Just finished watching the Dream Car Garage's "Muscle Car Shootout" on the Autorotica show on the Speed channel where they tested a 69 GTO with a 68-70 Stang, a same era Chevelle, and, i think 6 other muscle cars. For the burnout test, they launched the manual cars (IRRC 2 cars were auto) in second. For the 8, does this make sense? I have not yet done a burn out but want to do at least one, and probably only one, it's my dd and want the clutch to last. I also want to drag it once. Yea I know its not a drag car, but it would still be a new experience and that's what lifes all about. So what do you guys think? 1st or 2nd for the best burnout?

I saw a neon do a burn out once, and they SHIFTED in the middle. So, they started in first, then shifted to second when the engine was too high of an RPM and STILL burned the tires.

The 8 has LOW torque at low RPMS. To burnout, you want to get torque high enough to make your tires lose traction. You can do this by dumping the clutch. Any manual tranny can get a wheel because you just rev it high enough and dump the clutch. A civic can get a wheel in second gear if the ground is wet and the clutch is dumped at a high enough RPM.

When you are looking at a well tuned muscle car, you are looking at a ton more torque and a ton more HP than the RX-8 is getting. Tuned drag cars get even more power than that. Muscle cars were designed to be good at drag out-of-the-box. As you know, the '8 wasn't, nor is it a muscle car. Therefore, I suggest burning out in first gear. But you'll also want to do this at a drag strip in the burn out area, which generally (AFAIK) wet your wheels a little so that it will break loose at an early stage before you heat the rubber up.

You'll also want to consult the tires you are using as far as serious drag racing goes, but I know nothing about tires. So, maybe someone else can help in that area.

You can do it, but this really is the wrong type of car to burn out with.

It's kinda like buying a 350Z to buy groceries with.

It's kinda like buying a 350Z to buy groceries with.

LOL :)

Just do some donuts. They are a lot more fun that just doing a burnout and they dont tear up the clutch as much since you can already be rolling and then turn the wheel hard and floor it and the back will come around really quickly. Next STL meet we have I will show you how to do some good donuts.
(Disclaimer: Dont do as I say or as I do as it may not be the smartest thing in the world do to.)

I saw the same show, the 8 doesn't have enough torque to do those in 1st or 2nd, all those cars had large displacement engines which you need for torque, in 2nd gear on those they have more torque than our 1st, plus more room in the gear (in 2nd) to keep it spinning.
They also clutch feather, which wore the crap out of that Charger.
Now if only my neighbor will sell me his neglected Charger he has had under a cover for as long as I can remember.

A good burnout like anything else requires practice. Turn off the DSC completely, start in first, rev to about 6K or so and slip the clutch. Then once the tires are spinning apply the brakes. the fronts are stronger than the rears so the rears will continue to spin. If this sounds abusive to the car, well thats because it is, but if you get it right you can smoke out the block.