Launch Control To Major Tom

[RarlyL8]

Hello to all you power monkeys.
Took the P-mobile out this AM for my Sunday morning rural romp, but this time is was to test out the G-tech my wife got me for Christmas (I know it's June now but I work a lot and have 2 little kids).

Here is my question - how the hell do you launch these things?

I don't drag race the 911 and I'm afraid of exploding the weeny 915 tranny.
I got off only one good launch - spun both tires for about 10 feet, hooked up and rocketted away. I could NOT believe that little engine lit up those 13.5 inch wide tires! As luck would have it I did not have the G-tech on at the time.
I only timed one run through the 1/4 mile, VERY bad launch with wheel hop and bogging, netted a 14.4 second reading from the gizmo.

As stated above, my first try of launching was the best but spinning these tires made me gun shy and I screwed up the rest.
I don't like accelerating this car from a standing start. Any suggestions?


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Any curve, any time ...
'78SC 965 GT2 Look

[Superman]

I have no secrets to share, and I'd agree that these things don't like drag racing. Just do more iterations. The practice will make you better and (unless you fail to turn it on again) you rnew divce will catch you making a rare, perfect launch.

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'83 SC

[juan ruiz]

Monkey in the house,one solution some D.O.T. Street slicks,another low air pressure in a good surface.my to 00.02
regards juan

[RarlyL8]

Traction is not the problem, well actually it is. Too much traction. A good launch would be to spin the tires breifly in order to get into the power band, then hook up and go. This is what I was able to do - once, by dropping the clutch with the revs up.
Problem is I don't want to find out what the limits are for the tranny. Don't care about the clutch, a bigger one is going in with the turbo motor.
Maybe with these cars it would be best to slip the clutch at low revs then nail the gas.
How do you auto-x ers leave the line?

[911racer]

Want to break your car? Then keep on practicing that imbecile sport. (flame me if you want, but drag racing is something invented for people that is too stupid to turn a steering wheel around corners in cars that handle too cr*p to go around corners, like pimple-faced half-strong pubescents in Firebirds, Camaros and Mustangs. Where's the skill?)
If you still insist in doing it, sacrifice your clutch rather than your tranny. You have to drag (slip) the clutch till the car is rolling fast-ish before you let the clutch out completely. Doing a "5000rpm/dump the clutch" is not good!
At Porsche we do not have (or need) a drag strip. What we do have is a test track with corners where we can set up a car that uses its traction advantages to launch out of 2nd/3rd gear corners.
Regards
Stef

[firecall999]

Get the tires nice and hot and sticky.
Doing a few burn outs is a quick way to warm 'em up.
It'll also lay down some rubber on the road. Some people say this rubber on the road gives extra traction, but I dont know about that.

Road surface can play a big part too.

Then bascially you want to get the most power down as possible with out spinning the wheels.This will involve heavy cluth abuse. You also need to keep the revs well up so that the engine doesnt bog down and is always in its "power band".

There is no nice way to launch a car for a maximum 0-60 or 1/4 mile run.

In-gear acceleratino times are much more usefull. But when your in the pub with your mates they just wanna know about 0-60. ho-hum.

Alex

Alex.

[Dantilla]

At the last PCA autocross in for the Pacific Northwest region, the course designer put in a real tight 90 degree box after the start but before the lights to eliminate the need for a quick launch. He's tired of seeing so many guys treat the trannys so rough. While my 911 sits waiting for it's engine transplant, I'm autocrossing a 944 S2. My fastest launches seem to have just a slight bit of spin off the line. The S2 has plenty of grunt at low rpms, so I can let out the clutch barely off idle and still get too much spin if my right foot gets too heavy.

[RarlyL8]

Stef-
You need to go back and read the original post. I am NOT drag racing my 911. These cars are too wimpy for that "neanderthal" sport. I have another car that is purpose built for that venue.
The g-tech only works from a standing start, so you have to launch well, which apparently these cars can't do.