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Help improving 60ft times on a 4EAT

7K views 16 replies 4 participants last post by  titter 
#1 ·
so aside of building the tranny (converter, valve body, trans brake, cooler) what can i do to improve my 60ft times?

obviously adding more power is one way. but without adding any parts, what else i can to do help. like any hidden tricks or anything? its not like i can just practice launches and shifting (being automatic). my 60ft times are horrible and it makes my fizz go away :(
 
#2 ·
Technique will go a long way. How you launch the car makes a pretty big difference in your 60ft times.

As far as hardware is concerned I would start with a pitch stop mount. They will increase the NVH but they will help you get the power from the engine to the ground without as much waste in the stock rubber mount. You might also look into trans bracing for the hard shifts and power dumps. Moore performance make blast plates for the 5MT that keep the gears meshing happy, Im not sure if they make one for the 4EAT but its worth looking into. Finally I would look into suspension upgrades to keep the rear end from squatting under load.

hope that helps.
 
#3 ·
definitely helps :) i would have never thought of mounts & bracing for the drag strip. i figured that was mostly for track/autocross/rally. NVH doesnt really concern me, unless it starts to affect handling. not doing a track car, but its staying road legal and who doesnt like to take a heroic sprint down an off/on ramp :)

untill i get a trans brake is there a better way for launching than just holding the brake and mash the gas? i use the vaccuum brake technique, put it in 2, revv to ~2500, downshift to 1 and let go. then shift up accordingly (like a manumatic). i use 2 instead of D or 1 because there is less torque in 2 and its easier to hold in place for the half a second i need to build boost. for the record, i dont do this often as i dont want to blow my tranny. but it seems to yeild the best results. big muscle cars with turbo400's use this apparently (if they dont have a trans brake)
 
#4 ·
Thats how I've always launched autos. let the torque converter pickup some steam in 2 then drop it back in d.

If you can handle the harshness then swapping out the drivetrain related mounts will help your engine get power down faster.

What other mods have you done to the car at this point? We can help you find other ways to make more power or get it down better, just dont want to go over things you've already done.
 
#5 ·
im just starting the build so its relativley stock. basic supports mods will be first, then build the tranny to get ready for the turbo and everything to go with it. aiming for ~300whp. but being that im going to be at the strip more that i'll ever be at the track, i want to set the car up for drags. so i want to know what a good foundation would be before i start adding tons of power and ripping things appart / blowing up motors. i get that there will be a huge difference between my 60ft times now and after. but like i said, i want a solid drag car foundation while remaining road legal.

should i start considering unspring weight and rolling resistance? is it worth it? like for instance, would a carbon fiber driveshaft really help me considering im not building a 700hp fire breathing monster?
 
#6 ·
Ive got a soft spot for carbon fiber anything but I don't think a CF shaft will do a alot more than make your wallet lighter. A good aluminum driveshaft would help reduce your unsprung weight ( by about 10 lbs over a stock steel DS ). Reducing unsprung weight is typically used to make the suspension more responsive but in your case saving the rotational energy for the wheels instead of getting a heavy shaft spinning might make a noticeable difference.

Reducing overall weight might be a more cost effective choice for someone just looking to go fast in a straight line. I would start by pulling the spare/ cover and the passenger/rear seats take as much weight out as possible then give it a try and see how it performs.
 
#7 ·
yea thats what i meant sorry. not rolling resistance, but rotational mass. i figure the less energy being used to spin heavy part will get me off the line faster.
 
#14 ·
Im not sure if the rallitek inserts are made of similar stuff to whitelines inserts but the concept looks similar. I had great luck with whitelines diff bushings. I would say go for it and honestly $50 is cheap to start stiffening things up.

You might also want ot look into a pitch stop mount. Again your reducing the energy loss to drivetrain flex so a hunk of aluminum stopping the engine from buckin might help you get more to the ground.

Last thing, everyones talking about weight. Have you tried your times with the spare and rear seats out yet? might be worth it to pull out all the unnecessary parts and see how it feels.
 
#15 ·
yup, pitch stop and engine mounts are on their way :)

trying to make my ET's with full interior and street legal tires. or else thats always an option. the goal is for a drag car i can literally drive right from my house to the traps.... during rush hour.... in the winter.... :)

didnt know whiteline made a 4eat mount/insert.... i'll have to look better. all im coming up with is rallitek.
 
#17 ·
i read alot of great things about the rallitek piece so i feel confident my $50 wont go to waste.

i'll update in a few weeks when its all good to go.
 
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