I wanna get a baseline 1/4 mile run on my car. Any suggestions/tips on launching a 951? TIA.

 

veeeeerrrrry carefully....

 

There is a bit in history... but basically you need a balance between new clutch and new tranny.

I find a 4k (slightly riding) launch is best. Obviously it depends on track conditions (VHT, moisture) and your rubber, tyre pressure (20-22psi maybe), etc. I find it best to let the clutch out slightly ridden and then feather with the throttle to control the spin. The problem with our cars is that we have a long 1st, so you need to make some use of it rather than a dump and shift like in the EVO's.

I was out at the drags last weekend, interior gutted, my first run since the new clutch and tuned, and it rained out! So angry.

 

Looking for good launch tips as well. Looking to make my first pass or two on the 1/4 mile, then pack it away for good. Just want the 100mph club sticker

I found at auto-x I ease on the throttle, and once it passes 2500RPM I stomp on it and let the clutch out pretty quickly. Firmly and quickly, but don't dump it. I'm moving both feet in opposite directions at the same time. I find I can light up both back tires for a second or two and once they grab I'm at about 3000-3500RPM in first, making full boost. Maybe a little hard on things, so I don't auto-x too much

 

With Guru chips, on a bad wastegate (so 15psi, dropping to 9psi at redline), and stock clutch, I was holding at about 3800rpm (with 29psi in the rear tires), and slipping the clutch, then short shifting first by about 400rpm. Running a 13.9 @102. Best 60' was a 2.2, but hey I dont wanna really break my car.

 

Thats pretty impressive Mike, I could only manage a 14.1@105 with a rooted clutch.

 

NZ, when my car's running again I'm going to take it to the drag strip sometime (probably late September or October) and beat on it for a night before putting it away for the winter. I'll probably end up going home on a trailer from a CV breaking, but eh, it should be fun.

 

You guys are totally NUTS! I understand the desire to have 1/4 mile bragging rights, but these cars are not designed to pull hole shots.

I know you can do it, but why run the risk of grenading the ring and pinion gears? If you want some respectable bragging rights, why not pick a local track and go for lap times?

I'm a big boy, and I have my nomex on, so flame away!

 

I'll run some interfence for Cliff here.

I'm an autocrosser whose lightweight 944 NA CSP class racer is a lot more fun to launch than my pristine 89 Turbo. In fact, the NA runs up to 3 seconds faster lap times on a pretty open Cumberland Airport autox venue of about .9 miles. Take the same two cars to a Summit Point DE, however, and a 951S is probably 5 seconds or more faster per lap (depending on the driver) and can do it all day without cooking brakes or gears.

As a road racing bred variant, the 951S excels in its element and has components designed to survive in that element. In the one weekend that I tried to test mine as an autocrosser I was completely frustrated by the mismatch...especially at launch. That smell was my clutch and the overreving sound all the way through the first gate was not tires on pavement, but rather asbestos on clutch plate.

Tuner drags are very cool, although the fun factor seems to be a function the decade of your birth. No doubt, heated-up 951 cars can run in the 13's, and in fact the factory claims same for the S model.

But, FYI, the attrition at typical NOPI gatherings is apparently staggering. I friend of mine recently attended a water cooler gathering of VW/Audi types at Englishtown and his report was downright laughable..."This car was awesome until he blew the intercooler pipe off during the burn-out," etc, etc, When he was done, it sounded like every car he liked trailered in and limped home

Given the price of Porsche parts, I'm fine with knowing my 951 can do 13's and reserving it for street/DE.

 

With the time/expense involved in a 951 clutch swap, I really don't see why anyone would want to launch one of these cars hard at a drag strip (or really even take it to the strip more than once).

 

very close to how I do it myself.

I dont agree with reving to 4k and dropping it. My car with the tiny turbo makes full boost before then anyways. I rev to about 3.5k and slip it some. When I first feel it starting to grab I full dis-engage the clutch and go full throttle on the floor...it spins for a slit second then grabs and by that time im right at 4k and I already have all my boost pressure. Take her up to 6500 and shift...boom your in second gear and home free.

Bone stock at 10psi I pulled a 14.01 @99mph with a 2.0 60ft on some ****ty street tires with no heat up. I feel the car can safely do a 1.8 60ft with decent tires. Anything lower than 1.8 and you will be braking things.

BTW launching your car takes practice.....sometimes in the most expeirence road racers have a real hard time with it. Launching a 951 is defenetely a art. Goodluck and I hope your tranny/clutch/rear end/cv's/ect are all new or in good shape.

 

just fyi I have slips to prove it as well.

Now modded my car is prolly a mid 12 trapping 112mph or so..maybe a little more. I will go back to the track when I change out my turbo. I will buy some good tires and hoping turn a low 12 at 118mph+ with a 1.8-1.9 60ft.

Im being conservative on the traps. Rage was doing 117mph with simple bolt ons and smaller turbo. On a vitesse stage 3 kit I should be all over 120+mph. I dont see any reason why not. Its all in how you get off the line.

 

Whoo boy! Get yer' flame suits on!

Dude, "launching" a 951 is about as smart as smashing your ********* with an 8-pound sledgehammer. This is not a drag car. If you want a drag car or something with wicked off-the-line acceleration, buy a Mustang, or a Corvette, or a Camaro or a Haybusa. That is NOT what the 944 is for. That said, there are some people that modify / build them to have extremely good h.p. / torque numbers, but look at the curves as to where that occurs - under boost, typically in the 3,000-4,000 RPM range. I guarantee you if you take even a lightly modded 951 into that range and dump the clutch you'll be buying new CVs, probably a new ring & pinion gear on the transmission, etc. You might get away with it once, twice or even a few times and the 951 transmission is a lot stronger than the n/a one, but it's FAR from indestructable. The CVs are very minimal - they WILL fail.

The only 944 I've ever seen that was able to launch hard had the rear end converted to a non-independent rear suspension setup. But if you're going to bother to do that, again it's easier to just get a 'vette or Mustang or something set up that way to begin with.

The strength of the 944 is in the handling. Drive it like it was meant to be driven or sell it to someone that will appreciate it. The 944 will never be a good drag car in the same way that the Mustang will always suck in the curves.

 

I Have to completely agree with you.

<rebuilt tranny(14k) quaffie LSD rear, turbo S 1st and 2nd gears, steel syncro's, brand new axles(2k) new cv's.

 

What kind of road racing takes good standing start launches?

Lots of people can shift their cars, and they may be driving a 12,11,10... car, but with a poor launch you'll be disappointed with your time.