Best launch technique on a B16 powered civic

[b16a1civichb]

Okay what have you guys found to be the best way to launch a B16 powered civic? What RPM's?

[mellowboy]

Well depending on tires i'd say 3500 -3700.

[Jmunk]

You basically going to have to play around. When i lauch hard i'll launch at around 3k, you want your tires to spin a little but not too much. If you don't spin than once or twice than you'll bog the motor when you take off. Just play around i would start around 3k and see how much wheel spin you get, if you just sit there and spin too much than try lower. If you take off and you kinda bog through first that try higher.

[mellowboy]

I almost forgot. Get yourself some bad ass suspension. That'll help alot. oh and later on go lsd!

[SiZ]

Spin, Pray.


I launch at around 3000, sometimes 3200 or so.. Over 3500 and you're just gonna rip tires all through 1st gear. (this being personal experience on 16" Kumho 712s) But it all varys. My tranny is non-LSD and the clutch is a GSR one.

Anyone else who has B16s with a little insight?

[Fishcat37]

I've got shitty ass General Ameri 175-55-14s on my bitch right now...and when it's cold out i've been launching between 2200 and 2700. When it's warm out...I usually have success are 3k.

[VelocityCivic91]

I usually rev it to 3000 and drop it. Tires make a BIG differeance in how well you take off. I got 17 inch Wanli (Korean or Japanese brand tire, got them at a very good price and the tread patteren is sooooo badass!!) tires and I noticed a great deal of grip with them than the 15 inch Kumhos. Like Mellow said, a good suspention will help a great deal too. I got Tokico adjustible shocks on all 4 corners. When I race I usually set the frot at 4 and the rear to the stiffest setting, at 5. I also have H&R springs.

[Moppie]

Launching anywhere below 5,000rpm is a total waste of time.
Forget about it.
I tried it and got my ass handed to me by a Nissan Primera. :o
Launching at 6,000 dropped .5 sec off my 1/4 and got me equal times to the Primera's slowest runs.
I wasnt prepared to launch any higher than that, as my car is a little old and my tyres a little to expensive.

However there was a guy there driving an ultra-light weight EG Civic (NO interior) powered by a stock B18c who ran a best of 13.9 (and this was a slow track). He was launching at 7-8,000rpm. Dumping the clutch and then feathering the throttle to control the wheel spin.

Since he was on semi-slicks and I was on street tyres, he suggested I launch at about 7,000rpm and deal with the wheel spin with the throttle.
(he also got an E46 M3 to run .5 sec quicker than its stock 1/4 time, so he knew what he was doing)

The B16a makes no usefull race hp on the low speed cam. Its all nice lazy torque great for pottering around town and sipping at gas, but totaly useless on the track. You have to get the engine above 5,000rpm on the high speed cam, and KEEP it there.

Launching at 3,000 rpm is for kids, and fools who have to much hp for thier chassis and tyres.

[mellowboy]

Originally posted by Moppie
Launching anywhere below 5,000rpm is a total waste of time.
Forget about it.
I tried it and got my ass handed to me by a Nissan Primera. :o
Launching at 6,000 dropped .5 sec off my 1/4 and got me equal times to the Primera's slowest runs.
I wasnt prepared to launch any higher than that, as my car is a little old and my tyres a little to expensive.

However there was a guy there driving an ultra-light weight EG Civic (NO interior) powered by a stock B18c who ran a best of 13.9 (and this was a slow track). He was launching at 7-8,000rpm. Dumping the clutch and then feathering the throttle to control the wheel spin.

Since he was on semi-slicks and I was on street tyres, he suggested I launch at about 7,000rpm and deal with the wheel spin with the throttle.
(he also got an E46 M3 to run .5 sec quicker than its stock 1/4 time, so he knew what he was doing)

The B16a makes no usefull race hp on the low speed cam. Its all nice lazy torque great for pottering around town and sipping at gas, but totaly useless on the track. You have to get the engine above 5,000rpm on the high speed cam, and KEEP it there.

Launching at 3,000 rpm is for kids, and fools who have to much hp for thier chassis and tyres.

Hey moppie long time! Anyways well i would launch it higher but then i keep spinning my tires. If i had drag radials then yeh i'll launch that higher than 3 grand.My friend launches 7 grand on his gsr powered 2000 civic si and he kept breaking axles. He broke them 4 times already. Just so u guys know...i launched at 3500 and i beat the type r with it. The first race i launched it at 3 grand and i lost hehe.

[Redline_civic91]

Launching at 3,000 rpm is for kids, and fools who have to much hp for thier chassis and tyres. [/b]

thats me!!!!!!

fuck i have a hard time launching at 1,500rpms on street tires. and dont say i dont know how to drive cause i've taken classes from a real good driver in our area and he's taught me some good techniques.

but i guess you can call me a fool if you want. but only one thing
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[Civic Jim]

I usually lauch at around 3,000 - 3,500 then as soon as ur off the clutch plant the bitch.

I have Khumo 712's too

[b16a1civichb]

Well I tried launching at 5500 and all i did was hit the rev limiter too soon and spin all through first and half of second. Sounds like tires have alot to do with this. I keep hearing Azenzis are the way to go?

[jeef]

well first off are we talking street racing or tack racing? there is a huge differnce between pavment and a prepped track... you can launch a lot higher at a track b/c it was layers of rubber layed down and all that good stuff... but on the street it'd be damned near impossible for me to control spinning dropping it anywhere above 4 grand...