t How to Launch

[chow]

Ok.. Im confused.Today I went out with a buddy to test his new car.. The 2006 Pontiac Solsitce. Its pushing about 170hp/170tq at 2.8-9 lbs. We were testing the car on a long strip of backroads. Tested the 0-60MPH times a few times and averaged them out. The car ran about 9.1 seconds after 3-4 trials.

So.. my friend decided to challenge me to a short race. Of course I said yes.

(Im in a 3.5 A/C with a Greddy exhaust, Injen CAI, eibachs(dont do anything here) and Falken 452 tires wraping Tenzo type m's )

Since the area was really really small, we chose a finishing line that was fairly close to us. He counted down from 3.. I revved the car up to about 3.5 RPMs and dropped the clutch. His car squeals and slowly takes off. My car is struggling hardcore. ( I dropped the clutch and floored it) Smoke begins to fill the air while my car accelerates ever so slowly. His solstice is about 1 car length ahead by this time. As soon as i hit redline i shift to 2nd, but by now his car is 1 n a half car lengths ahead. As soon as i hit 2nd, my car pulls like a beast and can easily overtake his car. Sadly, the strip we were on could only allow us to get into 2nd.

Anyways.. I need tips to launch. I feel like a sucker losing to a car like his

[milkacaduke]

it's WAI btw

and since ur at it mind post a pic of ur ride with those type-ms?

[marcelo929]

I have a 3.5 cvt and this sometimes happens to me with my friends mx-5. His is a 6 speed manual but im sure I could still be pretty even off the line. Any tips?

it's WAI btw

and since ur at it mind post a pic of ur ride with those type-ms?

He posted them a while back. here you go buddy http://forums.altimas.org/zerothread/359369

[milkacaduke]

bla right i thought it was another coupe ma bad

btw i love how type m looks on our car!!!

[spockrock]

I thought the turbo'd solstice put out 260HP not 170, that's the non turbo'd version.

[Hussain]

do a burn out! lol i raced my friend's G35 coupe (automatic) before and wasn't getting the greatest traction off the line. so before the next few races i made it look like i was just messing around with my car trying to do little burn outs but i was heating up the tires. then when we took off i griped and jumped off the line quicker...... but i have a CVT and the CVT 3.5se don't really have issues with traction off the line for the most part (i'm still on the crappy stock tires too). i haven't gotten a chance to drive a 6 speed 3.5se but i've heard they get a lot of wheel spin off the line

[adidas2go]

What in the hell are you boys doing to lose traction off the like in the 3.5 CVT With my turbo, I bearly broke traction at the start, and then it was off to the races. Thats power braking up to its stall converter max rpm, and slamming the accelerator to the floor. You guys are doing it all wrong

With the 6 speed, try launching around 3k rpms, and feathering the clutch through the first few seconds, just enough to get a tiny bite of traction. Then you can fully engage it, and be on your way. If you don't have experience racing a manual, its gonna take some time to learn the launch

[One Crazy Max]

next time you launch the car, keep the revs at 2700RPM - 2900RPM, and then do a slip dump launch. you wont get that much wheelspin, depending on your tires. also dont go WOT throttle as soon as you launch, instead let the car get to like 5000-5500 RPM and then you can go WOT. this is what i do at the track, and i consistently get 2.2 60fts!!!

[One Crazy Max]

With the 6 speed, try launching around 3k rpms, and feathering the clutch through the first few seconds, just enough to get a tiny bite of traction. Then you can fully engage it, and be on your way. If you don't have experience racing a manual, its gonna take some time to learn the launch

if he does what you are saying he will fry the clutch. the 3.5 makes too much torque to feather for the first few seconds. a slip dump always works out perfect for me.

[adidas2go]

Maybe you should explain a slip dump for the rest of us. Surely you didn't expect people to pick up on that...

[RobPaulson]

Maybe you should explain a slip dump for the rest of us. Surely you didn't expect people to pick up on that...

no idea what slip dump is, if i had to guess, it would be what adidas explained, so im lost haha

[sonicbliss]

by slip dump im pretty sure he means just slip the clutch, let out slowly, and not to just dump it.

[Hussain]

What in the hell are you boys doing to lose traction off the like in the 3.5 CVT With my turbo, I bearly broke traction at the start, and then it was off to the races. Thats power braking up to its stall converter max rpm, and slamming the accelerator to the floor. You guys are doing it all wrong

on the crappy stock tires even if i TRY to lose traction at the track the most i get is a little screech lol on the streets though, you can get wheel spin just by stomping on the gas when the light turns green..... what did you mean about power braking up to its stall converter and doing it wrong? isn't that what your supposed to do?

[shift_mikey]

Practice makes perfect.

If you let the clutch out too aggresively and start getting lots of wheel spin, start backing off the throttle so the engine doesn't pin to redline, let the ground speed catch up to the wheel speed, and when the car grabs traction, punch it out. By then you'll be ready to slam into second.

[lilojoj]

Maybe you should explain a slip dump for the rest of us. Surely you didn't expect people to pick up on that...

seriously...

and whats WOT??

[adidas2go]

WOT= Wide Open Throttle

[chow]

So its all about feathering the clutch?

I realised that when i dumped the clutch my RPMS would shoot up to red line and hit the limiter while my wheels make smoke :P The RPMS then drop to around 5k right when the tires start grabbing, and a few seconds later I'm able to switch to second before the redline.

I'll go around practicing the slip clutch but.. I'm sure this will fry my clutch.. Are there any after market clutches out at the moment? (I dont want to fry the clutch only to purchase a stock nissan one :P)

[dangeris]

When I raced a local G35, I was kinda weary since I don't really like to race my cars, you know,..me being old and stuff But I pretty much did what Blake said and loaded the suspension by power braking and when I hit about 3K, I let it loose. Loading up the suspension before the launch always helps deter breaking parts.

[soltys]

I've found that anything over 2500 rpm give me wheel spin and sometimes even worse - wheel hop.

And there are no aftermarket clutches yet available for this 3.5 setup - believe me I look.

[ultima67]

don't feather the clutch feather the gas, like has been stated before get the clutch engaged if your wheels are spinning let off and let the tires catch up then hit it again.