ardika

iTrader: (3)

Hello all,

Obviously I need help here. I was running at GLD on Tuesday and everybody is faster than me. Even though I accept the fact that I am the slowest Maxima here in Midwest, I am hoping for some pointers.

Car: 97 GXE Auto with sunroof, no leather.

Modifications: Budget Y-pipe, UDP Pulley, plus, if these helps at all, Maxspeed/AGX and 17" rims w/235/45 (weight per wheel and tire is probably around 53 lbs).

At the time of the runs, tires are at 34 psi, complete with full spare tire and luggages (80 lbs) in the trunk.

Now, here are the slips:

R/T_____60_____330_____1/8_____MPH_____1/4_____MPH
.480____2.382___5.800___10.341__68.95____16.068__8 4.34
.494____2.527___5.842___10.510__68.77____16.273__8 3.90
.057____2.517___6.874___10.439__69.34____16.159__8 5.12
.231____2.426___6.787___10.356__69.27____16.080__8 4.95

After comparing my time slips with others here in the board, I was surprised that I only trap 69mph or lower at 1/8, whereas most others are above 70mph. Is something greatly affecting the car at these speeds? At that speed, I believe the rpm is above 5k and the car was in 2nd gear.

Car has no codes, checked with the screwdriver trick on CPU. Launches were done with brake torque up to around 1200 rpm, went at the last yellow. Throttle are not fully depressed until tires quit spinning. Throttle at maximum after that.

Wew! That's the story. Anybody kind enough to give me pointers? I am mainly interested why I am losing so much momentum at higher speed...

Thank you!

BlackMaxGTR

iTrader: (3)

Take some weight out, shift manually, and just keep practicing those launches.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Ooops!

Just got back from the car, apparently I was with close to 80 lbs worth of luggage PLUS few extras (including jumper cable, spare oil, spare ATF, light w/1million candle power thing, torque wrench, wheel locks).

BlackMaxGTR: So you don't think there is something wrong with the engine? I think I trapped really low (85mph) and my 1/8 are all above 10s.

BlackMaxGTR

iTrader: (3)

sorry cant really say about 1/4 times i have only run on 1/8 tracks and my best time was a 9.91 @ 73 something mph and all i had in the car was me lol, i take everything out and all i have done is a muffler and spark plugs. but i do know that your 60' times should be better so mess with your tire pressure and keep practicing

ardika

iTrader: (3)

BlackMaxGTR:
Thanks for your reply, your trap speed is really high though....73mph. Comparing with my timeslips, there is a Forester that traps 71.11 @9.566. His time (well, he is one of the cars that beats me up) is 15.114. To be exact:

.186 R/T, 2.088 60' (AWD), 6.150 (330), 9.566 (1/8), 71.11 (MPH), 15.114@88.70mph.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

Were you the asian guy with the green max and the SSR(or lookalike) rims?

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Get rid of the heavy *** rims and the stuff in the trunk. Why would you go to the track with 80lbs of extra crap...that is a .1 right there. You could gain .2 by running on light 15's.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Dave Sz: I got the Team Loco rims, not SSR, but yes, I think I am the one you are talking about.

I30tMikeD: I want to know how my car run on the street, with everything in it. I was thinking to get around 15.7 or, hoping the Y-pipe and UDP offsets the extra weight.

Thanks guys! I guess it's the weight of the car and not the engine problem.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

Don't maually shift either because it doesn't help. It actually takes longer for the gears to drop when you do that. I got a 15.6 without shifting manually and that's when I was stock.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Deezo:

Some people at the track that night manually shifted and they got better times. Quite frankly, I am interested in knowing what my car runs under the same configuration as my daily driving.

I was expecting a bit better time than 16s, but I guess I need to swap the tires back to my 15s and reduce the weight (which is not what I have when I drive around). Although I could go crazy with weight reduction (throw out the seats and so forth), but what's good of it when you actually run with seats and full interior daily?

Just my opinion though, I understand that there are some people who wants to run their best and thus the weight reduction.

Zack342

iTrader: (89)

the automatic tranny is the problem..... it is the root of all evil

Zack342

iTrader: (89)

you also don't drag race daily so there for you shouldn't go drag racing with all your stuff. usually when your drag racing your trying to attain the best that the car is capable of so why would you care how is runs on the street as long as it drives well. Personally when i go to the track i do light weight reduction, floor mats, jack and spare tire. nothing drastic. you don't have to strip your car to go to the strip but trimming some extra weight isn't a bad thing....... that is unless you like the 16sec time slips.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

oh, and your 60 foot is just terrible.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

zack342:
I guess I have to dig out those things the next time I go to the track.

I forgot to mention this, but the tranny has VB mod done by Maximum Tuning in Long Island. But I don't think its worth much in this case.

I30tMikeD:
Yup, Ryan was telling me the same thing. However, there is one at 2.382, and I was thinking to get at least 15.9 for that....but oh well, did not happen.

Ceasars Chariot

iTrader: (16)

ha, when you say," with everything in it !" you mean it ! LOL ! 80 freaking lbs of luggage and lots of other stuff... lol ! i would have had a quick Garage Sale out infront of the dragway and sold some stuff off and then hit the tracks. you would be lighter and have some cash to blow on race gas !

good show

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Ceasars,

I travel a lot.....and it just happens that I was on the way back from Henry, IL at that time. I pass Byron on the way to Milwaukee, but figured GLD might be closer (and better).

I have a lot of stuff for the car, although not necessarily IN the car. I don't think it would be a bad idea to do a garage sale.....so that I could buy rims like yours....LOL!

If THAT does not help, oh well, guess I am stuck for being the slowest azz Maxima in the US....!!

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

Hey I got 16.0@85.66mph and a 10.575@69.84 1/8...

At the time I had no crap in my trunk full interior empty trunk no spare and a CAI...

Oh and these heavy wheels and oversized profile tires.. lol

MY r/t was CRAP so I have to work on that.. It was 2.521

ardika

iTrader: (3)

s0ber:

Hey, thanks for posting....I don't feel that lonely now....

I guess it's really the wheels/tires that does this, so I am planning to take off the tires and put the 15 inchers on, and let's see what we get. Hopefully I could do it before the season ends.

Cool J

i am in the 16's too but my 60 ft times are crap. check out my times here
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=340600

ardika

iTrader: (3)

CoolJ,

Anothert thing that we both need is tune up. I am currently due for spark plugs, fuel filter, pcv and perhaps drain/refill tranny ATF and change engine oil within 2500 miles.

Still, with Y-pipe and UDP (plus hyperground!!) I was expecting a better time. Your 3/4 full tank of gas compensates for my 1/3 tank of gas plus my luggages.

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

Ardika man, sorry to hear about your bad luck. Your first problem is that you ran at GLD(Byron is notoriously 2/10ths quicker). Its 8ft up hill, you probably had a head wind and its most likely that the b@stards weren't laying down VHT. You had the tires at 34 PSI which is a big no-no for a nearly stock auto with 235's. When I ran I had my fronts at all different pressure but my best was at 42 PSI. At the time my car didn't have the power to break them lose down low due to a failed rear o2. So, set the front pressure to 40+ and the rear pressure between 50 and 60. Mine say "44PSI Max". Thats just there so you can't sue them when they blow up cause Joe down at quick and lube put them up at 110. DR man. You can toss it on a switch and then it really is something you can use for daily driving. That'll get you at least a tenth. Also, if you want to maintain your daily drivability there are still tons of weight reduction methods you can take. You'll save money on gas and go faster. The bar and plate behind the dash is a perfect example. Thats 5Ibs right there and its only the beginning. The wall behind the rear seat=5Ibs. I'm not going to list it all. Better luck next time. I'm currently removing my sunroof motor and rail. Thats good for 30Ibs.

ardika

iTrader: (3)

Broaner,

Hey...what's up! Thanks for your reply, though. I guess what makes me sad is the fact that even though I spent quite a bit of time modifying the car, when it comes to testing.....those modifications show ....nothing.

I remember the very first time I opened the hood not to check oil level, it was the time when I did intake. It took me 3 hours to install it, but it fitted fine. The next one is Frankencar midpipe. Several months later, I took them off since I don't think they add anything tangible except the growling sound, which I quickly became tired of. The second thing I did was brakes, you've seen them yourselves....but the fact is, the slotted rotors are pretty noisy during braking. The Metal Matrix pads work the best when it's about 85 degrees and above. I found them to be super grippy but no bite below 60's with highway cruising, which I often do whenever I travel. Summer is the best season to brake in my car.......

The third modification is spring/struts/RSB/FSTB (well, you know exactly where the RSB is at the moment.... ). Took me about a year to realize that I actually don't need the RSB for my driving habits. Wheels and tires definitely improve things during hard cornering/rain/snow.

Then, I was in New York for business and decided to let Jeff install Y-pipe and the Unorthodox pulley. The pulley definitely helps by improving your gas mileage when the AC is on. The hyperground was installed shortly before that, and even though I don't think it boosts hp in any way, the car is definitely smoother across the rpm range.

So, when it came to bring the car on the track.....I found it pretty sad for the fact that despite everything I did to the car, I did not make it into 15s. My aim was to confirm stock time at 15.7, but I wasn't even close to it.

Come to think of it, the consolation price of modifying my car is, despite the countless hours of putting in and taking off things from the car, to find you guys in this site. Although I know some orgers are pretty "exotic" in their behaviors, flaming or being extremely helpful, but the help you guys provided me are tremendous.

Come to think of it, I might call you these days to do plugs/fuel filter/PCV to my car since I am just too lazy to them this time.

Now if my car could break into 15.1 after doing the tune up, it would be perfect.

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

You have a good point man. I'd say you have several things that are really limiting your times. Weight is the largest. If that rim and tire combo weighs 55Ibs thats insane. My current combo tips the scales at just over 41Ibs. If you wanna go fast you need the stocker rims on or lighter aftermarket ones.

BTW, I'll be glad to do plugs and filter but I've never done a PCV. From the write-up it looks to be no biggy so that'll be fine. See you soon.

Depending on how long it takes you to get to Madison my car may be a low 14 second machine. I'm ordering the tranny next week and hope to have it running by X-Mas.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

You have about a half second to gain by running lighter wheels/tires, pulling a better 60', and not running with the bricks in the trunk.

I imagine you have seen what many other max's are running and are disapointed in comparison. But the faster guys at the track don't mess around. You can't run huge heavy wheels and tires and expect good times. You can't pull 2.4 60' and expect good times. You can't be carrying a bunch of extra weight and expect good times

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

Mike, I have questions about the i30 trannies. Are they exactly the same as the Maxima units excluding the different differential? Do the i30's have the weak third gears that the Max does? Are there still bearing issues? I'm contemplating getting a '96 tranny with 43K on it and I'm trying to gather accurate information.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Same trannies, limited slip being the only difference.

Can't vouch for any 3rd gear difference

The bearings in the I30 are just as bad as the Max. I replaced mine at 100k miles.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

I'd get the 2k1 trans. Not sure if I'd get the LSD now since it seems to be a mediocre one at best. As for the I30 the trans is the same LSD or not. They have the same problems as we do.

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

Thanks for the info guys but I'm not about to drop $800 on a 5th gen tranny and then have to come up with the extra $800 for whatever diff is best. The qaulfie is clearly the best but is cost prohibitive and the Phatom Grip sounds terrible to me.

imported_JIC_A33

you are an AUTO 97. seems about right. 60's on street tires should be 2.2 or so. your car is not fast...dont be upset

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

He should be in the 15's.

Cool J

hey...uh....i got lightweight rims and still got 16's. my tire and rim combo only weighs about 35-36 pounds. if i cut a 2.2x 60' time how much better would my quarter be since right now my best is 16.055 with a 2.421 60' time

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

what are your mods

Cool J

my only performance mods are a warspeed y pipe and then lightweight 16" ssr competitions. i am auto so i knew i would be slower but i was expecting at least to get the stock 15.7 time.

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

Hey I got 16.0 stock on oversized profile tires and heavier rims full interior trim and even some crap in teh back seat.. I know you can do 15's.. Is your car CA spec?

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

There are so many variables in 1/4 mile racing that its very difficult to actually tell that you have something wrong. Ask yourself all sorts of questions. Is the track uphill? Was there a headwind? How much gas? What type of launch? How much weight saving/extra weight in car? What mods? General condition of car?

There are so many possibilites that its impossible to sort out from our point of view. You really need to research and make decissions for yourself. If you find that you actually are slow with the mods you have you need to start losing weight or buying replacement parts. If you decide that your maintenance is causing the slowness you need to buy a tool that can help you decide what needs to be replaced. It shouldn't be a guessing game. Buy an Auterra scan tool or something similar and a compression checker. Once you get that you will be able to tell if your o2 sensors or knock sensor are working properly. Also, you will be able to get a decent idea of your engines health. If you down at 160PSI on your compression in one or more cylinders that is probably why your slow as *****. Then you can read what you coolant temp is. If your up above 190 for your run that will rob a fair amount of power. Then replace the fuel filter cause there is no real way to diagnose a clogged or faulty one. You just have to be proactive with that.

Then go back to the track and see how you've improved. If you desire a better time you need to begin to lighten the car. Before I removed the A/C I was 80+Ibs lighter than stock and I suffer in no way during daily driving. With the A/C out I'm now 100+Ibs lighter. Then go back again. If your still in high 15's and the car is in tip top shape you need to mod the **** out of it. That said, commence!