were in the low to mid 40's since the outside temps were in the low 50's.

Modded G8's were running 13.5's at 106, a TT V8 545I was running 13.5's as well, and finally a modded LS1 camaro was running mid 13's at 106-107. Perhaps the track was simply not hooking? I feel pretty satisfied with my 13.7 considering the 4K first gear short shift with spinning, then starting second at 3Krpm or so after the shift. I left about 100rwhp on the table with that run and still trapped almost 104. I am thinking, its low track temps and a lot of torque in first that led to my runs. Oh well, I had fun, and learned a lot. I have a solid torque SOB for a daily driver. Life is not bad.

 

+1. It sounds like a tire issue with 60' times being 2.1+. Definitely post up your tire brand and model, as well as the age. I'm running 13.8s at 7700 ft. DA with consistent 2.0 60' times (even when the outside temp was 39 degrees) on Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS Pole Positions. Is there a known good or bad lane at that track? Here, the right lane sucks for traction so I tend to avoid it (last time I ran in that lane I went 16.8 @97 with a 2.7 60'). Also, are you sure you were in sport mode? If its shifting that early it could be due to leaving it in normal mode.

 

Shoot rasputin, if your best was 13.7 sec. and others that day had similar ET's, then perhaps all were experiencing similar track variables? Back in 2003, Motor Trend called the STR a "Torque Monster".

 

I appreciate all the help. Will get the videos up on Wed.

I had nail in one of my tires last year, so unfortunately, I have two different tire brands. I was not into paying an extra $200+ just to have matching tire brands.

The right is a Riken Raptor ZR:

Riken Raptor ZR Performance Tires 34089 - SummitRacing.com Probably 3-4 years old.

Left is a Dunlop Direzza, less than a year old:

Dunlop*Direzza DZ101

Interestingly enough, the the raptor was the tire that had teh huge burnout on the third run.

Both lanes were about the same it seems. My 14.0 runs were right after the VHT was sprayed and the night was the coldest. All runs were done with the DSC off and in sport mode. AC was on in the staging lanes, then off during the runs. Headlights were even off. I took this pretty serious hoping to break the forum record of 12.89. Again, thanks for all the interest

 

That might be the issue. I had the same Riken Raptors on my Benz (tires were brand new) when I bought it and they were not very good. I think the rubber is too hard and they would not grip very well in a straight line in the cold or on turns, especially compared to a name-brand. I ended up taking them off after a couple of months and selling them on craigslist.

 

As we're all aware, tire condition is a necessity for a good ET, and good tires for this car average $330 each. As a means to mitigate costs, I purchase tires from bestusedtires.com They average $300/pair for lightly used tires. Four months ago I received the rear pair of Mitchelin Pilot Sports and was amazed at their nice condition.

 

You guys know that the NHRA correction factor is 1/2 for supercharged and turbocharged cars right?

Up here in Utah turbo and supercharged cars rule!

 

The NHRA correction doesn't weigh in the DA, they go strictly off of altitude, which really isn't accurate. DA includes temperature, pressure and humidity, not just altitude. Typically with the higher elevation, the air is not just thinner but also more dry, amplifying the altitude difference. So if I went strictly off of altitude, I'd be missing about another 40% in relative altitude based on average or above average conditions. In the summer, the DA usually creeps up around 9000, which is 55% more relative altitude. Either way, its all speculation as the times are more relative to the individual car and the driver. There's no saying that I'd run a 12.xx at sea level.

 

Spinall4: glad to see a like-minded Utahn here. I have some questions that sorta follow this thread abit, so unless anyone objects, I'll keep it here?

I've only had my STR for about 2 months. Others in this thread are talking about their car roasting tires (although "tire" is more accurate) all through 1st gear. This has concerned me abit, since mine does nothing of the sort with my Conti Xtreme-Contact DWS tires. And frankly, this does not feel like one of the faster cars I've owned. But you and I are probably both accustomed to feeling like we're missing-out compared the the guys at sea-level. So my question is, what should I be expecting out of this, stock / unmodified at our local strip and along the Wasatch front? 'cuz it sure doesn't feel like a 13-second car.

(I'll say quietly that it's possible that a 13-second car doesn't thrill me the way it once did, before doing 12's, 11's and even 10's.... but still, I expect a little more than I'm getting)

 

IMO: At sea level, an average driver with no track experience should be putting down a 13.7 sec. ET., in a stock STR. An experienced STR driver will pop off 13.3 sec. ET's. The same driver in a modded (intake, pulley, and exhaust) STR will lay down 12.8 sec. ET.

 

can't wait for my local track to re-open in the spring. (I really can't beleive I'm talking about 1/4-mile again.... when I have one of the continent's best road-racing tracks less than 30 minutes from here... and it's all memorized... every crack, seam, bump and curb... )

 

I feel your enthusiasm mcjaguar. This spring I'm looking to going to the track for the first time.

 

Here is the "official" 1/4 mile drag times thread:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...andings-84783/

 

To me, I don't stress between a few tenths on the clock due to traction issues, instead i let the trap speed MPH do the talking.

105-108mph is where lightly modded STR's trap at, or at least thats what they should aim for

To me, trap speed says it all. Most of the exhibits of speed and high speed blasts you do don't need some picture perfect launch. It's simply pedal-to-the-metal and let the hp do the walking. The STR has a broad powerband and long gearing, it is a great top end car,
at least considering most road cars fall flat on their face by 90mph,

Would be nice to get the STR to trap 115+ and make it a genuinely fast car. Would probably need another 100+ hp the stock eaton just doesnt have. To keep up with a 125mph C6 Z06 would need a 600+ hp avos style setup.

My other car traps well over 130, and I've been in cars that trap 150+, and THAT is really fast.

 

Thanks GT40R. Agree...The Eaton with our best mods (not including nitrous) will likely allow the STR do a 110+ mph trap. A 200 chp twin screw blower would be our ace in the hole and will likely get an STR into the low 12's- high 11's at 120 mph.