Help me beat Mustangs with my 1LE Part 2

[Fraxum]

This is my second installment of my drag racing "career". The first was just trying to keep my old '11 SS up with Mustangs 5.0s. This was a challenge for me in the beginning in a LS3 SS with LTs and a CAI and no tune. Eventually i managed to get into the 12.8-13.0 range consistently. And the stock Mustang 5.0 M6s were no match, at least the ones I raced. Not a fair fight really. Automatic 5.0s are another story.

My best time was 12.86@113 and my best 60' was 1.98

But then I got the bug and bought a 2013 1LE. It was built for the road track I have drooled over this Camaro since it came out. I want a car to run both kind of tracks. I am focusing on drag racing for now. So I went about trying to get the most of my stock 1LE and had to settle for a 13.28 @110. I could not launch on the Goodyears, my best was low 2.1s. I needed to get more serious.

So I put on some of the stuff I took off my 2011 SS on my 1LE and bought drag radials. I went with the NT555Rs as these are currently my full time tires. I know NT05Rs a and ET Streets are a step up. Maybe when I wear out the 555Rs. My mods

* 1/78 LTs
* Kooks Hiflow cats
* CAI CAI
* Scoop
* TSW Nurburging 18" x 9.5
* Nitto 555R 18 x 45 x 305 (saves 7 1/2 pounds per wheel)

Now I want to try to get out of the beginner class and try for more of an intermediate level.

With my current setup my best time is 12.465 @ 114.35 with a 2.006 60'.

Most 5.0s are not a problem now except for my friends 5.0 auto running high 11s with only a tune, CAI, and DRs. He can run the same ET within a tenth all night. I also had fun the last couple of times I was at the track racing an '11 GT500 and so far he has only beat me once in six tries. He is still learning to drive his car. Every time I run him he gets faster. The last time I saw him I told him about leaving on the third light. Both of the runs in the scanned pic are with him. Those runs were the most fun I've had so far win or lose. Once he learns to launch better or gets DRs, I will be toast.

I want to improve. I think my shifting is okay. I bought a one stage MSD shift light and I have all three shifts set at 6400. If I miss the light at all I hit the rev limiter.

I think my burnout could be better. I go through the water and then drop second gear bouncing off the rev limiter but letting the car go forward. You can hear this in the video. I am having trouble with the left foot brake/accelerator pedal method. Maybe I can get my clutch foot on the brake fast enough without moving too far forward. All the track crew standing around too close to my car makes me nervous.

I am currently running 26 pounds in my Nittos. So far I can only get high 1.9 second 60's. I am launching at 2,500-3,000. I start slowly releasing the clutch by the second light and feeling it start to catch by the third. If I rush and let the clutch out too fast I spin and get 2.1-2.2 60'. If I smoothly push on the accelerator as the clutch catches I get high 1.9 to 2.0s. A very experienced street tire launcher after watching me close up said my launch technique was good. But said my 60' should be better. If I move my RPMs higher I have a much harder time getting the feel and usually spin. 1LEs do have a big front sway bar, but I think this problem is me and not the car.

I have also heard you must ease into second gear or torque management will dial back the timing even with TC off. Is it possible I do not feel this? What is odd is one 1LE was able to run 112 mph stock, so there must be more to the shifting.

My goal is to get into the 11s with just bolt-ons. Since I have a 1LE I already have a 3.91 gear. But the trans is different from the SS. So a shift to fourth is required, even stock. But i think as I add power the shift is no longer a handicap since SS LS3s with more power need fourth too. I know my 60' is holding me back. I think a tune might be worth a tenth and better tires, NT05R or ET Streets, should be worth another tenth. I am hoping to see 11s without a pulley or skinnies.

In the video my run was 12.518 @ 113.97 with a 2.032 60'.

Any ideas?

[62nalide]

Gotta work on them 60fts

[Bad70supreme]

You need to get your 60ft down! You have low 12 as it sits but it wont be easy! My car runs 12.3-12.4s on a avg pass but this is at 2500ft da. I figure I had low 12s on a cool fall day, my 60fts were 1.87-.89s most of the time. What I did to get to the 1.8s was 4500rpms and a quick slip of the clutch, any less RPMS would be pretty poor 60s. You need more RPMS at launch, and with the 3.91s you should have 1.80s maybe even 1.7s once you get GOOD, that ET will drop allot man!

I personally gave up on my M6 once my throwout bearing went, so I will be hitting the track with a th400 and 3600 stall. No more bullish%t

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

You need to get your 60ft down! You have low 12 as it sits but it wont be easy! My car runs 12.3-12.4s on a avg pass but this is at 2500ft da. I figure I had low 12s on a cool fall day, my 60fts were 1.87-.89s most of the time. What I did to get to the 1.8s was 4500rpms and a quick slip of the clutch, any less RPMS would be pretty poor 60s. You need more RPMS at launch, and with the 3.91s you should have 1.80s maybe even 1.7s once you get GOOD, that ET will drop allot man!

I personally gave up on my M6 once my throwout bearing went, so I will be hitting the track with a th400 and 3600 stall. No more bullish%t

1.7's on NT555Rs? Even though I chose these for full time tires. I am now second guessing that. But that must be a big part of the answer. Higher rpm launches. I think though the transmission is geared differently than the SS so the 3.91s don't seem to be much of an advantage.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

You need to get your 60ft down! You have low 12 as it sits but it wont be easy! My car runs 12.3-12.4s on a avg pass but this is at 2500ft da. I figure I had low 12s on a cool fall day, my 60fts were 1.87-.89s most of the time. What I did to get to the 1.8s was 4500rpms and a quick slip of the clutch, any less RPMS would be pretty poor 60s. You need more RPMS at launch, and with the 3.91s you should have 1.80s maybe even 1.7s once you get GOOD, that ET will drop allot man!

I personally gave up on my M6 once my throwout bearing went, so I will be hitting the track with a th400 and 3600 stall. No more bullish%t

1.7's on NT555Rs? Even though I chose these for full time tires. I am now second guessing that. But that must be a big part of the answer. Higher rpm launches. I think though the transmission is geared differently than the SS so the 3.91s don't seem to be much of an advantage.

[dekan513]

ya 60' will make a big diff once u get it down. try diff stuff. i see ppl say do to do this or do that. but what works for me might not u. just try diff things and see what works for u.

[jrpxxii]

Your tire pressure is way too high. Run them down to 22lbs and try going even lower and see what happens as your gaining pressure in the burnout. Get your 60' down and your there. Not saying tire pressure alone is going to do it but it will help. Figuring out where the car likes to be launched and shifted just takes practice, practice, practice

[Bad70supreme]

Pretty Sure the first gear in the trans is the same, so the 3.91s definitely help! The stock 3.45 sucks, way to much bog. I run Nto5rs at 18 psi bty but was still very unhappy with 1.8s! Hopping my auto and stall swap puts me in 1.70s and should put me in the 11s

[Pro Stock John]

1LE does have different transmission gearing. Yeah need to get the 60 down, though I'm not a manual trans guy so I'm not sure what you need to do to make that happen. If you are dead hooking maybe you need to come out higher or get into the gas quicker.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by jrpxxii

Your tire pressure is way too high. Run them down to 22lbs and try going even lower and see what happens as your gaining pressure in the burnout. Get your 60' down and your there. Not saying tire pressure alone is going to do it but it will help. Figuring out where the car likes to be launched and shifted just takes practice, practice, practice

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

Pretty Sure the first gear in the trans is the same, so the 3.91s definitely help! The stock 3.45 sucks, way to much bog. I run Nto5rs at 18 psi bty but was still very unhappy with 1.8s! Hopping my auto and stall swap puts me in 1.70s and should put me in the 11s

Originally Posted by Pro Stock John

1LE does have different transmission gearing. Yeah need to get the 60 down, though I'm not a manual trans guy so I'm not sure what you need to do to make that happen. If you are dead hooking maybe you need to come out higher or get into the gas quicker.

MM6 w/ 3.91 - 1LE
1st gear ratio: 2.66 10.42
2nd gear ratio: 1.78 6.97
3rd gear ratio: 1.30 5.09
4th gear ratio: 1.00 3.91
5th gear ratio: 0.74 2.90
6th gear ratio: 0.50 1.96

M10 w/ 3.45 w/ 3.91 - SS (both gears)
1st gear ratio: 3.01 10.38 11.77
2nd gear ratio: 2.07 7.14 8.09
3rd gear ratio: 1.43 4.93 5.59
4th gear ratio: 1.00 3.45 3.91
5th gear ratio: 0.84 2.90 3.28
6th gear ratio: 0.57 1.97 2.23

First and second are close stock, but you can see the advantage the SS has with 3.91 gears. And my tires are 1" taller than stock. It's helping my mph though.

I know I need more seat time, about 100 runs in my 1LE so far with 3,800 miles. I guess I have not been experimenting too much trying to get consistent. I am now staying 2-3 tenths apart for most runs on a given night. Going again tonight to get some more good air. Well below sea level here at Atco.

I suppose I should stop worrying about treeing that GT500 and work on my 60'. Will be focusing on higher RPMs and maybe lower pressures. I do worry about getting too low and spinning my tires on the rim. This was happening to my friend with the 11 sec auto GT. I have driven that car a few times and it is fast. But I do enjoy the Camaro more. The end of the Atco track is a little rough. The Camaro smooths it out, but the Mustang feels like it has a flat.

[blufin]

The launch didn't sound too bad. Maybe a lil too aggressive getting off the clutch. There may have been water at the start line from your front tires or from the rear wheel well. Maybe even from the previous cars. Or poor track prep.
If you're rolling through the water box with street tires, they can easily drag water all the way up to the start line. Also, If you do your burnout while in the water box, it will sling water up in the wheel well and drop it while you sit at the light waiting.

[newmoon]

NT555rs are not a very good tire for a stick version of the SS. I ran these tires on my cammed SS and the results were similar to yours 2.00s-2.10s. The 555rs work well on the street but suck at the strip. I would go with the M/T ET Street radials if you can fit them I am sure your 60' times will improve drastically although there may be future axle and transmission issues with the hard hit they provide.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by blufin

The launch didn't sound too bad. Maybe a lil too aggressive getting off the clutch. There may have been water at the start line from your front tires or from the rear wheel well. Maybe even from the previous cars. Or poor track prep.
If you're rolling through the water box with street tires, they can easily drag water all the way up to the start line. Also, If you do your burnout while in the water box, it will sling water up in the wheel well and drop it while you sit at the light waiting.

I try to run at the front of the street line right after the slick cars run. So there is very little water up there when I run and a good track if they don't cone it off (but usually do). Last Tuesday I ran a 12.465 @ 114.20 with a 2.016 60'. I am out of the water when I burn out. If I drive around the water the track rep won't let me back up into the puddle to get my rears wet. I guess he figures I will try to burn out there. So going through the water is the norm at Atco. Lots of mopping if you are at the end of the street tire line.

I ran down a similar SS on the big end with the same mods as me and a tune who had a better 60' than me. But when he started hooking with his 20" NT555Rs he ran a 12.2 with a low 1.80 60'. He also added a 3.91 rear to his SS. Really though, with so many cars running mid 12s running my car there is a ton of fun with many close races.

I tried launching at 4,000 with 24 pounds in the NTs and my best 60' at 1.935. Still a little better. Maybe I am feathering the clutch too much.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by newmoon

NT555rs are not a very good tire for a stick version of the SS. I ran these tires on my cammed SS and the results were similar to yours 2.00s-2.10s. The 555rs work well on the street but suck at the strip. I would go with the M/T ET Street radials if you can fit them I am sure your 60' times will improve drastically although there may be future axle and transmission issues with the hard hit they provide.

I agree with you but a guy I was running with last Tuesday (6M SS) had 20" 555Rs and was getting 1.8 60s. So it's still me. What did you go with? ET Streets or NT05Rs? How much did your 60' improve?