How do you launch a C5 A4 ??
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 327
Likes: 1
How do you launch a C5 A4 ??
I have the urge to run a 1/4 mile on a drag strip. I have no idea how to "launch" the vehicle. Is there a procedure to get the best launch? I guess I could just put it in 3 and put the pedal down till the lights flash. but is there a way to get off the line faster???
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville AR
I never raced mine, but I have seen the question posted before. Try a search for this. I would put mine in 3rd and put her in competiton mode if I were to race. Many will do a burn out to put heat in the tires - make it hook up better. Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
with street tires and a stock C5... drive around the water box (instead of through it); no need to warm up street tires.
place shifter in 3
turn off Traction control (use competitive mode for those that have it)
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats; but main cats untouched.
Predator tune
factory tires
place shifter in 3
turn off Traction control (use competitive mode for those that have it)
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats; but main cats untouched.
Predator tune
factory tires
Last edited by Mike Mercury; Mar 15, 2007 at 11:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 327
Likes: 1
launch
with street tires and a stock C5... drive around the water box (instead of through it); no need to warm up street tires.
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats
Predator tune
factory tires
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats
Predator tune
factory tires
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
You do need to warm up street tires as they are a harder material than drag tires. Tony Pedregon(funny car pilot) answered that question in the last issue of Hot Rod. He said that the top fuel and funny car tires are so soft now the burn outs they do are to put heat in the engines, not the tires. The tires will stick better if they are warm. Same deal as driving on a warm road or a cold one.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
Bracket raced for almost 2 decades .. most of it with automatic car.
Just startin with the auto-C5 I have now
.. I did 3 passes to check out what works with my C5.
Runflats suck.. regardless of what you do to launch the car
If you get up on the converter at all, you will hook a little better because you reduce the converter 'flash' shock reducing the torque applied at launch. Do this if you have major traction issues.
If you run somethin sticky in back, just punch it off an idle .. you will get all the converter can give you for a launch.
If you run a cam with a lot of overlap, you will need a bit of rpm to launch at ... 3k or so converter is the ticket to let the motor be into the cam a bit before it locks up and launches the car
As far as burnouts .. street tires dont need 'em. You can burn 'em the length of the track an they are still gonna hook just the same as you just cleanin em off.
Slicks need to get hot to hook best, you can tell they're 'right' when they start pushin the car outta the water
-Frank
Just startin with the auto-C5 I have now
.. I did 3 passes to check out what works with my C5.Runflats suck.. regardless of what you do to launch the car
If you get up on the converter at all, you will hook a little better because you reduce the converter 'flash' shock reducing the torque applied at launch. Do this if you have major traction issues.
If you run somethin sticky in back, just punch it off an idle .. you will get all the converter can give you for a launch.
If you run a cam with a lot of overlap, you will need a bit of rpm to launch at ... 3k or so converter is the ticket to let the motor be into the cam a bit before it locks up and launches the car
As far as burnouts .. street tires dont need 'em. You can burn 'em the length of the track an they are still gonna hook just the same as you just cleanin em off.
Slicks need to get hot to hook best, you can tell they're 'right' when they start pushin the car outta the water
-Frank
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 9,713
Likes: 0
From: East Las Vegas Nv
with street tires and a stock C5... drive around the water box (instead of through it); no need to warm up street tires.
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats
Predator tune
factory tires
powerbrake on the starting line to around 1300-1400 rpm; that's all you'll probably be able to get with a stock converter.
release the brake on the 3rd yellow as you push the accelerator all the way to the floor. Don't mash the accelerator, as it might just light up the tires. As I release the brake, by the time I say "a thousand one"... that's the rate I push the accelerator to the floor.
complete mod list:
3.42 rear axle (stock converter)
Z06 air box lid
Oiled OEM style K&N drop-in air filter
gutted pre-cats
Predator tune
factory tires
BUT.. i turn the t/c off and i start out in 1st and work it up. plus i drop the tire press too 
but i would try your own way til you find what best for you
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 5
From: Forsyth Illinois
Mikes way will work. PRACTICE is the key. I have 315 gears, you can not smash the gas. I have had some luck with putting her in first gear off the line and slide her to second when I know I am hooked. 
Mark
Mark
Team Owner
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 23,480
Likes: 9
From: East Meadow NY
St. Jude Donor '12
This is coming from someone who has put more than a few passes on an A4.
1) Put the car in "3" (nothing else -- you will not be able to manually shift it properly, these shifters stink)
2) Go into competition mode -- no wheel hop with runflats you just burn up the tires
3) Go around the water box, but do warm up the tires.. It does help the runflats are very hard tires tires so warming them up helps a little -- and its fun. (I experimented with both and decided this was best)
4) Get the RPM up to just over idle -- around 1100rpm
5) On the third yellow lay into the pedal. I have gotten 1.9xx 60' times on run flats with that method
That is all you need to do.
The only differences between a pass in ruflats vs drag radials is that I turn comp mode off and I go through the water box.
1) Put the car in "3" (nothing else -- you will not be able to manually shift it properly, these shifters stink)
2) Go into competition mode -- no wheel hop with runflats you just burn up the tires
3) Go around the water box, but do warm up the tires.. It does help the runflats are very hard tires tires so warming them up helps a little -- and its fun. (I experimented with both and decided this was best)
4) Get the RPM up to just over idle -- around 1100rpm
5) On the third yellow lay into the pedal. I have gotten 1.9xx 60' times on run flats with that method
That is all you need to do.
The only differences between a pass in ruflats vs drag radials is that I turn comp mode off and I go through the water box.
Last edited by chaase; Mar 15, 2007 at 09:42 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
*place A4 in 3
* turn off TC but leave AH active on (if your C5 has the competitive mode)
I will edit my earlier post.
I totally disagree with leaving TC active . In theory this sounds good, but the C5 TC is not optimized for racing applications. It`s an ice/snow traction system.
Last edited by Mike Mercury; Mar 15, 2007 at 11:12 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
Turn off the traction control!
Do not try to heat your tires up!
Do not go through the water box! (You'll also have water on the front tires and on launch you'll drive right through the front tire water!)
Get up to the light and stage the Vette (two top yellow lights will light up) STOP!
Put one foot on brake and one on the accelerator pedal and bring the RPM's up to about 1700
Watch the tree and on the THIRD yellow stab the accelerator(By the time you move you will have a GREEN light and will not RED light)
You'll cut a good reaction time this way!
Run the vette WOT all they way to the end and then collect your time slip at the booth and BE SAFE! and Have FUN!
Thanks,Matt
Do not try to heat your tires up!
Do not go through the water box! (You'll also have water on the front tires and on launch you'll drive right through the front tire water!)
Get up to the light and stage the Vette (two top yellow lights will light up) STOP!
Put one foot on brake and one on the accelerator pedal and bring the RPM's up to about 1700
Watch the tree and on the THIRD yellow stab the accelerator(By the time you move you will have a GREEN light and will not RED light)
You'll cut a good reaction time this way!
Run the vette WOT all they way to the end and then collect your time slip at the booth and BE SAFE! and Have FUN!
Thanks,Matt
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,996
Likes: 77
From: Louisville KY
I have a mn6 vette and have not been to the strip. But I raced my 87 Buick GN often.
I never went through the water. I have heard over and over to not go in the water with street tires.
I never heated the tires, but I did not have runflats.
I did do the break torque.
I did smack the accelerator rather than squeeze it. I got some wheel spin. With the GN that helped bring up the turbo quicker. I turned in the 14.4 and 96 mph with 80k on the car.
I never went through the water. I have heard over and over to not go in the water with street tires.
I never heated the tires, but I did not have runflats.
I did do the break torque.
I did smack the accelerator rather than squeeze it. I got some wheel spin. With the GN that helped bring up the turbo quicker. I turned in the 14.4 and 96 mph with 80k on the car.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,028
Likes: 5
From: Chicago (Naperville) IL
with 3.42s and a 2800 stall TC, Nitto 555s and common bolt ons, what rpms should I hold it at?
how much tire spin can I expect off the line, after I let go of the brake (assuming they are aleady spinning before I let off the brake)
how much tire spin can I expect off the line, after I let go of the brake (assuming they are aleady spinning before I let off the brake)
Team Owner
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 23,480
Likes: 9
From: East Meadow NY
St. Jude Donor '12
Very similar setup to mine, except I use the Mickey Thompson DR's. I get little to no tire spin off the line launching below 1500rpm.