Torque?

[travj31]

So I was playing around with one of the 1/4 mile calculators the other day and got to thinking about how torque is factored into drag racing... I know as an old general rule of thumb on a regular type of car, 100hp is typically worth about 1 second. Obviously there are a 1000 other variables to that, but its close.

So using this example... A car running 13 flat that has 400 HP / 400 TQ, how much faster would it make it if the same car had 400 HP / 500 TQ? Again, I understand there are many factors but is there some type of ratio/generality used to calculate?

[sutyak]

Seems like nitrous guys could weigh in here, since the big gain from that is torque even though they are categorized by HP "shots", which I never understood.

[Martin0660]

Every calculator I've ever seen / used is based on, or reports horsepower (except one). As we know HP is mostly theoretical and derived from torque anyway making that more confusing.

One calculator I like to use as my sanity check is what is sometimes referred to as perfect pass calculation.

1320 divided by MPH = optimum ET. This shows how efficient you are using the available power (as shown as MPH) to cover the distance (1/4 mile or 1320 feet).

My best pass in my Capri was 10.20@130 mph - 1320/130mph = 10.15 on a 10.20 pass. Pretty damn good in my book as I doubt I'll ever get the inefficiency of clutch slip on the shifts out without breaking (more) stuff.

My last outing I went 10.29@136 mph - 1320/136 mph = 9.70 pass a possible at that MPH. The issue is, to run 136 mph I have more clutch slip built in so I'll never get to the 9.70 number, but likely could go a 9.9X on a cleaner pass.

That all said, stock and super stock guys can routinely surpass what perfect pass predicts. For me it's a great sanity check.

To further confuse everything, every time I've made more power under the curve (before peak horsepower) my car has gone quicker / faster. I cant find a single point where I made more peak, that I went quicker / faster. That is obviously a function of torque rather than power to your point.

Last point, it's always troubling for me that I cant trust the MPH clocks at Keystone. There is no doubt my air damn is tripping the beams, but I don't see it at other tracks. Far worse in the left lane that right lane, but I'm not sold on anything I learn there beside relative change until I get on another track and get a data point.

[Stangman701]

Last point, it's always troubling for me that I cant trust the MPH clocks at Keystone. There is no doubt my air damn is tripping the beams, but I don't see it at other tracks. Far worse in the left lane that right lane, but I'm not sold on anything I learn there beside relative change until I get on another track and get a data point.

Why don't they try to fix this? I feel like it's been that way for over 10 years now. I admittedly don't know a lot about drag strip timing devices, but it seems like it would be an easy fix.

[Martin0660]

It's only some cars with low overhangs. If I raise the nose of my car it straightens out (but screws up my geometry)

[SlowSix]

Horsepower = 5252 x torque.

Not sure how the torque figure in particular relates to 1/4 times though.

And Bob if those calculations you mentioned are semi reliably, my car really really has a lot left in it. Damn.

[Ares]

Torque will help with acceleration. Not sure how much of an ET difference between both cars you show. I'd guess car "B" with 500 ft-lbs would be a few tenths quicker but both may run the same mph. I didn't sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night so I may be way wrong.

It's only some cars with low overhangs. If I raise the nose of my car it straightens out (but screws up my geometry)

I raised mine 1/2" up front. That seemed to get both lanes to equal out thru the traps. Otherwise I was off 3mph from left to right.

And Bob if those calculations you mentioned are semi reliably, my car really really has a lot left in it. Damn.

So did mine. Maybe 3-4 tenths. Scary thing is I stumbled upon New Edge with a stock bottom end 2v that is cammed running 11.4's thru a Gforce G101A trans all NA. I'd like to find more info on that car.

[SlowSix]

Torque will help with acceleration. Not sure how much of an ET difference between both cars you show. I'd guess car "B" with 500 ft-lbs would be a few tenths quicker but both may run the same mph. I didn't sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night so I may be way wrong.



I raised mine 1/2" up front. That seemed to get both lanes to equal out thru the traps. Otherwise I was off 3mph from left to right.



So did mine. Maybe 3-4 tenths. Scary thing is I stumbled upon New Edge with a stock bottom end 2v that is cammed running 11.4's thru a Gforce G101A trans all NA. I'd like to find more info on that car.

With what I'm trapping my car should have very low 12s in it. Needs slicks

[Martin0660]

Needs slicks

everything needs slicks ...

[Martin0660]

Oh, it also might need the driver mod ..... bwhahahaha

[SlowSix]

everything needs slicks ...

Slicks and more rpm.
New motor will have the more rpm part down.
Want to pick up a set of rear drag wheels eventually

[PaxtonShelby]

Get the dang rubber already!

Love that car and all the sweat equity you have in it.

[Dan B.]

Perfect pass calculator has the Ranger going 11.89. Best pass was an 11.92. That's pretty reasonable I think.