Ran a few 1/4s tonite @ the drag strip (long)

[Eric S.]

I've never even been to a drag strip before, but tonight was "open" Friday night at the local drag strip and I met a couple of friends there. After seeing everything from Civics in the 11's and Ford Exploders running 16's) I watched a guy in an E46 M3 run in the mid 15's. used: He and others were having launching issues (plus he was a bit clueless).

I know there are published figures for a 1998 540/6 running 14.0 in the 1/4 and 5.5 0-60 (no doubt with fewer than my 127K miles with original clutch), so I was figuring I should be able to at least do mid-upper 14's, right?

My first run was a disaster: I shut off the AC, but they made me roll up my windows and they got all fogged up right when I was staging!: I also forgot to turn off DSC in the midst of that. To make matters worse, after spinning tires in 1st (DSC?!?), I missed my 1-2 shift, getting the shifter hung up in that reverse gate! : Laughable result: I ran a 16.79, but my 94 mph indicated potential. I lost to a modified SABLE who ran 16.49/84mph.

I wanted to make up for my stupid errors & humiliation, so I made one more run. This time I was up against a loud, modified 4th gen Camaro (my drivetrain is bone stock, I don't even have an intake). I did a little burnout before staging, which helped. I left the defroster/AC on this time and turned off DSC. Shallow stage...and...the launch was unbelieveable!! WOW! The 540 TOOK OFF! Despite my mediocre .37 reaction time, I bagged the Camaro at the 60-foot point (2.24 versus 2.41). Then, I MISSED THE FRICKIN' 1-2 SHIFT AGAIN!! : : Still, I quickly found the right gate and kept going, but could not reel in the Camaro after that f-up. Final tally: 14.84 @ 96.4, the Camaro ran 13.35 @ 107.53. Ahhh, that's more like it!

What a rush!! I think if I hadn't missed that 1-2 shift I would have run much closer to 14.0. Man, that's a fast car. Now I am thinking of going again and want to break the 100 mph barrier (first, I have to master that dadgum 1-2 shift)! I bet swapping in an M5 3.15 LSD diff would do the trick...

PS - The car ran silky smooth all the way home. And I would be willing to bet I was the only person there to remove a baby seat from the back seat prior to coming to the track...

[saltshaker185]

haha that sounds like a pretty awesome night! wish there was a strip around here... im not into that whole drag thing, but i figure if they had an open night then that would help me work on shifting faster and all... sounds like your other shifts worked out pretty nice concitering the time you made up... well on the second drag... haha

[Eric S.]

Originally Posted by saltshaker185

haha that sounds like a pretty awesome night! wish there was a strip around here... im not into that whole drag thing, but i figure if they had an open night then that would help me work on shifting faster and all... sounds like your other shifts worked out pretty nice concitering the time you made up... well on the second drag... haha

Thanks, yeah, it was a blast! BTW, thanks for changing your avatar. Your original one sort of creeped me out a little...:lol:

[saltshaker185]

hahaha you can thank les for the avatar... hence me now being the dumb user of the month... (year) hahaha but yeah the old one was me just fucking around one late night... i dono i thought it was kinda cool hahaha

[Torque]

sounds like you had fun. A 540 should run very low 14s...just get that 1-2 shift down and you'll be unbeatable

[saltshaker185]

Originally Posted by Torque

sounds like you had fun. A 540 should run very low 14s...just get that 1-2 shift down and you'll be unbeatable

do you know of any local tracks?? i know they run auto x over at poppa johns but besides that i think the closest track around would be ky speedway and thats a boring oval...

[Torque]

Originally Posted by saltshaker185

do you know of any local tracks?? i know they run auto x over at poppa johns but besides that i think the closest track around would be ky speedway and thats a boring oval...

i really have no idea, but i know auto x is at either ups parking lot or papa johns when its local ... or in ft. knox.

there is a 1/8th mile strip at ohio valley somewher around preston (?) I believe, but I havent been; i can find out if u want.

[saltshaker185]

ehh if u hear abuot anything let me know, but dont go out searching for stuff, its not that big a deal... ima hit up some auto x after i get this car how i want it to run...

[superdeadman]

drop the car, drop the money, buy 00 m5
can you say 13 sec?

[Eric S.]

Originally Posted by superdeadman

drop the car, drop the money, buy 00 m5
can you say 13 sec?

Right you are Superdeadman, but have no fear - I sense your sarcasm (my primary language) - because an awful lot of reliability and maintenance baggage comes with that 13 second quarter by way of a 2000 M5.

Actually, with another good launch and no missed 1-2 shift I am confident my "old decrepit" car could run 14-flat or darn near it. With just the addition of the M5's 3.15 M5 LSD, it would be in the 13's.

But with the H&Rs and Konis, it is more suited to road course use now. I may try out V.I.R. at some point - that facility is only a couple hours or so from my house...

[lwebb12]

Originally Posted by Eric S.

Right you are Superdeadman, but have no fear - I sense your sarcasm (my primary language) - because an awful lot of reliability and maintenance baggage comes with that 13 second quarter by way of a 2000 M5.

Actually, with another good launch and no missed 1-2 shift I am confident my "old decrepit" car could run 14-flat or darn near it. With just the addition of the M5's 3.15 M5 LSD, it would be in the 13's.

But with the H&Rs and Konis, it is more suited to road course use now. I may try out V.I.R. at some point - that facility is only a couple hours or so from my house...

No, it doesn't.

I am a 2000 M5 owner. My car is reliable as rain during India's monsoon season.

Other than the normal gasket leakage and nit noid stuff it is a solid performer.

I drive it every day, to the redline, all the time.

[thejobman]

Originally Posted by lwebb12

Other than the normal gasket leakage and nit noid stuff it is a solid performer.

used: There is nothing normal about gasket leakage if you ask me! Doesn't that set you back a few grand everytime?

Eric- dont worry man, I'll be bring'n in that 14.0-14.2 1/4 mi slip soon
(well, as soon as it stops raining here in jersey!)

[Eric S.]

Thanks jobman, I'll also let you know when i get back out there (the next run-what-u-brung Friday nite is 5/26, and it's every two weeks thereafter).

Regarding the M5 reliability, I am glad Webb weighed in and I don't discount what he is saying (but we must consider well-documented early M5 issues such as carbon build-up). My problem, as always, is one of economics. My 540 was the nicest 5-er I could afford at the time of purchase. Then, as now, an E39 M5 was and is out of the question. Even if purchase price weren't the barrier, I also have to consider insurance rates, plus my "ex" and all THOSE issues. Another story for another day. Oh well, I am set for now, for better or worse...

[WALSRU]

My old 325 ran a 15.4 on bald tires on a non-prepped track.