In a message dated 12/07/01 11:45:20 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
carlynneracing@home.com writes:
> One thing you say is true; setting the limit on the limiter. If you
> 'redline' the engine at 6, but your "ego" makes you install the 8 grand
> chip, then you are kidding yourself. If you redline at 6 then install the
> '6' chip!
>
Best to 'can' the ego and put in a chip that is set for about 200 rpm over
optimum shift point. It's only vintage racing, guys.
If you need an ego boost, just set the redline indicator on your tach for
8000 rpm so the bystanders in the pits can ooh and ahh.
I have pretty much given up trying to convince my friends that race that more
revs ain't necessarily good. Except for specialised situation such as holding
a gear to save an extra shift between corners, or a drag race to the finish
line on the last lap, there is no point in the world in thrashing the engine
for nothing.
I have one buddy that has an engine that has a power peak at around 6200 rpm.
I have told him to shift there or maybe 6300, as his nice close ratio box
will drop him right back on the torque peak in the next gear - an ideal
situation. But no, he says that it is still making power at 7000 rpm. Well it
is, but it only seems like more power than at 6200, because the engine makes
more noise, or because the power doesn't drop off very sharply, or because my
buddy wants to believe it.
I tell them - go do some laps at 5500 redline, then some at 6000, 6500,
whatever your range is (the MSD is handy here to enforce the limit by
changing the chip). Then look at the lap times - they may well find that
using 7000 instead of 6500 makes no difference in times at all, or maybe a
minimal one that they can factor into the driving situation and use only if
needed. I have done the exercise and come up with results like that myself.
But do they listen to me? Of course not - they just say that they can FEEL
the difference (I don't think that they really want to know otherwise). Oh
well - it's their bottom ends (and wallets).
Bill Spohn
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