I am completely in the dark when it comes to drag racing diesels.
Have raced a few cars all manual trans.
When building boost for launch are you just holding the brakes while giving it throttle or using a transbrake? (using an auto)
If holding the brakes, is that not hard on driveline components?
Just curious, might want to try it one day.
Thanks.

 

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starflite:

Let me see if I can help you out here some.

On launching my 1996 and 2006 Dodge CTD Diesel Pickups, I get up to the staging lights and light the top "pre-staged" light. I wait until my opponent gets there and lights his. At that point I begin slowly accelerating while holding my brakes and bring my boost up to around 20-25lbs. (If you DO NOT have billet shafts in the tranny, keep your boost at 10lbs or lower! All my transmissions are heavily built and set up with full billet shafts.)
Once my boost is where I want it, I ease off the brake just enough to "creep-up" and light the "staged light." Once I see my opponent light his "staged light", I closely watch the "christmas tree" and when the bottom lights begin to flash I try to go on the LAST yellow light to get a good reaction time.
When I leave the line I make sure I have the accelerator all the way to the floor and I leave it there until I am through the traps at the end of the 1/4 or 1/8th mile.

Here is a video link for you of me running my truck last year:

http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/m...4005406-04.flv

Maybe this will help you see how it is done.

And to answer your other question, YES, this process is hard on the driveline components! As I said above, if you do not have a "built tranny" with AT LEAST a billet input and output, I DO NOT recommend going over 10lbs of boost at the line! So far, I have luckily not had any rear differential problems, but my 1996 now has 300,000 original miles on it and my rear Dana 70 is getting noisy, so I need to go in and replace my ring and pinion, axle shafts, seals etc.

Anyway,.....good luck and have fun!

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John_P

 

As spelled out above....yes!
Might want to go easy... just register 1-2 psi boost till the lights start to drop. Then go to full throttle just as you release the brakes.
Without fully built tranny, just time it so you arent holding boost for a long time. Like John says, never over 8-10 psi on the line.

You don't list if you have 4x4? If not, building boost will do you no good anyway!

RJ

 

incredible run, how much hp are you making with that truck?
My truck is 4wd std cab. I was considering a 6spd but I am not sure what I want to do now. I amin the process of stripping a donor 00 gas truck for the body. It is 5spd. I was going to make mine a 5spd. Lot to change. I hate the stock auto especially the converter. I thought if you had a more efficent converter (better fluid coupling) it would be worse on your drive line holding it like that.
Like I said I am new to autos and diesels when it comes to racing them.
I appreciate the help though.
Any more videos?

 

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starflite:

Thanks for your nice comments! The horespower on my 1996 Dodge CTD 12
valve on just #2 diesel varies depending on what kind of dyno I run on. My best #2 fuel runs have been around 830-840 with the fuel maxed out. However, I don't drive it around on a daily basis set that high. That car running against me in the other lane in the video was a 2001 Chevy Camaro SS, LS-1. The guy had it modified pretty good with an SLP Cam, SLP Heads,
aftermarket F.A.S.T. Intake, Goodyear Street Slicks and OPEN HEADERS!!
The loud noise you hear in the video is his car with those open headers, NOT my truck! He went 12.1@112 MPH against my 11.49@115.6 and was NOT happy afterwards! But,....he had been "ragging" on myself and a few other diesel pickups that were out there that day complaining about our smoke etc.,.....so it turned out pretty good considering.

If you go with a good aftermarket automatic transmission from one of the major aftermarket diesel transmission companies, I know you would be very happy with it! But IMO,....the auto tranny has to be "set-up" right and stall speed on the TC is important as well as what is inside. I found that out the hard way! I run a full billet "ATS Transmission" but there are alot of other companies out there as well including Goerend, Suncoast, DTT, Garmon's, to name a few. I am sure some of the other Members will help you out here too. We have a good group of guys here.

You asked about more videos. Try this link and see if it will work for you.
A few of my buddies have said they can't get it to play for them??

http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/d...JohnPs1142.flv

Our own DTR Member madhat took this video and a few more at our NCDTR #18 Dyno and Drag Race late last year. If you can get to Mark's section, my 11.42 run is #15 on his list there.

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John_P

 

i am guessing the only way to do the launches is in 4x4??