Drag-Racing newbie needs some help...

[Uhuzit]

Hi Girls and Boys!

For the saison 2015, Iīm trying to race with my Turbo Kia Pride in the so called "turist - open class". Not a offical class. More like the "amateurs-class", but still with some strict rules.
I donīt have a big budget. Around 1500$ left for parts. Thats not much compared to the other guys.

This means the following:

- Polos and Golfs with turbo engines, mostly 1.8t and 2.0 16v turbos with 400hp+ and 900 - 1200 Kg, fwd. Min. 12.50 to 10.00 sec cars.
- guys with lots of experince, and those guys are not what I call "funny"- Kia Pride? wtf? Shitbox? Leave! Those guys dont share experience. Im the only one with a Kia Pride in that class.
- I donīt have a lot of drag-racing - know-how.
- no wheeliebars
- semi-slicks allowed, slicks not allowed
- roll cage for faster than 10 sec cars
- safety fuelcells and 3 point belts


My car has the following upgrades:

- Toyo r888 on 185 60 13 wheels
- Mazda 121 DB brakes and rear-axle
- a set of golf mk2 k+w v2 coilovers, - 30mm at the front and back
- safety fuelcell and 3 point belt
- last but not least Turbo engine
- PG-LSD
- no dyno numbers so far, planed for mid february for professional ignition-time tuning (-600 $) for the upper boost range.


This year, Iīve managed that my Pride runs pretty good on the street with the engine swap on low boost. Had some problems with boost-control and the clutch, but eventually sorted those problems out.
At the moment, the engine gets some upgrades. Some engine-parts are missing because of delivery time. Saison starts in March, so I donīt have a lot of time.

Iīve borrowed a Performance box from a friend two months ago and had done some 0-400m tests. Around 13.5 sec / 400m with spining tires up to the 5th gear on low boost with semi slicks.
I dont call a 13.5 slow, but I cannot figured out how to get better times. Power is for sure not the problem. Traction is. And those r888 are really good tires.

I would be happy if you guys give me some tips here and there. Its a big dream for me to see some wondering faces from the vw and honda guys.

Bye!

[jayber]

M/T Drag Radials!

[bhazard]

Get your traction issue sorted. You wont go anywhere spinning tires. Even if it takes lowering the power level. Perhaps an electronic boost control set up to run lower boost until you reach 3rd gear.

[ZephTheChef]

If you're on a tight budget, $600 for a tune might not be the best place to spend money. Not that a good tune isn't important, but if you already are traction limited then do you really need to squeeze that extra little bit out of perfect ignition timing? I assume that price is for a full dyno tune with fuel map adjustment as well, but if the car already runs good there are probably a lot better bang for the buck items.

[Advancedynamix]

What transmission are you running? One thing that really helps these cars hook up is moving the driveline forward as far as it will go in the engine compartment. Also, if you can fabricate a reinforced front lower radiator support, that ties the sway bar mounts, frame ends and front engine mount securely then you'll notice an enormous advantage. Stay with rubber engine and trans mounts as well, since you are running radial tires and not bias ply slicks. You need to absorb the driveline vibration and not transmit that to the tires.

[Uhuzit]

Get your traction issue sorted. You wont go anywhere spinning tires. Even if it takes lowering the power level. Perhaps an electronic boost control set up to run lower boost until you reach 3rd gear.

Good point. Im using the boost controller integrated in the ms2. Itīs crude, but works somehow. Theres an Apexi AVC-R listed on ebay. Maybe im going that route if the price is right.

[Uhuzit]

If you're on a tight budget, $600 for a tune might not be the best place to spend money. Not that a good tune isn't important, but if you already are traction limited then do you really need to squeeze that extra little bit out of perfect ignition timing? I assume that price is for a full dyno tune with fuel map adjustment as well, but if the car already runs good there are probably a lot better bang for the buck items.

Yes, true. 600 $ is a lot of money. But at the moment my tune is crude and streettuned. It runs "good" within my know-how how a map has to look like. Dyno guy told me, after he had seen my maps and datalogs, he can tune it more tire-gently, especially the ignition timing. It will be seen. A initial (1 hour) pro-tune on the dyno cost around 250 $. Maybe he can push the right buttons on the first run.

[Uhuzit]

What transmission are you running? One thing that really helps these cars hook up is moving the driveline forward as far as it will go in the engine compartment. Also, if you can fabricate a reinforced front lower radiator support, that ties the sway bar mounts, frame ends and front engine mount securely then you'll notice an enormous advantage. Stay with rubber engine and trans mounts as well, since you are running radial tires and not bias ply slicks. You need to absorb the driveline vibration and not transmit that to the tires.

Transmission comes from a 626 1987 2.0. I cannot move the engine back or forth, no space left.

Engine mount on the front and back are diy shore 75. The engine sits solid in its mounts. Iīve noticed some wheel hop especially in the higher gears. Feels dangerous to drive, right when the tires begin to slip.

I will adress that reinfoced lower radiator support as soon as it gets warmer outside. I know roughly what you mean.

[Uhuzit]

If someone is interested whats going on over here, have a look:

http://www.dragracelist.de/Klasse-FWD.htm

In the upper middle of the site and downwards, Opel Corsa C20LET. From a technical point of view, comparable with our Festivas / Pride. All in the 450 - 600 hp range.

[Uhuzit]

If someone is interested, here are the engine-specs with some updates and future mods listed:

Specs:

- FE3 Mazda block
- FWD FE3 Kia head with some port-cleanup
- FWD FE3 Mazda 250 cams with Fidanza adjustable cam gears
- Woessner turbopistons, 87mm 8,2:1
- Mazda FE3 rods, shootpened and polished. Better rods on the way. Delivery time February.
- balanced crankshaft and flywheel with ACT sprung 4 paddle sinter clutch
- ARP Headstuds
- oem headgasket
- Dual Plenum Manifold in work with Cadillac Northstar 75mm tb
- 4 x 1200cc siemens deka and 4 x 630cc Deka stagged injection for E85
- Bosch 044 clone pump
- Garrett 714568-3 GT3582R T3 .63 AR
- Noname Evo 8 equal lenght manifold
- Tial 38mm external wastegate
- 2,5 inch intercooler piping
- 3,5 inch downpipe and exhaust in work
- 3 inch muffler
- ms2 standalone
- HKS 50mm BOV
- usual ebay 600x300x76 intercooler

On 100 octan pump gas, only with the 630cc injectors, datalogs shows 72 % dc at 1 bar, and maxed out dc at 1.5 bar with some sign of knock. So I think E85 is my best bet.

[bhazard]

If I remember you had the F2T festiva, insane enough already. It looks like you've truely gone off the deep end with that setup. Holy crap.

[Advancedynamix]

Have you done anything to reinforce the front radiator support area? Also, is your engine and transmission rubber mounted in the car?

[Uhuzit]

Have you done anything to reinforce the front radiator support area? Also, is your engine and transmission rubber mounted in the car?

No reinforced front support. The only thing that reinforces the front chassis is the direct bolt-on of the engine and transmission crossmember directly to the chassis without rubber washers.

The engine is rubber mounted; custom engine and transmission mounts filled with diy PU shore 75 stuff.

[Uhuzit]

If I remember you had the F2T festiva, insane enough already. It looks like you've truely gone off the deep end with that setup. Holy crap.

The F2T Festiva is long gone. Definitly a bad combination of a lot of weight and a lot of frame rail cutting. LOL

[ZephTheChef]

I can't say enough good things about E85 and water/meth injection in terms of knock resistance and just plain making good power over a wide AFR and timing range. It's like cheating. If you're considering making the switch, I would say go for it!