I want my money back from GM
Best I could muster was a 13.8 109mph
with base MN6. Bone stock no prep
Traction was big problem on launch 2.2 60' times

 

You want your money back from GM ?? For what, drag racing lessons ??

I don't think any of us did our best our first time out!

 

 

Not the car dude....In capable hands it can do about 12.9 @ 114

 

Amazing the unrealistic expectations some people have with regard to drag racing a manual transmission car. A lot of the guys make it sound easy, but it is anything but easy. If you have never run a manual transmission Vette down the 1/4 mile it takes a lot of practice to get the most out of the car.

In an automatic, particularly a stock or near stock one, not much thought is required at all. Just mash the gas pedal to the floor and go along for the ride. I know the A4 A6 guys are going to get upset about my saying that, but its the truth.

With the manual a few things have to be well thought out and executed flawlessly untill they become second nature. Launch RPM (what RPM do you want to launch at) clutch engagement, shift technique (speed or power shifting) , 2-3 shift, shifting at or near redline, either by watching the tach, a shift light, or listening to the engine. Lots of variables.

My usual technique for drag racing my A4 C5 involved putting the car in comp mode, going through the water in first gear, hitting my brakes, engaging the line lock, coming off the brakes, doing a burnout untill I saw smoke in the rear view mirror for about 6-7 seconds, letting off the line lock, and letting the car travel forward a few feet, applying the brakes, putting the car in 3, staging, holding the brake and applying just enough throttle before it broke through the brakes, and on the third yellow, letting off the brakes and mashing the go pedal to the floor and keeping it there.

I never looked at the tach, never listened to the engine, just looked straight ahead until the end of the run. I ran 12.3s this way with no trouble.

With my MN6 C6, no way I can expect good quarter mile times unless I practice every aspect of the run. In my first and only run in this car, I ran 13.6. The 1-2 shift, I hit the rev limiter..........the 2-3 shift I hit it again and then to top it off, nearly missed the 2-3 shift altogether almost winding up in 5th. I did nail the 3-4 shift however .

Now is this car 1.3 seconds slower than my C5? Not hardly. But this was my first time ever running a manual transmission car down a drag strip.

My 13.6 is indicative of my inexperience, not a shortcoming of the car. I wasted at least a full second by hitting the rev limiter, not once but twice, and making a less than smooth 2-3 shift. I was running with everything off TC/AH.

My launch was good with a 2.0 60ft. No burnout. Hell, I don't even know how to do a burnout with a manual transmission car. But my shifts were terrible. Man.......shifting at near redline without going over is no easy task. Thats where the practice comes in.

I didn't worry too much about the 13.6 because I really just wanted to run the car ***** out for the first time since I got it,......... without having to worry about a speeding ticket. That was the whole reason for the trip to the track. I also wanted to rule out the sticking clutch stuff I had heard in the past. In short, I really didn't care what I ran. I really just wanted to see what it was like to take a stick down the drag strip. Next time I will be trying

I can't tell you how much air was in the tires, oil temps, water temps, climate conditions........I just wanted to make a 1/4 mile run in my C6 without getting my driver's license lifted.

Do I want my money back? Hardly. Part of the fun for me will be in learning to drive this car to the low 12 second times it is capable of.

Realistically, itcould take me at least 50 passes and probably closer to 75 to get anywhere near the potential of this car.

 

I too had bad et's at first, but we as owners of these vehicles do not have the luxury of beating someone else's car in order to get a "fast" time, and these cars are not set up to 1/4 milers. Don't sweat it and enjoy the car! Take a few corners fast and have fun!!

 

Its definitely not the car man...If you can only muster 13.8 then you simply need lots of track experience.With the right driver and conditions any 6spd can get in the 12's.Your mph is low to for a 6spd.You should be trapping around 112 and some at 114.I bet you were shifting way to early or left the traction control and active handling on.That makes a few tenths difference for sure.A 400hp car doesnt deserve high 13s,Gm should actually ask for their car back.

 

Now thats cold

 

Blah, blah, blah...

Everyone knows so much on the internet...

I have yet to see a C6 driven by anyone break into
the twelves at Infineon and I haven't seen any C6
(man or auto) trap above 109mph at Infineon and
I've seen or talked with 5 C6 owners.

Think the track may have something to do with it?

Pat

 

That is hilarious. Check with your parents to see if you were potty-broken the first time you went, or roller-skated like a pro the first time you went.

 

just stating the facts on what these cars are running.There are several guys running mid 12s stock,a big difference from high 13s.It could be you have a crap track,but Im sure you can get much better times with practice.You should have expected some rough comments from the original post.

 

Some things that will lead to lackluster times in any car
Temp @ Humidity
Track surface conditions
Tires
Driver(good or crappy)
Seat time(practice)
I have a saying....What the car can do and what the car can do with you driving it are two different things.
I have been to the same track in hot and cold conditions and there was a about a 3-4 mph difference.

 

If his only problem was his launch (2.2 sec 60ft) then the time from the car is pretty poor. That 60ft time still should have gotten him into the low 13's

 

The launch may not have been his only problem?

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...m_id=74&arch=1

Those don't seem like questions that an experienced drag racer asks. Like myself, he likely lacks experience with running a manual on a drag strip and will get better overall with time and practice.

It is not the car.

 

Pardon me while I place a "bookmark" on this thread. This is the second one in just a few days - some of the responses crack me up

As to the original post, the first time I drag raced (I was 48 years old, btw) - it was really ugly. Thought I was gonna hit the wall spinning the tires so badly on one run. I've gotten a little better since then

 

Which ones?

What a difference a year makes


You are right. There are more and more of these type threads popping up. And the people who sell generally minimally effective aftermarket parts must be loving every minute of it.

As long as there are threads like this, people will rush out to buy breathers, headers, Edits, thermostats, the whole gamut as opposed to getting more seat time.

 

Two weeks ago was the first time for my C6 at the track. It was in Bowling Green at Beech Bend, not the best track. I turned 12.7@114mph. 60' was 2.12. Next month I am taking it to Maple Grove,PA. I only live 10 minutes from there. I hope to do better with a little more experience.