Using 2nd gear to launch?

Took the car out Wed. night for T-N-T and the track was awful. Car never thought about hooking up on the hit of the throttle. Looking at retarding the timing in first gear to help but after talking to a friend he gave me another idea. What would happen to the C-4 if I left in 2nd gear? I'm thinking it could help the launch a bunch but not sure what happens to the tranny. What r your thoughts. A glide is out of the question. Just have a problem putting a GM tranny in my car. Plus this C-4 has a lot of money in it.

If it likes the 2nd gear launch it will love a pg even more...............

retarding the timing with a 7531 or similar would help................what gear are you running now? tire size? suspension etc?

3:89 28X10.5 stock style rear suspension but fully adjustable along with a K member coil overs etc.

You start pulling timing on an NA motor at the hit and it will never 60. Leaving in second gear is an option I suppose but I think there are other issues here. What does it 60 on a good track?

I. Wondering how much heat it would generate, and you couldn't use a trans brake. A friend of mine did that once on accident and he didn't lose much Et.

and as theses guys mentioned it shouldn't be just blowing the tires away, you stepped up the motor correct?

Car has been a 1.34 60' last year on this track with old build 9.77 et. Car transfers weight very well but didn't even pull front wheels. Going to put tubes in this Sat. which will give me stiffwall plus tubes. New build is a 466 with Uncle Charlie max port A429 heads Lem cam, 14-1 lightweight Diamond pistons.
Was wondering about using second because I have done it by accident and it didn't really hurt the ET. Maybe a tenth. With much less torque. Footbrake car so I can't use electronics, but I am looking at putting a timing retard hooked to a micro switch on the shifter to come on only in first gear.

If the track/prep was bad for most every car there that day then speculating on possible usable car/drive line/suspension/combo changes is most likely a wash anyway. Same would be true if the slicks were/are dead.

However if everyone else got down the track OK that day and it only sucked for your car, then the problem is most likely in your combo somewhere.

514Fox87 wrote:Car has been a 1.34 60' last year on this track with old build 9.77 et. Car transfers weight very well but didn't even pull front wheels. Going to put tubes in this Sat. which will give me stiffwall plus tubes. New build is a 466 with Uncle Charlie max port A429 heads Lem cam, 14-1 lightweight Diamond pistons.
Was wondering about using second because I have done it by accident and it didn't really hurt the ET. Maybe a tenth. With much less torque. Footbrake car so I can't use electronics, but I am looking at putting a timing retard hooked to a micro switch on the shifter to come on only in first gear.

1.34 isn't horrible but my first thought is that the converter is too tight and the car isn't generating enough wheel speed. Wheel speed is key to a good 60 especially with a small tire. You say it transfers weight well and doesn't pick up the front tires. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as wheelies steal time both in 60 and ET.

Shoot us a video if you can, with a side close up profile. Mark the tire side wall with paint so we can see spin and wheel speed. This will give us better info to help you

And tell me more about the front suspension. Spring rate and length, shock settings, etc

i did it with mine just to see and it just got into high gear early,turned more rpm,and ran about the same et.i got a glide after that and did'nt pick up shit,et,mph,60'zip! it did calm the car down so i could use more power later,which i've done.the low gear c4 should work ok for footbrake.