I went to a legal street race last weekend to play with my car. I got a '93 touring automatic. It has 3 1/2" exhaust and hks DP, cool air intake. When I took off at the line it seems like any car can beat me.
So how can I get more power off the line and get a better launch? Some guy told me something about a stall converter or something like that. So what is it that I need? Please help.

 

a higher stall converter is just a tougher stock one which will allow you to rev higher while holding down the brake before you launch. Then again, auto trannys come from mazda mpv vans right?

 

The best thing that you can do is to spend the money and do the auto to 5 speed conversion. It will cost you anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 for the parts, but it will be well worth it. Especially since your rear end will change from a 3.90 to a 4.11 Much better off the line. Just my .02 Laterz.

Zach

 

u can try the ghetto-manumatic approach

how fast do auto fd's run the 1/4mile anyways? 14.5s?

 

Where can I go to find a stall converter? I really do want to do the swap but I rather sell the car and buy a 5 speed or would it be better just to do the swap and keep my car.

 

First off, work on your launch technique. Intuitively, one will think, "It's AUTOMATIC! All I do is stomp the accelerator, right?" Wrong. Ever notice that the car has almost no power when you stomp the accelerator? If you gradually depress the accelerater, then you will get a much faster launch. A great AT (Automatic Transmission) launch requires both practice and know-how. Listen up.


This is just about the fastest way to launch the AT FD.

- Put the transmission selector in the "L" position.
- Activate the Hold feature by pressing the Hold button on the top of the transmission selector.
- Press FIRMLY on the brake with your left foot.
- Carefully depress the accelerator with your right foot until you just about reach your stall speed. Your stall speed will likely be at or above 2500rpm. If you don't know what the stall speed is, scroll down to the end of this post. You are now doing what is called "Brake Torquing". You will creaking sounds as your revs increase. This is normal. Don't do this for longer peroids of time (1 minute MAX!), because you are drastically raising the temperature of your transmission fluid.
- When the light turns green, release the break, but DO NOT stomp the accelerator. GRADUALLY depress the accelerator as your car gains speed. You should not reach WOT (Wide Open Throttle - accelerator fully depressed) until about 5000rpm.
- At 6500rpm press the Hold button again to disable the hold feature and allow the car to shift automatically.


--- STALL SPEED ---
This is the maximum rate at which your TC (Torque Converter) can spin while your brakes are locked. The stock AT FD TC usually stalls the engine anywhere between 2500rpm and 3000rpm. Stall speed is affected by temperature, TC design, TC condition, ECU, and probably other stuff. You can find your stall speed by brake torquing until the engine seems like it is struggling to run (i.e. it seems like the engine is on the brink of stalling). Try not to stall your engine.

 

I believe Maxpesce has an automatic w/350 flywheel hp or so. You should look him up and ask him for his mods.

 

I think you will find that you can take off quicker without using the hold button. I pull off quicker if I put the car in S left foot on the brake rev to approx 2800 rpm lights turn green floor the accelerator as I lift off the brake, when you get to 7k rpm, SLIGHTLY, I mean literally a couple of millimetres off the throttle and back on again and it will change gear in a twinkling of an eyelid, the good thing this way is when it changes gear the revs don't drop to 4.5k as it would if you just kept your foot down until it changed automatically, the revs only drop to approx 6k rpm right in the power band where you want it. You will find you will shoot off the lights quicker without the hold than with it if you do it this way.

rgds

Brian Black 98 touring x model

 

I will try both techniques to see if I can get a better launch. What is your guys times on 1/8 & 1/4 miles if you got automatics. I also plan on doing the non-sequential to the turbos to see if it works better.

 

By the way Jalers, if you want to do the swap I'm parting out my FD. PM BanzaiToyota for info on prices, but my driveline is in perfect condition and it's waiting to get sold to someone who'll need it. Not to mention that the clutch only has about 3K miles on it.(ACT S/S clutch) Just thought I would throw that in there. Laterz.

Zach

 

Sell it and buy a manual!

 

reliability check??

how abt your boost pattern?

 

I have tried to sell it once but no one wanted to pay what it is worth ( $12k) . My boost pattern is 10-8-10. Let me know if you guys know anybody selling all the stuff I need.

 

i think there are alot of things that you can do to an auto FD. I've done a few things, nothing drastic, and i'm pretty happy. Apex PFC, koyo radiator, dp, mp, brand new sequentials (modified).

 

Practice, practice, practice your launch.

But......

Even manual FDs are not "drag cars". There simply is next to no torque, comparatively speaking, to a piston engine.

Yeah, that hesitation when you stomp the gas with an automatic is kind of strange....it is like the car is sleeping and sort of goes, "uh...what? OH!"

But mine only does this for a few tenths of a second, and then it takes off so hard and just spins the **** out of the tires about 20 to 30 feet from when you first stomped it, I have to back off the gas to get them to hook up. And once rolling....Judas Priest! The car is a ******* rocket ship! The boost holds at about 11 psi and just keeps you mashed in the seat all the way to 145 or so when it finally lets up.
I dunno....maybe I just have a damned good automatic, but it definitely will smoke 99% of the cars out there!

 

does anybody know the difference btw the japanesse auto and us auto? (hp, gear, emission...ect) how abt the gear differences?

 

Jap autos are 255 same as us spec.
My one will run richer than yours cause I have a 98 spec which has a 16 bit ecu not sure baout the gearing I think it's the same.
rgds
Brian

 

I never actually dynoed the car with all mods - 350fwhp is my TARGET HP - BUT first I need to rebuild again as I have busted an APEX seal.

JONSKI's launch technique is right on target, and what I use for maximum acceleration. However since I am mostly a Track Racer I only have to launch once per 20-30 min session ;-) and Don't usually use a DRAG launch.

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