First Time at the Drag Strip

[2005sti]

I will be going to the drag strip for the first time Thursday and wanted to know anything that anyone could tell me to help make my first experience a positive one.

I will be going to Piedmont Drag way in North Carolina to run my Stage 2 2005 WRX Sedan a few times. Piedmont Dragway is 1/8th mile. I have never ran a car down the strip, so this is going to be a learning experience for me. I just want any tips to launching, shifting, etc.. I would also like to know what kind of times I should be aiming for.

Car Bio:

2005 WRX Sedan
Stage 2 Opensource Tune
GReddy UP
HSK DP
Borla Catback
APS CAI
GM 3-Port EBCS

On a Mustang Dyno is put down 234AWHP and 272 AWTQ.

Any help and information is greatly appreciated!

(:

[ninefourteener]

Keep as little gas in it as possible to save weight

Take out all unnecessary weight - especially the spare tire

AVOID THE BURNOUT PUDDLE

Slip the clutch... don't dump it unless you want to be towed home with broken gears.

Keep the intercooler as COLD as possible.. dump ice on it if you can.

The longer you idle waiting in line... the hotter your intercooler will get. Turn it off and push it through the line if you have to.

Hope this helps

[iDrove]

Go in with no expectations and just HAVE FUN.
Be safe, and follow what ninefourteener said above. I put ice cubes in my IC sprayer too!

[zax]

On a Mustang Dyno is put down 234AWHP and 272 AWTQ.

That is a tremendous amount of torque for a stage 2 2.0L. Have you done any P&P work to the turbo?

[2005sti]

That is a tremendous amount of torque for a stage 2 2.0L. Have you done any P&P work to the turbo?

Nope. No P&P work.

[zax]

Nope. No P&P work.

wow. Those are typical TQ numbers for a stage 2 2.5L. I'm very interested how you managed to summon that much torque out of a 2.0L

[2005sti]

wow. Those are typical TQ numbers for a stage 2 2.5L. I'm very interested how you managed to summon that much torque out of a 2.0L

As stated in my first post my setup is:

GM 3-Port EBCS
APS CAI
GReddy UP
HKS DP
Borla Catback

Stage 2 tune by Barry Bodine at Draco Performance. The tune is set to 20 psi tapering down to 12 psi.

If I had a scanner I would post up my Dyno Sheet.

[zax]

As stated in my first post my setup is:

GM 3-Port EBCS
APS CAI
GReddy UP
HKS DP
Borla Catback

Stage 2 tune by Barry Bodine at Draco Performance. The tune is set to 20 psi tapering down to 12 psi.

If I had a scanner I would post up my Dyno Sheet.

I'm not questioning your numbers man, I can see you're getting defensive. No need.

I'm just surprised by those torque numbers with those supporting mods on a 2.0L. I have seen stage 2 numbers in the 240 ft. pounds but never anything as high as 270 ft. pounds without performing some sort of P&P and balancing on the turbine.

EDIT:

Ah, I see you have increased the boost to 20 PSI from the 16 PSI standard peak pressure at stage 2. That answers that question.

[2005sti]

I'm not questioning your numbers man, I can see you're getting defensive. No need.

I'm just surprised by those torque numbers with those supporting mods on a 2.0L. I have seen stage 2 numbers in the 240 ft. pounds but never anything as high as 270 ft. pounds without performing some sort of P&P and balancing on the turbine.

EDIT:

Ah, I see you have increased the boost to 20 PSI from the 16 PSI standard peak pressure at stage 2. That answers that question.

Sorry, I didnt mean to come off like that. :P I wasnt getting defensive. Just stating my information.

Again, sorry for the tone.

[Sinister]

Don't slam gears. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

It's better to slip the clutch than drop it. You'll find the medium after quite a few runs.. but until you figure it out, it's better to glaze the clutch than blow out your transmission

[Sinister]

keep your hood up while waiting in line. I have a spray bottle that I fill w/ 50/50 rubbing alcohol/water that I soak the IC with

[ninefourteener]

I have a spray bottle that I fill w/ 50/50 rubbing alcohol/water that I soak the IC with

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're spraying rubbing alcohol on a hot engine????

[Sinister]

it's 50/50... and it's going on the IC. mix .5 isopropyl with equal parts water (that's only .25 alcohol) and try to light it on fire my friend.

Isopropyl (like all alcohol) is homogeneous with water. A homogeneous solution with 1/4 of the actual percentage being alcohol isn't able to light on fire. Now I do understand that the flammability temp of alcohol is lowered when it's heated but the actual point in which the alcohol becomes flammable is below room temp! (it evaps at room temp... right?). On a hot engine the water and alcohol evaporate together, and the 3 parts water vapor to 1 part vaporized alcohol raise the flash point of alcohol to an impossible point to ignite. On just a few hundred degree exterior of an engine, that's not going to happen. Impressive part about water... It expands 70X when vaporized... so there is actually Little to No oxygen available to burn said alcohol.

So why do I do this? Because alcohol evaporates quicker, and won't spontaneously ignite between the temp of the IC and the 201 degree boiling point of water (I'm at altitude). So via evaporation the alcohol cools the IC and evaporates VERY quickly... but the water stays on the IC and absorbs copious amounts of heat before evaporating. That's why many people use windshield wiper fluid as an intercooler sprayer. (it's methanol instead of isopropyl... but both have low flash points. Hell.. Methanol is only 70 degrees... but that IS NOT it's spontaneous ignition temperature. two VERY different things)

If you want to talk more about fire... I'd love to I was an aircraft firefighter for 4 years, and a HUGE part of my job was to know the chemicals used around the airfield and the physics behind fire and the flammability of the chemicals.

Edited: to add more info and rephrase things for clarity

[2005sti]

it's 50/50... and it's going on the IC. mix .5 isopropyl with equal parts water (that's only .25 alcohol) and try to light it on fire my friend.

Isopropyl (like all alcohol) is homogeneous with water. A homogeneous solution with 1/4 of the actual percentage being alcohol isn't able to light on fire. Now I do understand that the flammability temp of alcohol is lowered when it's heated but the actual point in which the alcohol becomes flammable is below room temp! (it evaps at room temp... right?). On a hot engine the water and alcohol evaporate together, and the 3 parts water vapor to 1 part vaporized alcohol raise the flash point of alcohol to an impossible point to ignite. On just a few hundred degree exterior of an engine, that's not going to happen. Impressive part about water... It expands 70X when vaporized... so there is actually Little to No oxygen available to burn said alcohol.

So why do I do this? Because alcohol evaporates quicker, and won't spontaneously ignite between the temp of the IC and the 201 degree boiling point of water (I'm at altitude). So via evaporation the alcohol cools the IC and evaporates VERY quickly... but the water stays on the IC and absorbs copious amounts of heat before evaporating. That's why many people use windshield wiper fluid as an intercooler sprayer. (it's methanol instead of isopropyl... but both have low flash points. Hell.. Methanol is only 70 degrees... but that IS NOT it's spontaneous ignition temperature. two VERY different things)

If you want to talk more about fire... I'd love to I was an aircraft firefighter for 4 years, and a HUGE part of my job was to know the chemicals used around the airfield and the physics behind fire and the flammability of the chemicals.

Edited: to add more info and rephrase things for clarity

Wow.

:bows:

[dbya rx]

it's 50/50... and it's going on the IC. mix .5 isopropyl with equal parts water (that's only .25 alcohol) and try to light it on fire my friend.

Isopropyl (like all alcohol) is homogeneous with water. A homogeneous solution with 1/4 of the actual percentage being alcohol isn't able to light on fire. Now I do understand that the flammability temp of alcohol is lowered when it's heated but the actual point in which the alcohol becomes flammable is below room temp! (it evaps at room temp... right?). On a hot engine the water and alcohol evaporate together, and the 3 parts water vapor to 1 part vaporized alcohol raise the flash point of alcohol to an impossible point to ignite. On just a few hundred degree exterior of an engine, that's not going to happen. Impressive part about water... It expands 70X when vaporized... so there is actually Little to No oxygen available to burn said alcohol.

So why do I do this? Because alcohol evaporates quicker, and won't spontaneously ignite between the temp of the IC and the 201 degree boiling point of water (I'm at altitude). So via evaporation the alcohol cools the IC and evaporates VERY quickly... but the water stays on the IC and absorbs copious amounts of heat before evaporating. That's why many people use windshield wiper fluid as an intercooler sprayer. (it's methanol instead of isopropyl... but both have low flash points. Hell.. Methanol is only 70 degrees... but that IS NOT it's spontaneous ignition temperature. two VERY different things)

If you want to talk more about fire... I'd love to I was an aircraft firefighter for 4 years, and a HUGE part of my job was to know the chemicals used around the airfield and the physics behind fire and the flammability of the chemicals.

Edited: to add more info and rephrase things for clarity

with all your amazing knowlege, you can probably figure out how i can light my farts without burning my ass...

seriously tho, impressive knowledge. i dont think i would have the balls to spray any amount of alcohol mixed with anything anywhere near the motor of a car