How do you launch?

Greencobra

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The other night I got off work and on my drive home I decided to try and take off from a dead stop. I get off between 1am-3am so the roads are usually empty. I can't seem to get it right. It feels like first gear is pretty empty until second gear when it usually hits. I don't want to be embarrassed at a red light so I don't even bother but if I'm rolling I'll run. How do you guys successfully launch your Si. Please don't respond if you have a CVT. Also, I rolled into it another time and it moved off so effortless and smooth. I don't want to damage the car so I don't practice often. And there all seasons suck. I'm changing them next year after I get winter tires for this upcoming season.
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That's difficult to put into words. :)

If I were running for my life, I'd floor it then dump the clutch.

If I were in a playful mood, yet trying not to destroy my car, I'd rev just above idle, release the clutch gracefully, and not worry so much about the launch. Boost builds quickly after 2K RPM, the front wheels spin, and before you know it you've reached the end of first. In this car, the fun happens in second and third.
 

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...not worry so much about the launch. (...) In this car, the fun happens in second and third.
Yup, that. Plus, launching would just spin/burn rubber anyway (i.e. it may sound cool or feel more fun, but it's actually inefficient movement/loss of energy)
 

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Couple ways to approach launching. Unfortunately, the clutch delay valve will cause interference. It restricts fluid passing into the slave. It adds "slip" to help drivers take off smoother. It does this by design and you can't do anything about it unless you remove the delay valve altogether. That's not to say that launching will not work. I am just saying you are literally adding more wear on each launch because of a module inserted at the factory to help noob drivers out. For more information on this, just check out my previous post history.


1) Clutch in. Go into first. Ebrake up. Rev to 800 rpm + hold. Take your foot completely off clutch very smoothly just like a normal start, but keep holding the gas. Ebrake is holding the car in place. Rev it up to the rev limiter. When the light turns green, simply drop the Ebrake and off you go.

2) Clutch all the way to the ground. Rev limiter in first gear. Gracefully, fluidly, and a little faster than your regular start, let the clutch out. Do not pause for a second at the biting point. Just let it all out in one motion.

3) This one you need to master your exact biting point. For more experienced drivers.
Clutch all the way to the ground. Rev limiter in first gear. Quickly bring your clutch to the biting point. Let it bite for a split second and then fluidly/smoothly, yet quickly release. Do not dump it.

4) Clutch in. First Gear, Rev limiter, side step clutch/dump.

5) This is a fun one. Normal start like you DD (0rpm), but the entire motion is performed very quickly. At the perfect spot of the bite and your gas pedal, you should be at 3k rpm and can fluidly let the clutch out. I personally pause at the bite for a split second every-time I bring up the clutch really fast.

In steps 2-5, the clutch delay valve can really throw you off (like a bog, weird pedal feel, etc) and yet, there is nothing you are doing wrong. Once again, wouldn't recommend launching without the restrictor removed. At least then you know it is YOU that are burning up the clutch and not a "crutch" that's been inserted in hydraulic setups since before 03.
 
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Greencobra

Greencobra

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Couple ways to approach launching. Unfortunately, the clutch delay valve will cause interference. It restricts fluid passing into the slave. It adds "slip" to help drivers take off smoother. It does this by design and you can't do anything about it unless you remove the delay valve altogether. That's not to say that launching will not work. I am just saying you are literally adding more wear on each launch because of a module inserted at the factory to help noob drivers out. For more information on this, just check out my previous post history.


1) Clutch in. Go into first. Ebrake up. Rev to 800 rpm + hold. Take your foot completely off clutch very smoothly just like a normal start, but keep holding the gas. Ebrake is holding the car in place. Rev it up to the rev limiter. When the light turns green, simply drop the Ebrake and off you go.

2) Clutch all the way to the ground. Rev limiter in first gear. Gracefully, fluidly, and a little faster than your regular start, let the clutch out. Do not pause for a second at the biting point. Just let it all out in one motion.

3) This one you need to master your exact biting point. For more experienced drivers.
Clutch all the way to the ground. Rev limiter in first gear. Quickly bring your clutch to the biting point. Let it bite for a split second and then fluidly/smoothly, yet quickly release. Do not dump it.

4) Clutch in. First Gear, Rev limiter, side step clutch/dump.

5) This is a fun one. Normal start like you DD (0rpm), but the entire motion is performed very quickly. At the perfect spot of the bite and your gas pedal, you should be at 3k rpm and can fluidly let the clutch out. I personally pause at the bite for a split second every-time I bring up the clutch really fast.

In steps 2-5, the clutch delay valve can really throw you off (like a bog, weird pedal feel, etc) and yet, there is nothing you are doing wrong. Once again, wouldn't recommend launching without the restrictor removed. At least then you know it is YOU that are burning up the clutch and not a "crutch" that's been inserted in hydraulic setups since before 03.
Thanks for the detailed response. I'm going to try tonight when I get off. I know hard launches are bad and I won't do them often but it's nice to know the most effective way for me
 


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1) Clutch in. Go into first. Ebrake up. Rev to 800 rpm + hold. Take your foot completely off clutch very smoothly just like a normal start, but keep holding the gas. Ebrake is holding the car in place. Rev it up to the rev limiter. When the light turns green, simply drop the Ebrake and off you go.
And then the center screen tells you that you need to put your foot on the brake to disable the e-brake.
 

5inn

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My thoughts exactly! Use the BRAKE HOLD instead as it disengages automatically when the car begins to move forward.
Does it? I've yet to try. My technique for autocross launching will be similar every other car I've launched.

Clutch in, rev to an RPM to get a little bit of wheel spin and dump the clutch. On the old STR S2k, this was near 5k RPM. On this car I'd be surprised if it was more than 3500rpm.
 

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Does it? I've yet to try. My technique for autocross launching will be similar every other car I've launched.

Clutch in, rev to an RPM to get a little bit of wheel spin and dump the clutch. On the old STR S2k, this was near 5k RPM. On this car I'd be surprised if it was more than 3500rpm.
Yes, that's the idea of it. Turn on the BRAKE HOLD and whenever you come to a complete stop, you'll notice a light on the dash show up displaying "HOLD" to notify the driver that the brake pedal can be released but the brakes remain engaged; along with the brake lights stay on. Start to drive and you'll feel the brakes hold for a split second then let off. Repeat!

It is better than the hill assist because it doesn't disengage after a few seconds. It is also a great way for parallel parking on a hill since there is no longer a manual e-brake to hold the car from rolling backwards.
 

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The other night I got off work and on my drive home I decided to try and take off from a dead stop. I get off between 1am-3am so the roads are usually empty. I can't seem to get it right. It feels like first gear is pretty empty until second gear when it usually hits. I don't want to be embarrassed at a red light so I don't even bother but if I'm rolling I'll run. How do you guys successfully launch your Si. Please don't respond if you have a CVT. Also, I rolled into it another time and it moved off so effortless and smooth. I don't want to damage the car so I don't practice often. And there all seasons suck. I'm changing them next year after I get winter tires for this upcoming season.
Get yourself Hondata set launch control to 3500 rpms and have fun.
 


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Greencobra

Greencobra

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Get yourself Hondata set launch control to 3500 rpms and have fun.
I'm leaning more towards the ktuner because of the dual map and rev hang being fixed. I also love how I don't need a laptop after stamping it to the ECU every time I want to change tunes
 

tehSteve

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How do you accelerate smoothly with oomph?
I think he is just saying to avoid launching altogether. If you are doing something aggressive, expect the car to respond aggressively. The longer you ride clutch during a launch, the smoother it will be, at the expense of clutch wear.

If you are talking about aggressive high-rpm up-shifting, that is also another beast. Rev-hang will have to get tuned out for quicker shifts. What happens when you load up the engine? The car begins to squat. The result is a "buck" when it releases load. To help with the buck, you need more aggressive motor mounts made of a poly compound. I think the stock ones are just hard rubber, which wear overtime. So the more you high-rpm shift, the harder and more apparent the bucks will become.

Have you ever came to an intersection, where you have a stop sign and need to make a right into high-way traffic coming at you 65mph+? I would consider this situation an aggressive start where you can still be smooth. Since you don't have time to do the pendulum motion with your feet, you can:

1) Find that opening in traffic where you will be comfortable making the turn
2) Hold your clutch at bite and hold rev between 800-1500rpm at the same time.
3) Car is stationary, but as soon as you get the opening, just release the clutch out smoothly and apply more gas.

I think of this as a "flat" hill-start, except that now you won't be waiting the 1 second it takes to bring your leg to the biting point. With this method you are already "pre-loading" the clutch.
Sure you can rev higher, and you probably will because dual mass flywheels rev high, but it's all about the least wear to the clutch. Less rpm the better.
 

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FlashPro launch control. :headbang:
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