Mopar Jimmy

Bought my 2016 Laguna Blue Z with its A8 trans. on July 3rd, with 3,600 miles on the clock, so its time to hit the drag strip with my goal of getting that coveted high 10 second time slip, running 100% bone stock. It was the fact that the C7 Z A8 can run fairly consistent high 10s bone stock (or worse case scenario with drag radials) which ultimately got me back from the dark side and motivated me to trade in my 2009 Dodge Viper Coupe, which is simply not capable of the straight line speed of my new C7 Z Beast, although I did LOVE my Viper (other than the UPS truck sound at idle , but the 600 HP Gen 4 Viper is an awesome, great bad azz street legal race car.

I LOVE Drag Racing and went with the A8 trans. b/c from reading here the last 1.5 years I know these bad boys are capable of running consistent high 10s, bone stock (including the stock run flats), which is amazing for a bone stock factory car with full bumper to bumper warranty, and along with its awesome styling that is what really sold me on this beast (with the A8 trans).

SO, my research that I have gathered has led me to the following conclusions regarding how to reach my 1/4 mile goals for this car bone stock and here is what I have come up with:


1. Put the car in drive, track mode, traction control off.

2. The stock run flats need A LOT of heat in them to hook well at launch and avoid the nannies coming on, so do the best burnout that I can do by brake torqueing the car b/f I stage and then......

3. Stage, get the rpms up to around 1200 to 1400, and mash the pedal when the green lights come on.

4. Go to the track on a day with a decent DA and a decently prepped track (which we know can make or break you).

What am I missing or is this the best way to reach my goals of running back to back high 10s completely bone stock?

Thanks in advance.

Mopar Jimmy

Come on guys, I know there a few guys here who have put their A8 cars into the 10s bone stock or worse case scenario know some folks who have done this and are familiar of the technique and method they have used to accomplish same.

3 Z06ZR1

Don't forget some at least some Torco in the tank, pull the air filter and other tricks people use on their hero 10 second runs. Although most all of these and other tricks are left off the hero times postings.
runs.

davepl

I think you might do better without loading the converter against the brake. There are two reaons:

a) We have a low stall speed, so the "flash" is likely higher than the stall speed
b) The car senses and "helps"

When the car detects a launch it will soften the front shocks (and perhaps) stiffen the rear ones, causing the car to plant the rear tires. I don't know what it uses as the 'trigger' for that event, but it might require a standing start.

So you'd launch from a standing start on third green, let the car prep and react.

I assume in Launch Control mode it's smart enough to do it but I'm hoping we can trigger the suspension reaction without Launch Control.

Higgs Boson

Don't run in the summer, for starters....

3 Z06ZR1

10 second times and fast times from the track can be deceiving.
At the track 1/8 and 1/4 miles times are all based off a good standing start of your 60 ft. Cars that 60ft poorly such as the ZR1 still will outrun the stock A8 on any highway contest.
Same can be said for the manual M7 Z06 with a good driver.

Take out the 60ft and the out come is different. That's why I put not much stock in 10 second time slips. A real race doesn't end with a 1/4 mile. A real race also shows who is putting more horsepower with out
traction and a low first gear aids.

Ran many so called fast guys from the track who would get pulled and left on a highway roll.
Including a few vipers.

C7/Z06 Man

According to GM the A8 has a better ET in the 1/4 mile than the stick but the real kicker is that the A8 also puts down a higher MPH in the 1/4 to boot, IIRC.

PS: From the roll videos I have seen on the net the M7's where getting their asses kicked a lot until the "*** Kicking" A8 hit the streets.

Mopar Jimmy

Great stuff guys, let's keep the info flowing.

Les

So, those who go to the drag strip and run the 1/4 mile aren't in a real race? All the legendary drag racers throughout history must feel really foolish right now. Thanks for the education.

3 Z06ZR1

The higher trap is from the quicker 60 ft. 1/4 traps get MOMENTUM
from the 60ft.

The A8 enjoys the 10.99 first gear vs the 7,87 of the M7.

Take the standing start advantage with a 50 mph roll start away from the A8 and the A8 with the less power to the ground will show slower
than a well driven M7.

davepl

So that A8 is faster at everything except (you claim) roll racing, which I think isn't racing at all, so it's faster at everything.

Too bad they hobbled the M7 with gearing. I don't want to go 195.

C7/Z06 Man

Like I said; not from most of the net roll videos I have seen. If anything the A8 is most likely the reason the C7/Z06 reputation has been restored to a large degree because for the first few months only the disappointing M7s were being produced and getting their candy stolen.

davepl

Because the converter will flash you get torque multiplication right off the "jump" in the A8 that you don't get with the M7. Then the clutch locks up, just like the M7, and power transfer is 1-1 just like the M7 without much difference, if any, in drivetrain losses once the clutch is locked up.

I think the M7 guys forget that the A8 has a converter and a clutch sometimes.

Edit: Not sure it's locked at WOT

Higgs Boson

According to the tune, the TCC is unlocked at WOT....I have not logged slip yet at WOT to confirm. As with the last several GM transmissions, the TCC only locks at part throttle/cruise.

CONMAX

my car is slower if i load the converter. it hits much harder if launched from idle.

C7/Z06 Man

Short story from a couple weeks ago:

At the track running a supposedly 10.3 et (per owner) 1/4 mile highly boosted trailered in Chrysler 300. I found this out in talking with the unbelieving owner after the race.

To start the Chrysler jumped the light and because it was just N/T test & tune I cut a very bad light and then spun so I had to let off the gas for a moment too.

The beginning of the race was so bad (for me) that the car's owner turned around and started to walk away when one of his buddies said that the Z06 turned the win light on first at the end of the track. WHAT!!

Due to running "No Time" we got separate time slips. His slip was much slower than he thought it should be so it has to be wrong but there is no way a near stock C7/Z06 should drive around his car at the big end of the track the way I did.

During our conversation I said to him, first your car jumps the light, then I cut a very bad light and on top of that I spun, so what you are saying to me is that to do what I did this car must be running at least mid to low 9's.

Moral of story: One of his close late model C6 friends told me he was thinking about trading in for the new Z06 but did not think it was worth it, said he is buying one now. GM if you are reading this how about sending me some MPSS rear tires, mine are getting close to the wear indicators.

OH, and I never told the car's owner or showed him my time slip, I think he will remember this for a while.

C7/Z06 Man

I do better loading the converter i.e. 1.53 60 ft. best so far on the stock MPSS tires.

Mopar Jimmy

OK, this car is still very new too me and all the technology is a bit overwhelming at times.

I did not realize there was a competitive mode option and all I did was turned off traction control and that is why the pcm most of cut power when I starting spinning on the street from a dead launch and got a little sideways (and I understand now that I only can turn off the majority of t/c by being in competitive mode.

Can you please tell me how to get into competitive mode in the A8 trans on the C7 Z.

Thanks a bunch!

blown81bu

I have 2 friends with STOCK C7z auto
we drag race in spring and fall never hot weather
Just leave in D...decent burn out and shut traction control OFF

I seen both cars run 10.80s-10.90 passes and 128-130 mph at times

BJ67

Typically a car with a poor 60ft due to spinning will trap a higher mph compared with another run by the same car and driver and same day with a much better 60 ft. The much better 60 ft run will show a much better et, and usually a lower trap speed. Great 60 ft and great ET's are all that's important for a great time slip. Timed, track 1/4 mile is a true race, roll racing is a crap shoot. I have had 11.4 sec cars that only trap 116 mph and beat much faster higher horse roll racing cars in the 1/4.