terrypk1

hi. i went to draging some other day(on course). i couldn't even reach 15 seconds. so i guessed that there must be a different way of shifting.
how can i shift to achieve the max speed possible. don't tell me that shifting at red lines is the best. it didn't work.
btw, i tried searching for it.

dmorales

Shifting is definitely a big part of it, but I would guess your launch was not good an that was why you ran so slow.

Did you turn the dsc AND tcs off?

What did you launch at? (RPM?)

Do have any experience with racing cars at all? (Strip or street)

You should at least be able to do 15's.
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TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

don't power or speed shift unless you don't mind blowing up the transmission

terrypk1

of course, the DSC is a big part. so i hold onto that buttom for at least 12 seconds. so that i can have a complete shout down of DSC.
i launch at around 7500
well i used to play around with piston cars like auto croxing and "legal street racing".
this is my first time with rotary.

terrypk1

yeah haha. last time when i was at my dealer to get a service. a rx8 owner was freaked out, because the dealer wasn't going to cover for his transmission.
that was a very strong warning for me.

yiksing

I watched Takuya in Best Motoring and the best he done was 15.23, no special technique was needed

dmorales

I think 7500 rpm is a little too high. Yeah their high reving but that's a lot. Besides that Iw wouldn't feel comfortable with the thought of my clutch going through 7500.

I find best to lauch is between 5000 - 5500 give or take some. It will definitely be on per car basis. Try to keep as much traction as you can but not get bogged down.

As for shifting...well...don't shift like your in a school zone, but don't break anything either. It's most important to make sure you don't miss any gears, but keep them smooth and quick.

Yeah, I know for me I hate thinking about having to practice, because it's a lot of strain ont he cars parts, so I try to limit any drag racing, but if that's what you're into then that's what you have to do. Practice! Try different techniques, change things up, and see how you do.
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Gomez

Shift early (7500 to 8200rpm) into fourth gear. Gears 1-2-3 all have triple synchros. Fourth doesn't, and can grind if shifted while at very high RPM.

terrypk1

no i am not very into drag racing. i believe drag race to be the stupiest motor sport ever. what is the point of going so fast in straight line. i can beat any dragster with a twin jet engine. LOL
anyway, my elder brother has a rx8 too. last time, we were kind of playing. the suckest part of all was that he got 15.21 once. i couldn't ever touch 15. wtf.
then he told me that. i suck in shifting. that's why i got this post going.

KYLiquid

what is your 60' time?
what are your trap speed.

You would want to shift at 8500rpm as thats where your MAX power is, any lower than that and you are not getting all the power out of the car.

You would want to launch where MAX torque is (around 5400 or something I think) and dont burn up the clutch but feather it and the gas out, so you keep the RPM right at peak torque as you start to move, once the car has full traction, fully release the clutch (but dont drop it, its a dimmer switch, not an on/off switch, same with all the pedals) you have to feed it out, and as your doing that feed in more gas.

It sounds like a lot to do, but all that is over in about 2 secs (60 ft) then your just along for the ride, shift whne you hear the beep.

if you can do that PERFECTLY (and it will take many attempts) you will run the best time for your car, tires and conditions at THAT track (remeber differet tracks have differnt grip.)

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

That explains alot, i always thought it was just natually harder to shift into as it was in the middle, it is possible to shift into it quickly at 9,000 but it is sort of hit or miss.

Anyway you should be able to break the tires loose in shifting into second, and get a decent chirp into 3rd. My 14.5 run was done with all shifts at 9,000 rpms and quick drops of the clutch following all shifts.

8,500 is where power peeks but if you shift right at that before, in the next gear your futher out of the power making band, so shift at 9k and shift quick to stay above 6,750rpm

I recommend that you lauch higher then the torque peek because you can't just drop the cltuch in the 8 right at 5,400rpm you'll get to much wheelhop, you need to feather and if you start feathering from 5400 then by the time you release you be lower then that. So start higher IMHO.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

that depends on your tires and/or the track surface, anyone chirping a stock RX-8 in 3rd gear (~67 mph) has poor traction

There's more than one way to skin a cat. IMO never feather the OE clutch unless you want to burn it up in short order. We slam drop it at high rpms and consistently run the quickest RX-8 60 ft times at Pro Solo events. IMO the key is not to manipulate your clutch foot but rather your throttle foot. Heat is the enemy of the OE clutch. The slipping technique will cause the OE clutch to quickly overheat and start slipping on it's own, eventually glazing the friction surfaces. We carried an OE spare all year thinking that with multiple drivers it would eventually give up the ghost (32 - 50 launches in a typical weekend), but it hasn't even flinched yet.

yiksing

I've read a lot on launching before I got the car and if you go indepth, its not always shifting at the peak hp or 8500 rpm. You have to shift so that it hits the peak torque every time on the next gear when u release the clutch (assuming you get no tire slip at all). My advice is don't go drag racing with your car, you're just breaking stuff, you might as well go tracking or autox since you will enjoy the car more.

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

2 things: It only happens on the best of shifts, and i think 245 Michelin Pilot Sport 2's are the best tire I've ever had the pleasure of driving. With traction control light on you can get the squigly line car to blink shifting into 4th!

as for doing a gradually acceleration to 100% from a lanuch I didn't find to as effective at least for the way I drive to getting a faster 60 time but I do suppose that its much easier on the actual clutch and flywheel componets.

A topic I know alot about as my RB flywheel and MS clutch are toast I put back in the OE componets as my RB flywheels friction material is all gone, I now use it to shave my face at school, yeah mirror finish! (clutch pucks are 80% gone).

terrypk1

so in other words, in order to get the max speed, we launch at a little above 5400. when we shift, it is better to shift around 8500.
Most importantly, do not force your clutch as it is not an simple switch.
moreover, autocroxing is probably a better choice.
i don't know my 0-60 time.

Rotary Rasp

iTrader: (2)

Gears 1-2-3 have double synchros.

terrypk1

so that we shift into fourth before the revs get to high.

Gomez

Tell you what. Don't argue it with me....argue it with the guy who built the RX-8 gearbox with triple synchros on the first three gears....

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)