Drag race shifting
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Greenwood IN
Drag race shifting
I am a rookie with my L98 automatic (light mods). When I raced my GN in the 1/4, I left it in 3rd gear for the best ET & MPH. How about the Vette? Do you let it shift into overdrive, or should you keep it in 3rd? I don't want to embarrass myself on my first pass.
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
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Originally Posted by Matt383
Keep in 3rd.
Don't let it go into OD.
Matt383
Don't let it go into OD.
Matt383
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Chicago Illinois
I would think that everyones car is a little different butt keep a eye on your RPMs. If your in the 6000 range for a L98 that might be pass your HP range. Im not a L98 guy but if your HP runs out of breath at 5000 I would be shifting just beyond that point. Will have to see what these guys who take there L98s to the track say.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: 2003 Points Champ Great Lakes Corvette Challenge; 2006/2007 Winner MSD True Street
Originally Posted by bobmic93
I would think that everyones car is a little different butt keep a eye on your RPMs. If your in the 6000 range for a L98 that might be pass your HP range. Im not a L98 guy but if your HP runs out of breath at 5000 I would be shifting just beyond that point. Will have to see what these guys who take there L98s to the track say.
One more time.
Keep it in 3rd
If your car is almost stock gear wise and trans wise you should be hitting the traps just at or a little past your peak hp/rpm point.
Once you shift into OD to 1:1 gear ratio you will loose rpm and torque.
But don't take my word for it. Try it. take notes, and you will see what I am talking about.
Matt383
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: St Marys PA
Originally Posted by 87droptop
I am a rookie with my L98 automatic (light mods). When I raced my GN in the 1/4, I left it in 3rd gear for the best ET & MPH. How about the Vette? Do you let it shift into overdrive, or should you keep it in 3rd? I don't want to embarrass myself on my first pass.
Anyways EVERY time thus far - after getting the stupid look and question of "isn't that too low" I tell them to just try it, and they ALWAYS run their best ET.
I would not be afraid to even try 4k even as a starting point. You will see an improvement. If its shifting past 5k you will loose a bunch of ET.
If your just looking to be consistentand don't care about ET until you get the hang of shifting/racing, then just leave it in 3rd and enjoy the cruise.
Last edited by ski_dwn_it; Mar 8, 2006 at 06:08 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lahaina Hi
Leave it in 3rd don't shift the car.You don't shift it into OD even passed the lights bring the car down on the motor,in 3rd gear,look at your spedo before you turn off the track so you don't roll over.
Don't burn out until you see the yellow light in the center of the tree.
The timer throws that light on when he is ready for the next 2 cars.
I hate it when drivers start their burn out before I am ready.
Stage in the grove the 2 black marks where the last car left.
I would drive around the burn out box.That way you don't throw water up under your wheels and the water then drips on your tires,they will then spinn on take off.
The most important thing is to have fun
Don't burn out until you see the yellow light in the center of the tree.
The timer throws that light on when he is ready for the next 2 cars.
I hate it when drivers start their burn out before I am ready.
Stage in the grove the 2 black marks where the last car left.
I would drive around the burn out box.That way you don't throw water up under your wheels and the water then drips on your tires,they will then spinn on take off.
The most important thing is to have fun
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Safety Car
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From: Poop land
Damn, I do get my best ETs when the shifts are about 4500-4700 rpms. Any higher would make me nervous + my ETs would also be lower. I'm deep into the 8s in the 1/8th mile track and right in the mid 13s in the 1/4th mile.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Mountain Home AR
Originally Posted by kopbet89c4
Damn, I do get my best ETs when the shifts are about 4500-4700 rpms. Any higher would make me nervous + my ETs would also be lower. I'm deep into the 8s in the 1/8th mile track and right in the mid 13s in the 1/4th mile.
Safety Car
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From: Poop land
Originally Posted by Dave-B
Kopbet89, are those times with a stock block??? Getting ready to run my 86--4+3 at a 1/8 mile track this summer. Thanks
Traps in the 1/8th mile for me were from 81-84 mph and traps in the 1/4th were from 100-104 mph.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
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From: Australia
"manually shift it, and shift at no more than 4300rpms- "
Gotta agree with Ski on this one.A L98 will run past 5000 but your times will suffer.I shift at 4500(aftermarket tacho , stock one lags too much) so it is near 4700 when the shift actually takes place . Hold it in for any more and my ETs are worse.
FWIW.
I leave shifter 2nd because with the low 1st gear in the T700 can not shift out of 1st fast enough before engine goes past peak.
Manually hold 2nd until 4500 then shift.No where near redline in 3rd across line in 1/4 with 3.07s
Gotta agree with Ski on this one.A L98 will run past 5000 but your times will suffer.I shift at 4500(aftermarket tacho , stock one lags too much) so it is near 4700 when the shift actually takes place . Hold it in for any more and my ETs are worse.
FWIW.
I leave shifter 2nd because with the low 1st gear in the T700 can not shift out of 1st fast enough before engine goes past peak.
Manually hold 2nd until 4500 then shift.No where near redline in 3rd across line in 1/4 with 3.07s
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: St Marys PA
Originally Posted by rodj
"manually shift it, and shift at no more than 4300rpms- "
Gotta agree with Ski on this one.A L98 will run past 5000 but your times will suffer.I shift at 4500(aftermarket tacho , stock one lags too much) so it is near 4700 when the shift actually takes place . Hold it in for any more and my ETs are worse.
FWIW.
I leave shifter 2nd because with the low 1st gear in the T700 can not shift out of 1st fast enough before engine goes past peak.
Manually hold 2nd until 4500 then shift.No where near redline in 3rd across line in 1/4 with 3.07s
Gotta agree with Ski on this one.A L98 will run past 5000 but your times will suffer.I shift at 4500(aftermarket tacho , stock one lags too much) so it is near 4700 when the shift actually takes place . Hold it in for any more and my ETs are worse.
FWIW.
I leave shifter 2nd because with the low 1st gear in the T700 can not shift out of 1st fast enough before engine goes past peak.
Manually hold 2nd until 4500 then shift.No where near redline in 3rd across line in 1/4 with 3.07s
Nothing sweeter than shifting at ~4700rpm and running better than someone twisting it to 6500rpms that doesn't know any better.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Originally Posted by ski_dwn_it
I tell them to manually shift it, and shift at no more than 4300rpms- should ideally be at ~4700, but since the trans is not setup like mine for manual quick shifting, it will lag, your reaction time ect, i will be more like 5k before the shift actually takes place.:
On stock or near stock the same applys to the 3rd gear question.....just put it in Drive and floor it....let the tranny do what it is supposed to....the factory shift points are already high enough for a near stock L98...
Last edited by LT4BUD; Mar 9, 2006 at 09:34 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Marlboro NY
Doesn't a L98 peak its Hp at a really low 4000 rpm? Generally you almost always want to shift a car at about 400-500 rpm past its peak power. So in stock form about 4500 rpms is right.
Drive around the water and do a dry hop to clean the tires.
Never Drive through the water with a street tire esp. with a vette.
My 86' Z51's best totally stock et and mph came by foot braking the car as high as I could without pushing through the lights. Shifting manually @ 4500 rpm. I am pretty sure the trans engaged 2nd at 4700 with the 4500 shift point and 4600 into third. 14.30 @ 96.10. At the time I had a bunch of stereo crap in the car and tipped the scales @ 3550 lbs with me in it. I am sure it would have went 14.0X @ about 98.X if it weighed what it does now 3305 w/me in it.
So if you have a good running car w 3.07's you should see 14.0 @ 98 with decent air and a decent launch.
Drive around the water and do a dry hop to clean the tires.
Never Drive through the water with a street tire esp. with a vette.
My 86' Z51's best totally stock et and mph came by foot braking the car as high as I could without pushing through the lights. Shifting manually @ 4500 rpm. I am pretty sure the trans engaged 2nd at 4700 with the 4500 shift point and 4600 into third. 14.30 @ 96.10. At the time I had a bunch of stereo crap in the car and tipped the scales @ 3550 lbs with me in it. I am sure it would have went 14.0X @ about 98.X if it weighed what it does now 3305 w/me in it.
So if you have a good running car w 3.07's you should see 14.0 @ 98 with decent air and a decent launch.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
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From: St Marys PA
Originally Posted by LT4BUD
If we are talking about the factory transmission unmodified and you have the pedal to the floor the shift points will be governed by the transmission. You can't manually lower the shift points at full throttle, you can only raise them????
On stock or near stock the same applys to the 3rd gear question.....just put it in Drive and floor it....let the tranny do what it is supposed to....the factory shift points are already high enough for a near stock L98...
On stock or near stock the same applys to the 3rd gear question.....just put it in Drive and floor it....let the tranny do what it is supposed to....the factory shift points are already high enough for a near stock L98...
Even with the 406 Super Ram I shifted at 5.1k on the button.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,524
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From: Hinckley Ohio
[QUOTE=ski_dwn_it]Well unless your lt4 is totally different than the transmission (stock) that was in my 89 auto, I would have to disagree. I made at least 250-300 passes down the 1/4 with that stock trans and ALWAYS manually shifted it, .........QUOTE]
I had an 1989 auto with performance axle........I admit I don't know for sure what I said is true......so shame on me.....
I had an 1989 auto with performance axle........I admit I don't know for sure what I said is true......so shame on me.....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 914
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From: Redding Ca
Even with the 406 Super Ram I shifted at 5.1k on the button.
Wow, Ski. I don't mean to change the subject of this string, but I thought SR/406's would have been around a 5,800 to 6,000 shift. I am very interested in your comment as I just installed a SR/406. Not been down the dragstrip yet under 1,000 miles on the engine. Maybe EMail me with a discussion if it is out of line in this string? I was considering altering my governor to auto-shift about 5,500 to 5,800.
Thanx
Geo
Wow, Ski.
I don't mean to change the subject of this string, but I thought SR/406's would have been around a 5,800 to 6,000 shift. I am very interested in your comment as I just installed a SR/406. Not been down the dragstrip yet under 1,000 miles on the engine. Maybe EMail me with a discussion if it is out of line in this string? I was considering altering my governor to auto-shift about 5,500 to 5,800.Thanx
Geo
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: 2003 Points Champ Great Lakes Corvette Challenge; 2006/2007 Winner MSD True Street
Originally Posted by GeosFun
Even with the 406 Super Ram I shifted at 5.1k on the button.
Wow, Ski. I don't mean to change the subject of this string, but I thought SR/406's would have been around a 5,800 to 6,000 shift. I am very interested in your comment as I just installed a SR/406. Not been down the dragstrip yet under 1,000 miles on the engine. Maybe EMail me with a discussion if it is out of line in this string? I was considering altering my governor to auto-shift about 5,500 to 5,800.
Thanx
Geo
Wow, Ski.
I don't mean to change the subject of this string, but I thought SR/406's would have been around a 5,800 to 6,000 shift. I am very interested in your comment as I just installed a SR/406. Not been down the dragstrip yet under 1,000 miles on the engine. Maybe EMail me with a discussion if it is out of line in this string? I was considering altering my governor to auto-shift about 5,500 to 5,800.Thanx
Geo
Ok. This has me thinking as well.
I need to revisit this.
Looking at my Dyno sheet my HP and torque peak at about 5600 rpm.
I shift at 5800.
I'm running a 383 SR with 12:1 compression.
Everything has been ported, polished, extrude honed, etc.
Am I shifting too late?
I always thought to shift just past the HP/TQ peak point.
Matt383