I'm heading to the track this Friday, any advice on whether to turn the TCS off or leave it on. seeing my car does not have the perf. shift on it, would it be better to run it in D or 3. First time heading out, any other advice would be much appreciated

if you can ,and i stress CAN keep the tires from spinning keep the TCS off.
I picked up a 2 tenths by keeping it in 3ed it still shifts to OD but it stays in 3ed longer, have fun and good luck.

Thanks for the advice 2fast. Was going to go about 2 weeks ago, but got rained out, only day in 2 weeks we had rain. What does not having the MAF screen do performance wise?

Hello,

When I race, I pull the fuse that supplies power to the TCS, and ABS. As a beginner, you may want to leave it on, just to save your tires. My wife has a problem with keeping the tires from spinning, and leaving the TCS on didn't affect her times much.

If you have a stock PCM, you will want to launch in 2nd. Manually shift to 3rd at about 93MPH. You will hit the rev limiter if you wait any longer. If you race in 3, or D, your car will shift at about 85MPH costing you quite a bit.

Making an educated guess, but you will prolly go across the finish line in 2nd gear, if not you will be shifting as you are crossing the finish line. You will never see 4th gear unless you do some gear changing, and start running 10's.

Later now,
Clint

I appreciate the advice Clint, always nice to learn the tricks of the trade before you race, at least this way I have an idea of what to do and expect.

and being your first time with it leave the tcs on other wise you will be in and out of the throttle so much you'll really be slow and disapointed.

Leave on the last yellow light, don't wait for the green.

Can not be emphasized enough.

Thats where I kept getting eaten.

I thought about leaving on the last yellow, good to know someone else thinks the same way. That makes sense Hercman, I will do that. Thanks for the advice guys

Also make sure you get rid of all the weight you don't need. Spare tire, jack and all the other junk most people keep in their car.
Good luck and have fun.

how much does taking the headlight out help if you are at the track? I know that in the HPP magazine, they took it out, has anybody had any experience with this?

More air flow into the intake, yes take it out at the track.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

Sorry hit wrong button. Last time I was supposed to go to the track, no rain for 2 weeks and it rained on race day. This time same thing, no rain for 2 weeks, supposed to rain today with thunderstorms.

Does taking the headlight out really help that much?

Yes that is a good question for the more experienced here. I never did that with my Grand National because I had a K&N Filter. It was such a PITA to remove and put back.

Does it make a huge difference on the GP?

It'll help.

Remember, when you remove the headlight, you're allowing a greater air flow into the CAI (or whatever set up) which in turn lets more colder air in.

Well, usually at this track you get 2 or 3 runs in a night, maybe i will do a run with the headlight in and one with it out, see what kinda difference it would make. I see what you are saying Framos. My filter sits right in behind the headlight, I can understand it would increase the air flow, but with the little mods I have, would it really help that much? New at this racing thing, trying to learn all I can

removing the MAF screen is suppose to give better air flow through the TB. it hasent hurt my car so i whould suggest it to everybody. but i guess it makes some cars idle rough

I've never removed headlights. And would never remove screen.

alright, to much work at the track to take out the MAf screen at the track, but I will try the headlight

Hello,

We have cars in our club with Ram Air Hoods that still remove the headlight...... I ran for over a year with out removing my headlight, and finally someone talked me into it....... Needless to say, I never race with my headlight in anymore. If it's your first time at the track, you may not be able to compare runs with, and without the headlight. Unless you are a natural at hooking up.... You will need to make several runs with, and without to judge for yourself.

Here's what I do to prep. my car for racing.
1. Remove the spare tire, and jack.
2. Remove the Headlight.
3. Remove fuse #28.
4. Drop front tires to 28PSI.
5. Raise rear tires to 45PSI.
6. Remove Engine Cover, and make sure everything is out of the car.

Here's what I do while staging.
1. Have the Heater running to help keep engine temps down.
2. Make sure Perf. Shift is ON, Everytime!
3. Drive around the Water Box.
4. "Scrape my tires" by breaking them loose a bit just before the lights.
5. Turn the Climate Control off.
6. Stage as shallow as possible.
7. Power Brake with Left Foot on Brake and Right into the Throttle about 2K RPM's.
8. Launch Just after the last yellow illuminates...... If I launch as soon as I see it, I red light everytime.

Thanks for the advice Clint, will have to wait for a while, got rained out

Doh!!!

I know the feeling.
Living in the NW US, we get a few rainouts....
We are having a huge event at the end of July involving several clubs from several States, I can only hope that weather cooperates.

Hey crimpton, don't forget to add to the list of pre track runs:

1) Rapid Heart Beat
2) Kick Azz Adrenalin Rush !!!!

My first time 4mos ago, I was a nervous wreck.....

I have just been so anxious to get out there and seew hat the car can do, both times we had no rain for 2 weeks, and then, of course the day I am supposed to go, it rains and thunderstorms

Quick question etc. Im not sure if it was just my stock pcm or other. But several attemps to rev the piss out of the engine in 1rst position ( 2year bumper to bumper including engine and drivetrain ) When ever i reached Just before 6k it'd shift by itself. (1997 GPGT) My engines already been replaced though and im not as foolish as i used to be. But is that common? Self shifting outta 1rst auto. Another quickie i had was do they keep the same displays on the gp's as for perf shift? My freind has no option to my know abouts yet his display has it, never lit.

As far as I know they did not put the perf. shift on the 2001 + models, and maybe other ones as well (mine doesn't have it its 2001), but my display still shows it on the dash board

01 and up perf shift is always on. It's part of the pcm programing. GM was just too cheap to change guage clusters to reflect the changes. And yes under WOT conditions it's not supposed to shift until about 5800 rpms or there abouts.

Also, if you look carefully, the Ins panels and DIC's are all the same, I think. there should be a little space in the upper left of the Ins. panel that says, "Perf. Shift". on the 98s, that was where it was located in a little blue light that is almost impossible to see in the daylight (right Herc?), contrary to every other year, where it is located in the DIC as "Performance Shift" under the diagram of the car. at least it has been that way on every GTP that I have been in. Don't know this to be 100% true, but it sounds like GM to do this exact thing, everybody knows that they've done similar things before to other cars!!!

Your correcto on the 98s. When the sun is bright on the dash I have to feel the button on the shifter to tell if Perf shift is on or off.

I'm probably a bit late on this, but yes for the removing the headlight thing. I did a run with it in and got around a 16.6. Took it out for the next run and got 16.13 or something. Mind you, it's Texas summer down here, so it's hot and humid, not the best time of year to be making runs .. but I did it anyway. *sigh* Winter needs to get here sooner.

No it doesn't!!!!! I like my 55*-80* summers!!!!

55*-80* IS winter here in TX.

I took the lamp out on my 97 last fall and ran some dryer vent tubing out the front and picked up nearly a half a second. Consistently. The announcer said my car sounded like a airplane taking off!

Not bad VM. It is real hot and humid up here to, today 99* with the humidity, THANK GOD for air conditioning. Hey VM, did you just run the pipe up to the filter, or did you take the filter off and attach the pipe to the intake pipe?

I connected the tubing to the throttle body and ran it through the opening without the filter. I know it was bad to do, but it was fun.