50,000 mile drag strip test
 

Today I hit 50,000 miles and thought I would do a little testing. I have some planned maintenance and things to change around with the car to get track ready... But I spontaneously decided to see where I'm at as it sits. This was my first time with the car at the track, unless you count when it was bone stock a few years ago.

Best ET pass was 11.62 @ 116 with my one 1.9 60' (missing shift and coasting across finish line)
Average MPHs were 123 with my 2.0-2.1 60' passes that ET'd 11.7s

Mods:
Greddy TT kit at 8psi boost
ID 1000cc injectors
CJM fuel pump install kit w/ Aeromotive 340
UpRev Osiris
Custom oil cooler, can't remember what size but pretty small.
OS Giken clutch
Greddy exhaust

That's it really. Has basic normal stuff like gauges and boost controller and wheels/tires. Suspension is all stock with H&R springs.

Problems I had:
Traction. I was getting 2.0-2.1 60' times either bogging or blowing the tires off.
Knock: with no proper cool down, I was getting lots of knock in 3rd and 4th, causing my ecu to pull out tons of timing really hurting the power on the top end.
Gearing: with stock final drive, I am having to shift into 5th at the very end, which sucks because I cross the line just after shifting.

Solutions: I will put the car on alignment rack and adjust in attempt for better traction. Less tire pressure... I was running 26psi in my drag radials and should have been more like 15-18. Practice: with these changes and a good day at the track instead of a last second 90 minutes before close, I expect to get my 60' time way down. Raise rev limiter: I will raise it just a tad to see if I can keep from having to bother with 5th gear... This might be an easy .1-.2 off the ET if it gets me across the line in 4th. To address the knock I am researching water injection but with lots of research into e85 tuning since I got home, I think there's some big changes I need to make to my map first.

I feel fair to expect good improvement when I go back. I should be 60' .2-.3 better. Combined with hopefully eliminating her heat soak knocking, I am pretty confident. The car felt like a dog tonight on the top end with all the timing retard, so I can't wait to see what it does when I get it to pull like I can on the street.

Ill post up when I go back.. Hoping to get there within 2 weeks.

just realized that i have the 2nd fastest 370z 1/4 mile time, first time out! thats surprising to me... my car wasnt running very strong. i think more of you guys need to get to the drag strip... its pretty sad that a 11.6 gives me the 2nd fastest 370z timeslip in the world!!!

Not many people have TT 370z's.. And the people that do, like you said, dont bring them to the track. Thats why everyone is basing the fastest time off a g37... We need some more TT's to get us into the low 11's and MAYBE someday high 10's with slicks or something

That’s sick man! I like hearing the Z is bring the heat. Post up some pics of the motor and the car itself if you can.

10s are very possible with a stock engine TT 370z. With slicks and a low 1.6 60', around 550rwhp is all it should take.

I guess I just find it strange... It's not that I can say a whole lot because here I am 2 years after turbo, finally taking it to the track... But I think the problem is that nobody is showing what the car is capable of, or how to get the car to do it. Everyone is focusing on more/fancier parts, but not if these parts even make the car measurably faster... this engine is so great that really all you need is a basic turbo kit and 8-10psi boost and its a 10 second car if you set it up and drive it.

I'll be taking my SC's to the track, not sure what to expect though. I'll be ecstatic if I break into the 11's lol. That'd be a 2 second improvement for me

just a little practice and it should be no problem

Taking mine to the track is definitely going to happen, but not for a while here since I have no desire to beat on the car when it's 100+ outside. I'll be happy with mid 11s on street tires since I can't launch the thing worth a damn.

We're showing what the car is capable of at tracks with left and right turns. The natural home for a Z is on a road course where the fast Zs spend their time dogging Porsches. There just isn't much overlap between track guys and dragstrips.

Every single one of your fuel starve solution kits is out there going faster than cars that start at two to three times the cost of a Z.

That said, we do need more fast Zs in every venue. Show 'em how good the Z is!

I didn't get the impression that guys with boosted Zs are going to any kind of track.

This.

Though that'll change soon, I'm sure.

Just waiting for the FI install :)
Half the miles on my car are from the track. Don't intent to change that much

Mine will go to the track later. It's 108 with the heat index right now. There's no point in going to the track in Houston in the summer. In mid October when the temps get back under 90, I'll go see what she does. It's the same reason my car hasn't been dynoed after the tt kit. If it's 108 outside, it's 125 in the shop. No fan is going to help.

This is why I'm not working on my tune any time soon.

Not gonna waste money on the dyno when it's 105+.

Exactly. I've been on the fence about a retune, and waiting to see what Ecutek brings to the table for FI Zs. The fact it's hotter than hell makes it easy to wait. I don't even drive my car hard when it's this hot out.

I need a retune but the heat is not worth it right now.
The Houston Z group is going to the 1/4 mile track this Friday, but with the heat anyone (boosted or stock) would be lucky to get a decent time. Plus it is the open Friday runs, so you get everything running and track prep is minimal to none.

I saw that. There's not a single chance in hell I would bother going. I was baffled as to why they set up a track day in mid August in Houston. You do that **** in the winter and spring.

Group wanted it, so let made it happen.
Also, the main thing is the BBQ. One of the Z guys (well he sold his recently) owns the BBQ place and we do a meet there once in awhile. The drag thing was just added in since we are on that side of town.

That makes more sense. I just saw the track day and was very confused.

doing some hot tuning isnt a bad idea, you just wont get good final numbers! but at least the car will be tuned to handle it.

i drive my car no matter how hot it is... but ya i dont know about bothering with the drag strip when its super hot. i havent seen any over heating issues with the stock cooling system yet... we dont get into the 100s very often here but we get well into the upper 90s and that hasnt presented any issues.

It's not (just) the heat, it's the humidity. The car's trying to breathe through a 105 degree wet blanket. It's absolutely miserable. My sense of mechanical sympathy won't allow me to beat on the car in these conditions.

ya i probably cannot fairly compare the environments since i have never even been there. its just that we get a few days a year here that are so miserable and nasty that i have a hard time believing it could even get worse!

Phunk, I used to get coolant temps upwards of 215 standing still in the summer. Engine at idle, zero load. It gets that hot. (This is on the stock radiator)