why do some ls1 cars run so much better than others?

im just talking about for instance two 00 a4 ls1 with same mods one running anywhere from high 12s to 13.1 and the other running 13.3-13.5. i dont believe the freak car crap, if they are the same 5.7 motor with low miles and nothing mechanically wrong why does one run way better? i noticed on this site that some ls1's with just lid and exhaust and maybe ram air intake will run 12.7-13.1 and others 13.3-13.7 its weird, i run at a 1180-1200 feet above seal level track and i only run 13.5 at103.41 i have mods in sig, my car is mechanically great. i also have the 3.23 gears.

Driver makes a big difference.
A friend of mine had a 97 Firehawk.The best he ever ran was a 13.9@101.The night I was I drove his car he was running 14.1@99mph.I raced it 1 time and ran 13.8@103.And I honestly didnt run it hard because the car wasnt mine.

i could see driver being a key if it was an m6 but im talking about a4, i tried stalling it to 1200, 1800 and my best at 1200 was13.5@103.41 and at 1800 13.62@103.76 wonder if i would have just floored it if that would have been better? i dont see it though, i am at a 1250 above seal level track, and according to the elevation chart a 13.5@103 is equal to 13.3@105 at seal level, but still i thought this car would be a tad faster.

traction and drivers play a major role.

Also weather conditions and track conditions play a big role. Most people will only post the best time they've ever run in their cars (ie. perfect weather and track), not the average drive it off the street straight to the lights time. :)

weather and driver get my nod.

all too often I see it happen.
Scenario:
Person (young or old) gets new car
Takes car to track
Gets timeslip
Is disappointed.
Mods car (sometimes more if mods were done already)
Returns to track.
Repeat.

I find that most people dont know how to drive their car right off..
Take 4-6 trips (depending on how many passes you get per trip) to the track and only when you have pulled every last tenth out of your car and are doing it consistantly should you then mod. When you are doing that you could place well in bracket racing. Thats when you are finally driving your car. Thats when you should start your modding.

Another annoying issue is weather.. If you are not sensitive to it, look up on the net and get an idea of whats going on.
Too much humidity and your car will go slower regardless of temperature.
Also learn if your car likes it hot. Some cars do their best after they have been warmed up others like a bit of a cool down before running.

I have had all of my best runs within 1 hour of getting to the track and runnning without cool downs. After I take a rest, all of my times will start to slow down. . Not buy much, but slower none the less. This brings me to my last point which I think was stated in a post above.. TRACK PREP. Some nights its spot on others its as if you are on ice.
I find here at Houston Raceway Park, on Wednesdays, they have bracket racing. The track is prepped very well (I always get there super early) and will hook for a couple of hours with no issues..
On Fridays (AAA Safe Street Night) the track doesnt last more than an hour or two.. Seems many more "novices" come out and trash up the track.. A large amount of street tire burnouts and wetbox rollthroughs are what I feel, the cause of it.

My LT1 on the otherhand loved to have a 45 min break btw runs with ICE. I would sometimes sneak in 2 runs in a row then ice it but it did its best with the break.


I am bone stock. On street tires with a horrid 2.1 60 ft I ran 13.1@108. Its not bad. Its not what I wanted but I was happy with it. I know it has more in it. I will return soon, looking for my 12.9 bone stock run. I know it has it in it. Just need to push it harder.
Learn your cars people.. test.. tune.. DRIVE.. enjoy.. Every mod after you drive your car spot on is going to be that much better.. Do it at the track. No need to do it on the streets. Track prep is so much better and you get a verified timeslip. Nothing beats proof!

Originally posted by bluecmaro96
i could see driver being a key if it was an m6 but im talking about a4, i tried stalling it to 1200, 1800 and my best at 1200 was13.5@103.41 and at 1800 13.62@103.76 wonder if i would have just floored it if that would have been better? i dont see it though, i am at a 1250 above seal level track, and according to the elevation chart a 13.5@103 is equal to 13.3@105 at seal level, but still i thought this car would be a tad faster.


For your car, on a stock stall, you are trying to stall up and then trying to launch..

Not good..
Try flashing your stall.. To flash your stall just follow these steps:

Stage
Place left foot on brake
Hover right foot over gas
When the last yellow turns on
Move right foot to the floor and
Remove left foot instantaneously.

That should net ya harder launch. On a good track, with decent (even street) tires, you should hook and go!
Expect 2.0 - 1.9 60 ft times on street tires.

Originally posted by psychocabbage
Stage
Place left foot on brake
Hover right foot over gas
When the last yellow turns on
Move right foot to the floor and
Remove left foot instantaneously.


So you're saying when were staging, have our left foot onthe brake, and our right foot hovering over the gas ready to punch it when the last light turns yellow? You make that sound so easy.;)

Everytime I try to launch like a pro I end up spinning at the tree fishtailing, and screwing up my run. The times in my sig. were made taking my foot off the brake, and just easing into the gas as I pull away from the tree, just like you would pull away from a stoplight. Unfortunately, my best 60' is a 2.2 right now.

Is there a correct way to leave the line like a pro in an A4? Like I said, everytime I rev up to like 1,500 and let off the brake, I spin and look like a true rookie out there. Do I have to get the timing just right and perfect when I'm letting off the brake and nailing the gas?

Another thing.When my 95 T/A was bone stock,I went from a 14.3@99 to a 13.7@104.Just learning how to drive the thing.By the time I did bolt on mods I went 12.8@111 which was unheard of at the time.

i truely understand what you mean about learning the car, i use nitto drag radials and my 60s are already 2.0 with no spin, i really didnt think that flashing it would give me too much of a difference, in your opinion can i hit 13.3 with flashing if i have 0 wheel spin? i would be happy with an a4 with my mods if i was running 13.3@ 105 even at my track which is 1280 above sea level. again traction isnt an issue i heat the nittos up and they stick nicely. my 60s are almost always 2.0

Originally posted by bluecmaro96
i truely understand what you mean about learning the car, i use nitto drag radials and my 60s are already 2.0 with no spin, i really didnt think that flashing it would give me too much of a difference, in your opinion can i hit 13.3 with flashing if i have 0 wheel spin? i would be happy with an a4 with my mods if i was running 13.3@ 105 even at my track which is 1280 above sea level. again traction isnt an issue i heat the nittos up and they stick nicely. my 60s are almost always 2.0


with nittos you should be getting 1.9 or even 1.8-1.7's.. just by flashing..

dont fret so much about your times.. fret more with one object at a time..

for now, your launch.. get those tires to hook and launch off a flash.. the flashing of the TC will essentially bump your stock stall up to a higher stall. You will then be more into the powerband and your car should respond better at the track..

Once your launch is set, then look at the rest of the run.. are your shifts happening at the best possible time? I used a programmer and my dyno sheets to figure out what was the best time for MY car when I had an A4. Every car is different and its always good to know what your particular car needs.. I would look to where its making the power and where its falling off.. then I would adjust the shift to happen soon after the drop off so I can get back into the power curve.

Never heard of "flashing" before. Is that a local term? It sounds like you are saying that a street start is beter then power braking? I always hear the auto's get much better time using the foot brake.

bluecamaro, i wish i would have had your nittos at the track that night. i was spinning my street tires and had a 2.0 60'. my best run was a 13.42 at 104, could've been better with traction. i wouldn't be concerned with your times. it runs pretty good. i saw a white 01-02 m6 camaro that night and he was going 13.6s if i remember right

hey whats up, you going back anytime soon? im gonna test and tune firday all night to see where my best launch is. how were you launching? i seen you run some 13.5s and i think a 13.6, did you run a 13.4 later that night? i know street racing is completely different but, when me and you lined up it seemed as if i was pulling you, one day we will have to see :) Hey i thougth you said your car wouldnt spin tire, seemed like it was doing a good job at prp lol. i think i should heat the nittos up a little better, i was getting great traction but there was just a tad of spin, didnt seem like enough to hurt though. i got my jethots and y pipe, should be getting it all on in a week or so. i was also running my ssra unsealed, now i know this is a stretch but the creator of the ssra told me that many people get .2 and 2 mph with it sealed, something about more of a forced air when its sealed. i think with the proper launch and 0 spin i should be at 13.3-13.4 give or take.

sorry for rambling and im not trying to make excuses but i just thought of something, i weigh probably close to 80-100 lbs more than you, i bet thats worth something lol

i won't be out at prp for at least another week. i'm doing converter swap this thursday after work and who knows how long it'll take. i got some bfg dr's too. my slowest run at prp was a 13.58 at 103. as far as pulling me on scalp, i lifted at 80, but i'll give it another shot some time. i might be on scalp next saturday, nothing definite. i catch up with you somewhere in a couple of weeks.

sounds good, thats awesome your putting a converter in, i know our race was close, i mean our cars are pretty much identical mod wise, i kno wwhen we race its close as hell you do weigh near 100 lbs lighter than me, which sux for me lol. were you stalling your stock tc or flashing? i lifted when i seen you slow did, i know both our cars will hit 12s with a few more mods, hell you may even do it with just the tc, you should get longtubes to finish your exhaust, my next mod is a tc, almost had a yank 3500 for 500.00 but missed the deal. ah well take it easy what are the specs on your tc? who makes it and how much did you pay?