Last time i went to the track i pulled a pathetic 14.3 @ 100mph. I credit that to mainly my bad 60ft.

Other then getting a good 60ft, how can i improve my times with my shift points. Last time i redlined 1,2, and 3rd(through the traps).

Should shift a little earlier??????

 

You should be in 4th through the traps. I tried shifting at 5k, 5.2k and 5.5k. I havent noticed too much difference if any. I shift at 5.5k each time. Try it for yourslef though, drag racing's all about experimenting.

I hear ya on the 60' though, couldnt manage better than a 2.1 on a 13.80@102.8.

 

With those mods I used to shift between 5600-5800. ET's were 13.6's at 100.

 

I use to shift mine at 6k and cross the line at 5900 in third with the 3.42 rear. Same shift points would put me at 5800 in forth with 4.11 gears. 26" diameter rear tires. I bumped the rev limiter to 6600 to keep it out of the way....bad move. Broken rockers, retainers, etc. I still shift a 6k but have the limiter set to 6200. I now cross at 5900 in 3rd with the auto and 4.11 gears.

 

I'm trying to get an idea of where everyone else shifts. Last season I ran 13.4xx all the time with the occasional 13.3. That was without a shift light.


This season I added a shift light, cutout and 4.11 gears. Last night was my first time out and I made 6 passes with 13.4xx on every one of them.

Since the cutout and 4.11's should have helped me, I can only assume that I need to change my shift point.


So ... where does everyone shift?

 

I figured out my shift points by trial and error. Correcting for weather and engine temps, track conditions and s on, I made a few passes and shifted at 5400. Doing everything the same I then shifted at 5600. Same at 5800 and 6000.

Once the car started slowing down I knew I was too high and moved back to a lower rpm.

I then varied the 1-2, and the 2-3, and the 3-4 in a matrix until I had the best rpm for each gear. 1-2 I used my big shift light. 2-3 I used the tach shift light, 3-4 I just used the tach.

Now I only have the 1-2 and the 2-3 as I have a manual valve body automatic. 1-2 is at 6200 and 2-3 is at 6400. Much easier on the car and the ET's are very consistent. I can also bring it up to 6600 on the 2-3 if I think I need to in order to catch smebody.

 

There is some kind of mathimatical eq that says take your max HP RPM and multiple by 1 + certain % and that gives you the proper shift point, or a good approximation. Ideally you would want to find where to shift to match your gear ratios to bring you back to or right @ max HP or tq to allow you to keep the car right inside the fattest part of the TQ and Power curves.