Improving your 1/4 mile techniques...

Was just going through some old car stuff, when I came across 15 santa pod 1/4 mile slips. Compared my times each visit I went, and funnily enough, my first ever attempt going back a year ago when the engine was first properly setup, was my fastest time of 13.70 s. I scored a few 13.71's and 13.72's but my first EVER attempt is my fastest.

All done on exactly the same tyres (puny toyo 195/50/15's), and I went on enough runs to mess around with tyre pressure. Interestingly my first ever run was done on stock pressure, 28psi in both fronts, and throughout all my runs the backs were set to 34psi.

How do you seasoned 1/4 milers go on improving your times, namely your technique as I want to keep the other variables the same. Obviously the up and coming wide wheels will aid me a bit, coupled with a 'bit' more power

 

Basically red line and dump it!


then change gear fast


Never been to Santa pod would kick ass in my 8v mk3 if i did though O Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

phatvr6 is a bit of a king on this,

low tyre pressures and nothing in the car,

other than trying different launches from the lights not much more to go on?

 

maybe you're getting fatter rich! if your times are getting slower

 

Do i look like ive put some weight on?

 

change to 4wd

 

lookin' good



Its all about getting the power down smoothly, and shifting at the
right point; redlining may not automatically be the quickest technique.

 

slip the clutch at 4k off the line then nail it after 5 metres change 200rpm short of the redlin and be hella quick on the clutch.


drop to 25psi on fronts and bear this in mind when braking at the other end.


also check all levels are good and make sure its had a god thrash earlier in the day to avoid bogging

 

more weight, more things to break



RWD

 

strip her out of any un-necessary seats, ice etc. Lower front PSI and raise rear PSI as said, you could always take your front light out and let more air at the filter if you have a cone jobbee. Aswell as that stiffening the suspension more will result in less power lost to the compression of the springs/dampers. Other than that I cant think of anything else you can do at the strip that would improve on times asides a turbo-prop engine from a helicopter

 

RIch would still be sat on the line with his tyres on fire if he did that

 

So true

 

I hold mine at ~3500 on the line. release the clutch smoothly and plant it when ive got the traction. Shifting before the redline, quickly and smoothly.

Its funny watching the guys at inters, reving the engine on the line. there is a high chance that you will be at a low rev when the light comes on.

also what make me laugh is the guys/gals who forget to change gear! chuckle

 

for starters....well, look at your start! forget the ET for now, look at your 60' times.


The rest of your run is going to be pretty much identical if you just rev it to the limiter in each gear (I'll presume that's what you're doing?) so forget about that for now.


Get your timing slip after EVRY run, not after every 5 or so. you'll know what you did on each run if you get the slip each time. Look at the 60'. I can so a 2.022 in my mk4, but that's with 4wd. I managed a 2.034 in my old mk2 (which also ran a 13.7). if you can't get a low 2.0 then you need practice and better tyres.


as for 195's.........dear oh dear. get the smallest wheels you can fit over your brakes, with the biggest profile tyres you can fit (so long as it won't kill your gearing completely) and let them down to 19PSI. This gives you a huge footprint, your key to traction.


For launch technique, I stage, then hold the car on the handbrkae (button depressed) and get the clutch at biting point. the revs you're at will depend on your engine and will take some experimenting. you have to strike the balance between having enough revs not to bog it, but not too many revs to just smoke away fist gear.


You can actually lauch with a bit of clutch slip, keeps the engine revving, but stops the wheels spinning. once you're away you should be able to boot it. if it spins in 2nd too then back off a second or feahter the clutch.


as for in gear. take it almost to the limter it 1st (but don't hit it). same again in 2nd. but for 3rd, don't ride it rought out, change up a bit early (try 1000rpm less) and make sure you land right in your peak torque band. same again into 4th. no point in revving the nuts off the motor if you'r landing outside your peak torque and power band each time, a common miustake to make.


abave all, practice as much as you can, but analize the slip each time to see where you are losing/gaining time.


there's more to your timing slip than 1/4 ET.....there's 1/8th ET, 1/8 trap, 1/4 trap and the all important 60'. it's what you make of that information that counts.


for the record rich....your mk2 is barely any quicker than my old mk2 vr, which had 207bhp..............you can do better than that...

 

finally, suspension


jack the back end up and make it rock solid.





drop the front end as low as you dare.





and if you're getting serious, buy some slicks and lighter wheels and take your back box off before you race.

 

Get off the line quickly and smoothly as poss. As your car has soooo much torque, you will probably wheelspin in 1st no matter what you do. Try short shiftin into 2nd thus not redlining 1st. Quick gearshifts also make a difference.

 

Quick-shift-singh has spoken
Gurd's gearchanges were lightning @ Brunters

 

quick gearshifts also break vw gearboxes......


try quick, yes, but not too hard or you WILL break things, they just aren't designed for fast shifts.





(saying that, I can change without lifting off the accelerator sometimes!)

 

A few mates with 270+ through the front wheels launch in 2nd.... its one less gear change,makes it easier to get off the line with less wheel spin but its a bit more clutch slip...