Looking to make the best 1/4 Mile Time

[CellN12345]

I am taking my 996 C4 to the Drag Strip and then for a spin around Poconno Raceway this summer. I have not taken the driving course and it is not required for the drag strip however I will be using the "Drop Clutch" method at the drag strip. A customer of mine has a 997 and swears he gets the best from his Porsche by dropping the clutch at 4,500 RPM's. That seems a bit high for my 996 however I want to really get the Most from the car...Anyone have any suggestions that might be good for the Drag Strip or the Local Traffic light. :D

Directions from my colleague

Come to a complete stop.

Put your car in first gear.

While holding the clutch in, rev the car to 4500 rpm.

Quickly and swiftly release the clutch.

-Brian

Edited July 6, 2009 by CellN12345

[White987S]

Have fun. Be safe.

Fortune Cookie says you will need new clutch very soon! :)

[phillipj]

You may ruin your clutch. This topic has flamed may folks. B) Porsches don't take too kindly to drag launches especially C4's. Why don't you use your friends car so you can see how well his technique works? :clapping:

Good luck and be nice to your clutch

:cheers:

[Loren]

I agree. Totally wrong for a 996 series car. Damage will certainly occur.

You will get better (faster) starts by easing the clutch and nailing the throttle when the full contact is there.

[CellN12345]

You may ruin your clutch. This topic has flamed may folks. B) Porsches don't take too kindly to drag launches especially C4's. Why don't you use your friends car so you can see how well his technique works? :clapping:

Good luck and be nice to your clutch

:cheers:

That's a good one and one I may use. I would love to test the cars limits but it would be terriable to have to see my car picked up by a tow truck...

[number9ine]

I agree. Totally wrong for a 996 series car. Damage will certainly occur.

You will get better (faster) starts by easing the clutch and nailing the throttle when the full contact is there.

I vote on this as well. When you feel that axle tramp and smell the friction material burning off you'll never want to do it again. If that's not convincing, the $1500+ repair bill should nail the coffin shut. You may lose a few tenths but from what I read it takes a practiced foot to drop a clutch and gain time doing so. This, incidentally, is at the top of the list as to why you never, ever want to buy a press car.

[Bristol]

I don't know if you'd get the best time in a C4 using that method. It used to work great in my WRX though. I'd rev it to 5,000 RPM, drop the clutch, and floor it at the same time. That car was AWD also, but a more evenly distributed AWD than the C4 and you needed the high revs to get the turbo spooled up.

With my C4S I find I get launches better with more clutch slip than just dumping the clutch. If you've got PSM make sure you turn that off, otherwise it will stop the fun immediately. I rev my C4S and then slip the clutch out very quickly, but don't dump it. Once the car's hooked up and the clutch is out, floor the throttle. You may smell the clutch burn, you'll get more clutch wear, but you won't get the immediate and brutal shock to the system with dumping the clutch and you'll still get a good launch. That's been my personal experience.

What you really need to do is find some deserted road and just practice your launches to see what works best for you and your car. So many people suck at the 1/4 mile and I really don't understand why, it's not that hard and you can practice launches legally just about all you want in the right location. Also practice shifting as quickly as you can between gears...

Kirk

[willyspub]

I don't know if you'd get the best time in a C4 using that method. It used to work great in my WRX though. I'd rev it to 5,000 RPM, drop the clutch, and floor it at the same time. That car was AWD also, but a more evenly distributed AWD than the C4 and you needed the high revs to get the turbo spooled up.

With my C4S I find I get launches better with more clutch slip than just dumping the clutch. If you've got PSM make sure you turn that off, otherwise it will stop the fun immediately. I rev my C4S and then slip the clutch out very quickly, but don't dump it. Once the car's hooked up and the clutch is out, floor the throttle. You may smell the clutch burn, you'll get more clutch wear, but you won't get the immediate and brutal shock to the system with dumping the clutch and you'll still get a good launch. That's been my personal experience.

I used to do the same thing in my AWD Talon way back in high school, and it worked great for the same reasons. In two years of racing that thing I actually only went through one clutch.

I don't launch my C4S very often, but I agree with your method for slipping the clutch versus dumping it.

[c70Pete]

I don't know if you'd get the best time in a C4 using that method. It used to work great in my WRX though. I'd rev it to 5,000 RPM, drop the clutch, and floor it at the same time. That car was AWD also, but a more evenly distributed AWD than the C4 and you needed the high revs to get the turbo spooled up.

With my C4S I find I get launches better with more clutch slip than just dumping the clutch. If you've got PSM make sure you turn that off, otherwise it will stop the fun immediately. I rev my C4S and then slip the clutch out very quickly, but don't dump it. Once the car's hooked up and the clutch is out, floor the throttle. You may smell the clutch burn, you'll get more clutch wear, but you won't get the immediate and brutal shock to the system with dumping the clutch and you'll still get a good launch. That's been my personal experience.

I used to do the same thing in my AWD Talon way back in high school, and it worked great for the same reasons. In two years of racing that thing I actually only went through one clutch.

I don't launch my C4S very often, but I agree with your method for slipping the clutch versus dumping it.

what rpm is best to shift for 1/4 miles times? 6,500 or right till 7,200 rpm?

[White987S]

what rpm is best to shift for 1/4 miles times? 6,500 or right till 7,200 rpm?

I'd say just a little before redline.