jcblade

I'm a new vette owner. Recently acquired a very low mileage 2002. The car is stock. It has most of the options including the 3:15 rear and performance handling package. It is an automatic. I'm not new to drag racing. Used to race a Dodge SRT4 and occasionally my son's Grand National.

From what I've read so far I should be turning off the traction control. Since this is a 4 speed manual do you leave the car in drive or do you run it in 3rd gear? Also, any launching techniques you can suggest.

Thanks for your help. I'm not sure what I should expect from the car. I've run a 12.6 in the SRT4 but I don't think the C5 stock will do that.

C5 Pete

Congrats on your new car. Depending on your location, and the track prep, it could run 12s just as it is. Some sticky tires and tuning might get you closer to 12.6

I'm not an expert on auto trans cars, so I'll leave that question to others. Seems like 3rd would be best?

Now, get to the track, get hooked, and mod the crap out of it!!!


(all it really needs is a converter, gears, and headers)

paint it black vette

traction control off and 3rd gear is the way you go. i finish across the stripe in 3rd with 3.73 gears with 3600 stall with a 26.1 inch tall dr. when i went down track with a 25.6 inch dr i bumped off rev limiter just before the finish line about 1250ft. both tires hoosiers the first a 16" and the second a 17". of course my rev limiter is turned up a bit but your stock dont worry your good to go.

LS1LT1

I think ya meant to say 'automatic' there...just wanted to point that out so you can edit/fix it before it confuses people LOL.

And yes, a 3.15 geared C5 LS1 automatic is certainly capable of high 12 in bone stock trim.

C5Wolfe

I doubt that it will run high 12s if its stock. I have a "99" automatic coupe with 3.15s, longtube headers,x-pipe, low restriction cats, barsonni catbacks,cold air intake [blackwing] and a dyno tune and I would be happy if my car hits 12.90s!

Mark-44

For mid-12's concentrate on more "air-in" cold air box and easier "air-out" with long tubes. Get the power to the rear wheels with a higher stalling torque converter, my car has a PI 2800. For safety at the track get a set of 17" drag radials. The 2:73 gears work okay for me, your 3:15's should work better.

With seat time 11's are possible... Have fun and be safe!

jcblade

Sorry, it is an automatic. Thanks for all the tips.

LS1LT1

Give me a bone stock C5 LS1 with the optional 3.15 gears and trust me, I'll get it into the 12s.

C5Wolfe

I've had 3 c-5s and bone stock none of them went into the 12's!
All three did eventually with minor bolt ons and or gears though but not bone stock.

mchicia1

FRCs should all be high 12's with a decent driver and air. If you can get a 1.9 out of an FRC it "should" be a 12.9 pass.

LS1LT1

That's unfortunate.
I've read about, heard about and even seen it done in person so I know it's very probable.
The bone stock record for C5 LS1 manuals is 12.6 (accomplished by two separate cars and drivers, years apart).
I've personally put a bone stock C6 LS2 into the 12.2s.
Even with the bone stock C5's 50-55 less horsepower and the it's slightly harder compound factory stock tires I have no doubts that I can extract a 12.9x out of it.

Mark-44

At least a 12.99 with good air (negative DA).

C5Wolfe

I'm not doubting you guys saying your stock c-5s are going high 12s in the quarter but I sure don't see it here at our local strips when the vette clubs have their meets. The factory literature says that a stock c-5 [1999] will do the quarter in 13.36 at 109.4. That seems to be about what they do typically on "passtime" also. These cars "stock" just don't seem that quick to me but I still love them anyway!

mchicia1

You have to look at the trap speeds...109 is PLENTY of mph to run 12's. Maybe not bone stock, as in on run flats...but bolt some decent street tires on and you should hit 12's. I ran 13.0 at 111 on mine with just a vararam on the run craps with a crappy 2.1 60.

jcblade

Well, I took the car to Englishtown last night. Was very embarrassed at my performance. I looked like a first time drag racer. Could not launch the car at all. 4 runs and they were all over 14. Everything stock including the tires. The run flats were just spinning no matter what I tried. I may have to go again next week. I have to be able to launch this car with stock tires.

indwind34

I went to the track last night for the first time in my Y2k coupe a4, it has the 3.15 gear and is completely stock. Best time of the night was 13.12 @108 mph with a 1.97 60 ft. Temp. was 81 degrees. All other times was + or - .01 im the time. Let me know if anyone is interested & i'll post a pic of the time slips.

LS1LT1

Are you going through the water box and doing a burnout?
Or going around the water and doing it?
Or not doing any burnout at all?

It's common knowledge that doing a big smokey burnout on stock/street tires is useless.
I personally don't necessarily subscribe to that 'common knowledge' LOL.

If your tires are the OEM '2002 vintage' factory issued Goodyears then it is going to be difficult as they're likely quite hardened/brittle by now, especially at E-town on a street night.

jcblade

I didn't go through the water box, nor did I do a burnout outside the box. I used to run slicks on my other car (SRT4). I agree with you on why do a burnout on street tires. I do have the stock tires. Will try again this week. I think I need to just do a much slower launch which is difficult to do since I was used to running slicks with a manual trans.

mchicia1

Guys running on street tires who are not doing burnouts need to stop reading bad advice from the internet. Yes, you do not need to get a HUGE smokey burnout but you definitely want a 2nd gear burnout and you definitely want to start seeing smoke before you get up to the line. It makes a HUGEEEEEEE difference.

With that being said, if you are still running stock tires (the originals????) then you may want to upgrade them first.

LS1LT1

Ok, well now we know why ya ran 14s LOL.




Nah, I was saying that others say that, I do not subscribe to that line of thinking.
Ya have to do a burnout.
I cut 1.88-1.90 sixty foots in my bone stock C6 LS2 on factory '300 tread wear' runflats on a cold (40*) track, this is how I did it:






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