My 1/4 mile time
11-15-2004, 09:27 AM
#16
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Nations Capitol
Posts: 172
Car Info: 07 UGM STI
Man... high 14's. I know a few guys that have hit 14.4 ~ 14.1 in their stock WRX's. It's all about practice and practice. You will get there. The bad performance theory from the factory, I find it a little hard to believe that there is that much of a difference in performance.
11-21-2004, 01:50 AM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Midland, TX
Posts: 131
Car Info: 2004 Black WRX -- RIP
Ok. First off, ignore the guy that said to shift harder. In the 1/4, how quickly you shift doesn't matter near as much as when you shift. And when you shift doesn't matter near as much as the launch. It's all in the launch baby. The launch technique is as highly debatable a topic as any when it comes to WRXs. AWD makes it a *****.
The first time I ever dragged my WRX, also the first time I dragged, my best was a 15.9, and my worst *embarassed* was a 17.2. I was scurred. I launched it at 2k. I didn't really know you were supposed to launch it higher than that, I had really never raced before and this was my first stick. That was 4 months ago. I've since moved to LA and I race about twice a month at LACR. My best so far is a 14.5 @ 9x...I don't remember if it was 90 or 92 mph. But it was one of those. I haven't been racing since.
There's my background, point of all that is to give my theory a little credit. What I do, is I launch it about 5k. I don't just hold it at 5k tho. You'll notice if you have a boost gauge, just trust me if you don't, when you rev the engine the boost rises, then falls if you keep a steady rpm. What I do is continue to rev the engine, keeping it within 4-6k, letting it drop a bit then picking it back up. You get the idea. This way you keep boost up and you launch on boost.
Another way of doing this I've heard is holding it a 3k then reving it to 5k right before launch. This requires a bit more timing and practice, but I bet if you got it down it would be more predictable. After that, its a careful balance between slip and drop, you've just gotta play with it. I was smelling the clutch almost every time I launched the car once I started slipping it, but now I rarely do.
Going down the track, I used to shift at redline. Best I ran a 15.2. One run I decided to shift at 6500. 14.9 right off the bat. I think its best not to look at your tach. Feel the car stop pulling and then shift. That's what I do now.
There's my technique, I know I'm not perfect nor have I been doing all this very long. But in 4 months of owning this car I've shaved an entire second off my e.t. and I don't do to bad on the road courses either. Just did a track day at streets of willow. Road course>drag strip hands down. But then again, a strip costs...**** I'm not good at math...its easier this way, a road course is 200% more than a drag strip. That's easier. Hope this helps somebody.
-Danny
The first time I ever dragged my WRX, also the first time I dragged, my best was a 15.9, and my worst *embarassed* was a 17.2. I was scurred. I launched it at 2k. I didn't really know you were supposed to launch it higher than that, I had really never raced before and this was my first stick. That was 4 months ago. I've since moved to LA and I race about twice a month at LACR. My best so far is a 14.5 @ 9x...I don't remember if it was 90 or 92 mph. But it was one of those. I haven't been racing since.
There's my background, point of all that is to give my theory a little credit. What I do, is I launch it about 5k. I don't just hold it at 5k tho. You'll notice if you have a boost gauge, just trust me if you don't, when you rev the engine the boost rises, then falls if you keep a steady rpm. What I do is continue to rev the engine, keeping it within 4-6k, letting it drop a bit then picking it back up. You get the idea. This way you keep boost up and you launch on boost.
Another way of doing this I've heard is holding it a 3k then reving it to 5k right before launch. This requires a bit more timing and practice, but I bet if you got it down it would be more predictable. After that, its a careful balance between slip and drop, you've just gotta play with it. I was smelling the clutch almost every time I launched the car once I started slipping it, but now I rarely do.
Going down the track, I used to shift at redline. Best I ran a 15.2. One run I decided to shift at 6500. 14.9 right off the bat. I think its best not to look at your tach. Feel the car stop pulling and then shift. That's what I do now.
There's my technique, I know I'm not perfect nor have I been doing all this very long. But in 4 months of owning this car I've shaved an entire second off my e.t. and I don't do to bad on the road courses either. Just did a track day at streets of willow. Road course>drag strip hands down. But then again, a strip costs...**** I'm not good at math...its easier this way, a road course is 200% more than a drag strip. That's easier. Hope this helps somebody.
-Danny
11-22-2004, 03:16 PM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Did somebody say they ran a 15sec 1/4 in an STI????
anyway back to the original person the power difference in stock form may because of the very touchy ecu. my subaru is about the most sensative computer in any car i've ever had. in everything from power to gas mileage. Maybe you should reset you computer b4 you try next time.
anyway back to the original person the power difference in stock form may because of the very touchy ecu. my subaru is about the most sensative computer in any car i've ever had. in everything from power to gas mileage. Maybe you should reset you computer b4 you try next time.
11-24-2004, 08:45 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
I agree that the ECU is where the difference lies. Dyno runs prove that resetting the ECU will result in 10hp loss at the wheels.
I read in a tuning forum to get max timing after a reset you simply need to load the engine with a small amount of boost above 2500 rpm for 5 seconds.
I did this before heading out to the track in my STi. I had gone a best of 13.66 @ 99mph with a 1k miles on the motor. At 2k miles it went 13.4 @ 100mph on the same 1.8 60ft.
Can't say it was dramatic but I felt the car was immediately stronger even though I had two other people in the car. Of course, it's a dog after my wife drives it all week when I'm out of town.
I read in a tuning forum to get max timing after a reset you simply need to load the engine with a small amount of boost above 2500 rpm for 5 seconds.
I did this before heading out to the track in my STi. I had gone a best of 13.66 @ 99mph with a 1k miles on the motor. At 2k miles it went 13.4 @ 100mph on the same 1.8 60ft.
Can't say it was dramatic but I felt the car was immediately stronger even though I had two other people in the car. Of course, it's a dog after my wife drives it all week when I'm out of town.
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