How to start at a drag strip. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

oldsinner111 · #1 07-22-2011, 07:16 PM

Being I was never taught how to race with a automatic transmission how do you start.
I've been since, my engine pulls hard at 4,000 to 6,500 rpms have started with one foot on gas and one on the brake.I try and hold rpms at 2,000.Any more and I start sliding towards the tree.The engine overcomes the brake.
Is this the right way?

JayRash · #2 07-22-2011, 07:40 PM

I usually have a trick for off the lights grip. It needs a strong e brake. Push the e brakes as hard as u can load the engine a little so the car sags at the rear then with ur left foot press as hard as u can on the brakes and give it more gaz to say 2200 Rpm. And release all brakes. This puts weight on the rear tires and reduces spin thou I doubt ur w140 can spin due to it's weight. The v8 500 I have on skinny tires and hardly spins.

Any way I learned this trick on manual cars thou there I don't use the foot brake. I just pull the hand brake. Hold revs at what ever rpm I need and have the clutch bite a little just long enough to load the rear tires as the car sags. And then launch the car.

oldsinner111 · #3 07-22-2011, 07:44 PM

doesn't spin.I spun 1st and 2nd at the track.That was the bad race I hit the water and did'nt do a burnout.2nd race I went around the water.

JayRash · #4 07-22-2011, 07:56 PM

U need to avoid the water that's a given. My AMG hardly spinns on good tires and that's on road surface not race track and don't forget the 36 has abt 220lbft at 1500rpm.

oldsinner111 · #5 07-22-2011, 09:00 PM

you mean you can;t power brake it?I can destroy tires.I beat a V8 Mustang GT.

400Eric · #6 07-23-2011, 04:20 AM

If I was you I would "flash" the converter. You just sit there with one foot on the brake pedal and one foot on the gas pedal, but you do NOT give it any gas, you just let it idle with your foot sitting there on the pedal. On the last amber, you nail the gas pedal as hard and as fast as you can. This allows the engine to rush up to the converter's stall speed with some momentum behind it. This technique is also my favorite on the street as you are not announcing your intentions to your opponent, giving you yet another edge when the light turns green. Even if your opponent does know what your intentions are, the fact that you are not "power braking" lulls him/her into thinking that they "have this in the bag" because it gives them the impression that you do not know what you are doing. Yet another advantage to this technique is you are not needlessly heating up the trans, trans fluid, and engine. This is a video of what my 400E performs like when I employ this technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7QYOa0xzW8
Regards, Eric

oldsinner111 · #7 07-23-2011, 06:54 AM

That was awesome 400.

RBYCC · #8 07-24-2011, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

If I was you I would "flash" the converter. You just sit there with one foot on the brake pedal and one foot on the gas pedal, but you do NOT give it any gas, you just let it idle with your foot sitting there on the pedal. On the last amber, you nail the gas pedal as hard and as fast as you can. This allows the engine to rush up to the converter's stall speed with some momentum behind it. This technique is also my favorite on the street as you are not announcing your intentions to your opponent, giving you yet another edge when the light turns green. Even if your opponent does know what your intentions are, the fact that you are not "power braking" lulls him/her into thinking that they "have this in the bag" because it gives them the impression that you do not know what you are doing. Yet another advantage to this technique is you are not needlessly heating up the trans, trans fluid, and engine. This is a video of what my 400E performs like when I employ this technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7QYOa0xzW8
Regards, Eric

Eric

Almost agree with you...
Try preloading the drivetrain to about stall speed of the convertor ( 1300-1500RPM ).
This takes the slack out of the drive train, limits shock and negates the time, if even minimal, for the converter to hook up at stall speed and allow power instantly to the transmission.
This is why automatic drag cars use high stall speed converters which allow a higher pre load that gets the engine more into the power band.
When I ran a max performance light weight Dodge Hemi ( SS/AA ) in the sixties we used a nine inch Ford Cortina converter which raised the stall speed to 4500 rpm.

Ed A.

oldsinner111 · #9 07-24-2011, 11:16 AM

I often wondered about stall speed convertors.

whipplem104 · #10 07-24-2011, 03:15 PM

If anyone is interested I have my old 722.3 converter that I had stalled. It is around 2200-2500 rpm depending on power. Makes the hole shot much better. Not to loose though for daily driving.
I was thinking 100.00 + shipping. It cost me a 100.00 to get it stalled.

oldsinner111 · #11 07-24-2011, 03:32 PM

Nice offer whipple.I hope I never have to do a trans R+R.

JayRash · #12 07-23-2011, 07:12 AM

in my amg i have tried every possible way of taking off from a dead stop, and the best results come when i brake torque with revs at 1800-2000. any higher and even if i get no spin i end up with slower 0-60 times. best i can hit in my amg is 5.4sec 0-60mph