2001 Firebird Formula 3500 Stall LS1 4.10 Gear Drag Racing

[Gobabyvroommm]

My firebird formula 98 ls1 full exhaust, lid, tune, 342 rear end gear with a 3500 nitrous stall with toyo drags launching at 2600 was doing 12.3. with a 1.69 60ft at 107mph.

If you are spinning to much dont put it in 2nd car you hurt the trans like that. Just means u need better tires. If you have MT drags on and you still around hooking leave the track cause its not prep'd right. No reason to beat on your car.

[tarkuk]

@Gobabyvroommm , the trans is way overbuilt for the power it receives. I've been driving like that for 3 years and there's no problems. The track is prepped, they spend a LOT of time doing that. I've never had better than a 2 sec 60' from the lame ass 2nd gear launching. Not an issue now, I put some 315/35R17 555R's on the back.

[Gobabyvroommm]

@tarkuk I would stick to the 275 40 gives you more side wall. Even though you think you have more tire with the 315 which depending on how wide your rim is you do. But you lose the side wall. I would go with a 275 M/T drag. Had friends popping 4ft wheels with them. Plus i don't like how much damage a 315 does. Meaning to get it on and the rocks the hit your quater panel, plus rolling it. I have a a SGM WS6 Formula 1 of 7 so i baby it.

[tarkuk]

@Gobabyvroommm, yes it's true that taller tires hook better than a wide one, and it would be nice to run stickier DR's, but the car is a daily driver, and I might race four times a year. Nittos give more mileage for what they are. The 17x11" rims fit a 315 very well. These tires hook full throttle on the street in 1st gear running a 4.10 and 3500 stall, making 400 lb-ft at the wheel. I don't baby mine, I beat on it like it owes me money! (only because the drivetrain is built super strong)

[Gobabyvroommm]

@Gobabyvroommm Look into Toyos cheaper than nittos, comes with a 345/40/17 amazing in the rain and hook better then Nittos. I've had all the drag radials. The Toyos are my favorite for street then strip. That is what i had on.

[tarkuk]

It's an FTI 3500 stall.

[61smb]

it should flash up quicker than that. that converter must be super tight.

[EpiclyAwsomeDude]

What kind of stall you got cuz it loaded up @ 2000 rpm

[tarkuk]

@EpiclyAwsomeDude , it is a 3500 stall, I didn't preload it that much.

[EpiclyAwsomeDude]

@tarkuk I meant whats the brand / model so I know what not to get because its acting like a 1800-2000 stall

[tarkuk]

@EpiclyAwsomeDude , Not sure what you mean. It's a 3500 stall that I wasn't giving very much gas when holding the brakes. You can see in the vid that when I finally full throttle, the tach shoots up to about 3000-3500 until I reach 30 mph ( which is the halfway mark in my 2nd gear), then climbs to 6000. Now, the stator blades in this more street-friendly torque converter don't give as much slip, it engages sooner with mild acceleration, even though the converter can still freely rev to 3500.

[EpiclyAwsomeDude]

@tarkuk your burnout and launch were showing major load @ less than 2000 rpm

[EpiclyAwsomeDude]

@EpiclyAwsomeDude If this was an Art Carr 3500 stall your car would not move at anything less than 3200

[corndog348ls1]

Hey I have a great idea.... Put the car in drive and let it shift itself!! Nobody is smarter than the computer telling it when to shift. I'm sorry but but I just can't believe the dumb comments that people throw out...

[tarkuk]

@corndog348ls1 , Yep, you're right. Letting the transmission do its thing they way it was designed to is the best way to drive and race it. Because of the stock rear end with a 4.10 gear change and drag radials, I didn't want to break it that soon. It did eventually happen because of that 1st gear fun. Now it's a non-issue and the new videos will come.

[tyketto8]

I'm assuming your running the 4L60E tranny. How did you manage to launch it in 2nd gear?

[tarkuk]

@tyketto8 , most sports car 4 speed console shifters have 1,2,3,D,N,R,P. The tranny allows full manual in 1 and 2 for towing purposes because the 4L60E is also used in some trucks and SUVs. Selecting 3 is like having full auto w/o overdrive, and D is of course auto with overdrive.

[tyketto8]

@tarkuk

In case you haven't clicked on my username and seen my videos, I drive a 2000 Firebird Formula with a 4L60E. Car used to be a 6-speed but I converted it to auto. When I put the tranny in 2nd, it still takes off in 1st and then shifts to 2nd.

[tarkuk]

@tyketto8 Really? That's weird. It's been able to do that since I bought it. Maybe the one you got doesn't have a manual 2nd valve body, or a manual ecu is programmed differently from an auto ecu? ( that's assuming you didn't switch ecu's with tranny's)

[black93z28camaro]

@tarkuk If you don't have a fully manual valve body you cannout put it in second and take off

[tarkuk]

@black93z28camaro ,,, Really? That's the darndest thing. My transmission is full auto in 3 and D. If I select 1 or 2, it holds in 1 or 2, and will not shift, until I move the shifter. And look at the video, I'm launching in second, then shifting into D a few seconds later, allowing it to shift into 3 and 4 automatically. Now that I have a Dana 60 backing up that 4.10, I can now launch in 1st ( without breaking anything!) Those vids will come soon. I should be able to get a 12.9, I hope!

[black93z28camaro]

@tarkuk No your not actually launching in second.. You might have the shifter in second, but the transmission is actually in first gear. All that does is when it shifts to second you can shift to third manually. Might as well just leave it on 3 and go. Manual shifting an auto is pointless unless your roll racing...

[tarkuk]

@black93z28camaro Please believe me when I tell you that the transmission does actually launch in second when in 2. 3rd is auto w/o overdrive, which would launch in first, hit second, then top out third hitting the rev limiter before the end of the track. The car has a rebuild title, which might explain why it's behaving differently than what most people would expect. It could have a different valve body, customized in some way, who knows.

[black93z28camaro]

@tarkuk Yea it does start in second. I watched your rpm's. thats fucked up lol

[rynoss21]

@black93z28camaro If the shifter is in second, the car will launch in second. I promise. My '02 SS, my wife's '02 Firehawk, and every LS1 A4 F-Body does. You are right in the manual shifting point you made. Leave it in Drive, and let the ECU sort out the shifting. ECU > Human, in these cars. The only way I could see manually shifting at the track, is if traction is low (really hot, or really cold temps outside) and you don't want the car short shifting into second.

[texas817847]

@tyketto8

Why did you convert the T-56 it to manual? Was asking because im new to this, and my 240sx has a 4L60E. Some one told me the benefits of a T-56, but im dying to know the advantages of the auto first hand

thanks

[tarkuk]

@texas817847 I personally chose an auto because I knew that I'd be stuck in traffic a lot. I don't feel like popping a stage 3 clutch every 30 seconds. An auto has fewer consumable items in it, meaning the clutch plate, which wears out. A good HQ torque converter will NEVER need to be replaced from use. Also, I want turbos, and a 3500 stall converter will allow more control over the power and the ability to boost from a dead stop, which can also be done with a 2-step with a manual.

[laveth]

@tarkuk what do you burnout with it in d? and for normal everyday driving what do you use?

[tarkuk]

@laveth , Well I think in this video I put it in 1st, spin up the tires, then shift into second, hold it a little, then spin them up more. Driving around town, I keep it in D.

[TheMrRichard]

That feedback sound is from a cell phone.

[JTsStang]

Damn!! Pretty good for 2nd gear launch. I just put a 3400 in mine and cant wait to try it out.

[tarkuk]

Thanks. Just put some Nitto 555 R's on today. Now I need to get to the track to test the first gear launch! Didn't that torque converter do amazing things to your car?

[JTsStang]

Havent been able to try it out yet. I'm going to mount my nitto 555r 275/40/17's on this weekend to..lol

From what I can tell...big difference!!

Will make a vid when the dr's on on.