Were and How to launch in an Auto ?

whyask

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Apr 4, 2005
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Sacramento
Whats the RPMS to launch at and how to... just N then drop into drive..?? Ive never owned an auto sorry for such a newb question. The mods are in my sig, Im taking her to the track this week and I dont want to look like an a$$ Hat ...:rlaugh:
 
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Whats the RPMS to launch at and how to... just N then drop into drive..?? Ive never owned an auto sorry for such a newb question. The mods are in my sig, Im taking her to the track this week and I dont want to look like an a$$ Hat ...:rlaugh:

Don't put it in N and drop it to D because you will damage your tranny. Stall it by holding down the brake hard and press the gas a little to where you want to rev it at for the desired launch (not sure what's the best rpm to launch for your year). Or you can just flash the converter, step on it when the light turns green.
 
First you should turn off tcs. Then turn off your O/D. Hold your brake pedal
and rev the engine to about 1800 rpms. If you have 3.55 gears you should manage high 13s all day long.:)
 
With the factory torque converter, you can hold the brake and get about 1800 rpm's before the tires will start to creep and spin (as everyone else has mentioned). You certainly don't want to have much - if any - spin when you launch, though, so don't run so close to the ragged edge that it spins a lot when you let off the brake and hammer the throttle to the floor.

Our factory 5R55S transmission only flashes to about 2200 rpm's. I was only able to run 2.1 sixty foot times, even with great traction. If you want to catapult off the line, get a high rpm stall converter (3000 rpm's or higher. I went with a 3800 rpm Fuddle Racing Converter). You'll absolutely need drag radials or slicks, though, as the launch will be way more than a factory tire can handle. I can hold the converter to about 2800 rpm's on the brakes at the starting line, and when that last amber light comes on I floor it with the converter flashing to 3800 to 4000 rpm's. Now I run consistent 1.8's for sixty foot times (worst ever with the new converter was a 1.899, best was a 1.833).
 
I usually turn off my traction control but never my O/D. Why turn off the O/D?

Because if your car should upshift into O/D for any reason, it is such a big nosedive in rpm's that you'll screw up your ET and trap speed.

Most of the time you wouldn't get into to O/D - even if you leave it on - as you typically will keep your right foot all the way to the floor. But, if you fender race at the tall end of the track during dial-in bracket racing and let off a bit, you'll upshift into overdrive and the guy next to you will pass you before you can downshift into drive and recover.
 
Please don't neutral drop your car!!!!!!!! These guys have it right, bring up the RPM's while on the brakes to 1600-1800. I have also heard of some auto guys getting custom tunes to make their autos launch harder. Ford programmed the computer to not launch out of the hole from idle due to fear of breaking driveline parts, thus costing them on warranty repairs. A guy I know with a Stage 1 auto like mine got a custom tune like this. He launches from idle on stock converter and it launches hard, under 2 sec 60 foots on street tires.
 
for 2007 mustang gt automatic are standard with 3.31's. Optional 3.55's are available for 100 bucks.

No, Ford does NOT offer (nor have they ever offered) 3.55's as an option for S197 Automatics. All came off the assembly line with 3.31's. I order all the Mustangs for our dealership. I ordered my own 07 GT AT. The only 3.55 option (option code 455) was for manual transmissioned GT's.
 
In the spring, when I ran full weight, I was able to rev mine to about 1700-1800 RPM before the tires would break loose. I was able to click off consistant 2.0 60' times on OEM 235s. In late summer, I reduced weight by nearly 200 lbs and on the same tires was no longer able to rev over 1000 RPM, had horrible tire spin and only once I got a 1.96 60' time(the rest were near 2.10)although reducing my ET by over a .25 second!
As far as not looking like an a$$hat...don't leave it in 1st after your burnout and do this...(wasted a 2.02 60' time-that is the number you see on the scoring board untill you cross the finish line)
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Here is the video of my quickest run from the spring.
View attachment 348666
 

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No, Ford does NOT offer (nor have they ever offered) 3.55's as an option for S197 Automatics. All came off the assembly line with 3.31's. I order all the Mustangs for our dealership. I ordered my own 07 GT AT. The only 3.55 option (option code 455) was for manual transmissioned GT's.

But the Shelby GT and the Hertz GT both Automatics and both come with 3.55's
you can also order the California Special with 3.55 in the Auto.

In 2007 Ford made the 3.31 standard on all Mustangs manual and auto.
 
But the Shelby GT and the Hertz GT both Automatics and both come with 3.55's
you can also order the California Special with 3.55 in the Auto.

In 2007 Ford made the 3.31 standard on all Mustangs manual and auto.

Yes, Shelby puts 3.55's in the SGT And Hertz automatics.

However, Ford does not offer a GT (or even the California Special) with 3.55's behind the automatic. 3.31's are standard in all V6's, GT's, and California Specials. The 3.55 gear is only optional in a GT or California Special with the manual transmission.