I remember, back in the DSM (n/t) days... that some of the guys talked about swapping in a MOPAR 3-speed automatic and run a rediculous final drive.

Justin's right... auto w/high stall, sick final drive, decent torque converter > manual.

Only thing is, you still don't feel connected to the road at all... too "automatic" for me

 

So how would you guys suggest I race? Shift at 6.5K (fuel cut off) or 6K (right before redline)? How should I take off? Before I take off should I rev to 4K then throw it in 1st (ala MT style). What's the best advice?

 

The car's weight, lack of power, and auto tranny are the main problems. Power loss on cars with auto trannys is typically 25% and manual are usually in the 15% range and even less if they have a good clutch and flywheel. D

 

u shouldnt do a netrual drop but u should do a brakestand or power brake, where you step on the brake and rev, then floor it while letting go of the brakes. im not really sure how u would control the rpms, but if u had a very good tranny then u could just shift using low>2nd>D3>d4.

 

that's odd, my gf has a 96 ex 4 door accord and i raced my riceboy friend in his 96 civic ex 5spd with i/h/e and i beat him by about a car from a 10 mph roll till around 90. I think even an automatic I4 accord should have a pretty good shot against a 7th gen ex 5spd and it should RAPE an auto LX civic. Now the 5spd H23 prelude should be able to beat you by quite a bit. I guess get some more mods and a tranny swap if you can afford it.

Or buy yourself a nitrous kit and you should be ape raping most of those cars and hanging with some faster ones (mustang GT's etc)

 

If you rev it in neutral and drop it into gear, you WILL break something.

Your best bet is to experiment between brake-torquing (holding down brake, while in drive, and using the throttle to push against the "locked" brakes) and just normal flooring it.

Manual shifting from D1->D2 .. etc... doesn't help. Just put in Drive and nail it.

I know it feels like you should be doing more, but there really isn't anything you can do. Just keep modding. Look into a 5-speed swap (as you can get about 5-10% more HP to the ground), or just make your tranny bulletproof and load up the boost.

 

I'm never going to use fourth gear in the quarter mile, so at the line you'd recommend me pushing the break as hard as possible while using the gas to rev the engine (without making my car jump) then of course letting go of the break as I'm flagged?

 

True, you won't make it to 4th gear, but that fact really doesn't have an effect on how the transmission shifts at WOT.

Auto trannys have a computer system which selects the best gear based on vehicle speed, engine torque output, and gear ratios for the gearbox. For the most part, it will always just shift at redline, as the vast majority of stock cars do. It MAY go into 4th early, but that depends on your car specifically.

If, for some reason, it doesn't shift at redline in 3rd... then putting it in D3 would be best. Otherwise, don't try to outsmart the transmission computer, it likely knows better. Just stick it in Drive and put both hands on the wheel, where they belong .

As far as launching.... Optimal brake-torquing is as follows:
1-Put the car in Neutral.
2-Rev to 3-4k RPM, and jam HARD on the brake at the same time. You'll find that the brake will grab "harder" when engine rpm's are high, since the fluid pressure is allowed to build up. The pedal should sink an extra inch or two... you'll notice it.
3-Now you're at the strongest braking power possible.
4-Put it in drive, without letting off the brake.
5-Rev the engine to the appropriate launching Rev's.
6- Release the brake and floor it at "GO".

Now... you want to find a balance between this and just flooring it. Brake-torquing allows you to get higher in the RPM range faster, but you may spin the tires. It is also not very good for the transmission or the braking system, but it'll survive.

 

Even though brake torquing is probably the best way to launch an automatic, it will also kill the stock torque converter.

 

yup...