[Never-Enough]

I'm trying to gauge the best launch method for these cars. I've drag raced countless cars with more passes than I'll ever remember so I now how to race. I just want to find the best launch method for the 335xi.

I have an auto trans & I will, of course, be running the car in DS mode when I go. I do NOT have paddle shifters.

I have read many posts/threads. Some folks launch from idle, some from 1,500 RPM or less, some run with all traction controll off & some with the "DTC" lit on the dash, some have let the car shift in DS mode the whole run, others shift manually for all gears & others let the car shift for 1 & 2 then shift the rest themselves.

I've always run my auto trans cars off idle if they did not have a converter.

Again, I have an xi so 335i launching probably won't help me.

Only go fast mods are JB+ (at 75%) & BMS DCI I will probably end up going while still on runflats, but even if not, it'll be on non-runflat street tires otherwise. No, I'm not springing for drag radials.

So is it best to go off idle or not?

Should I just left the car do all the shifting, some or none of it? We can't shift faster than the computer, but, as I understand it, the car is out of the power band at high RPMs past 2nd gear, correct?

I don't see any reason why I should run the car any way other than turning all traction control off, but maybe I'm wrong?

Also, what times should I expect to run? Based on what I've read, I am assuming low 13s if I get some traction.

Thanks.

[Willizm]

I'd like to see what others do as it's all different between people on the best method.

Heres what I do with my auto xi. Completely turn off traction(get triangle thingy), put in ds, brake torque to 2200-2400 for about 2 second max. Nail the pedal to the floor while letting off the brake. I let the car shift itself.

Mods: Cobb stage 1 2.02std, ets fmic, ets chargepipe w/ tial bov, dci, ar catless dp's.

I consistently hit 0-60 at 4.2 with a 1.9 60' measured on the Cobb ap

[dasano18]

I have a MT.. my technique is simple. Turn off all DSC DTC, pick rpms up to 4k and just dump the clutch. Been doing it for 3 years with this car and no clutch slippage and consistent 1.8 60' times.

My mods are jb+ and DCI.

[Never-Enough]

Originally Posted by dasano18

I have a MT.. my technique is simple. Turn off all DSC DTC, pick rpms up to 4k and just dump the clutch. Been doing it for 3 years with this car and no clutch slippage and consistent 1.8 60' times.

My mods are jb+ and DCI.

Thanks for chiming in, but I'm looking for auto trans xi guys.

[rgrovr]

Originally Posted by Willizm

I'd like to see what others do as it's all different between people on the best method.

Heres what I do with my auto xi. Completely turn off traction(get triangle thingy), put in ds, brake torque to 2200-2400 for about 2 second max. Nail the pedal to the floor while letting off the brake. I let the car shift itself.

Mods: Cobb stage 1 2.02std, ets fmic, ets chargepipe w/ tial bov, dci, ar catless dp's.

I consistently hit 0-60 at 4.2 with a 1.9 60' measured on the Cobb ap

^ this.

I've tried paddle shifting only - had terrible times since the is a small but noticeable delay between the paddles andthe car actually shifting.

I've made runs manually shifting through all gears at 6,200 RPMs and made good times, but the most consistent and fastest method is DS-mode and mashing the throttle (past the kickdown).

Honestly - good rubber makes the most impact. The biggest advantage for the XI are the 60ft times and solid tires will keep you in the mid 1.7s or lower using any of the big tunes.

The rest is up to your mods and your ability to keep the steering wheel straight

[ruphianh]

Originally Posted by rgrovr

^ this.

I've tried paddle shifting only - had terrible times since the is a small but noticeable delay between the paddles andthe car actually shifting.

I've made runs manually shifting through all gears at 6,200 RPMs and made good times, but the most consistent and fastest method is DS-mode and mashing the throttle (past the kickdown).

Honestly - good rubber makes the most impact. The biggest advantage for the XI are the 60ft times and solid tires will keep you in the mid 1.7s or lower using any of the big tunes.

The rest is up to your mods and your ability to keep the steering wheel straight

So when straight running the quarter mile, use the DS and not the Manual shifter for AT's?

[amclint]

JB+ at 75% you shouldn't lose any traction, I had DCI + JB+ at 100% on 93 octane and would just barely chirp a 3000rpm brake boost launch.

With my JB+ my best times were in DS mode to redline, DTC/DSC off but it didn't matter much as I wasn't breaking the tires loose anyway. 4.54 0-60, never took it to the strip so no idea on 60' times.

Pure 93 I had no codes at 100%, but I had to be religious about it as anything less would give me trouble.

[Chrisred]

Originally Posted by dasano18

I have a MT.. my technique is simple. Turn off all DSC DTC, pick rpms up to 4k and just dump the clutch. Been doing it for 3 years with this car and no clutch slippage and consistent 1.8 60' times.

My mods are jb and DCI.

Anything over 3000 I spin too much with that method. Upgrade to JB4 lol. U need more power.

[blackshan]

Any questions on how to launch with awd should be answered by amclint! He's running 11's with a couple mods!

Originally Posted by amclint

JB at 75% you shouldn't lose any traction, I had DCI JB at 100% on 93 octane and would just barely chirp a 3000rpm brake boost launch.

With my JB my best times were in DS mode to redline, DTC/DSC off but it didn't matter much as I wasn't breaking the tires loose anyway. 4.54 0-60, never took it to the strip so no idea on 60' times.

Pure 93 I had no codes at 100%, but I had to be religious about it as anything less would give me trouble.

[nailer335]

I brake boost until 2000 as minimally as possible (less than or about 2 seconds) then let it rip. Keeping it in drive for 1st to 2nd. Then move it to manual and change gears myself.

I asked a C6 vette to race me tonight. He laughed hard at me. Well... After my launch he didnt try to keep up anymore. I heard his big loud V8 for maybe a second lol

Im JB4 15ohm, MR5 intake, pre and post turbo meth 80/20 mix with meth adder at 40 which is 17.5 target boost. Makes most V8s lose their ego quick

[blackshan]

Originally Posted by nailer335

I brake boost until 2000 as minimally as possible (less than or about 2 seconds) then let it rip. Keeping it in drive for 1st to 2nd. Then move it to manual and change gears myself.

I asked a C6 vette to race me tonight. He laughed hard at me. Well... After my launch he didnt try to keep up anymore. I heard his big loud V8 for maybe a second lol

Im JB4 15ohm, MR5 intake, pre and post turbo meth 80/20 mix with meth adder at 40 which is 17.5 target boost. Makes most V8s lose their ego quick

Nice

[pits200]

What did you run?

Originally Posted by nailer335

I brake boost until 2000 as minimally as possible (less than or about 2 seconds) then let it rip. Keeping it in drive for 1st to 2nd. Then move it to manual and change gears myself.

I asked a C6 vette to race me tonight. He laughed hard at me. Well... After my launch he didnt try to keep up anymore. I heard his big loud V8 for maybe a second lol

Im JB4 15ohm, MR5 intake, pre and post turbo meth 80/20 mix with meth adder at 40 which is 17.5 target boost. Makes most V8s lose their ego quick

[nailer335]

What did I run as in 1/4 trap? As in this "race" (altercation of ego...) I gave up midway through second gear, the vette let his foot off the pedal... acting like he didn't try. You always can tell you got to someone when they just HAVE to get in front of you afterwards. Even more so when they look at you with eyes the size of golf balls and their heads are still turned (now backwards) after they are in front of you hahaha

I am running JB4, Mr5 Intake, and meth at an 80/20 mix. 2 CM3 nozzles (1 pre-air filter in each CAI) and a CM10 in the charge pipe. Meth adder was set to 40 I believe...

I believe I am actually getting slightly better 0-60 times and better launches starting in 2nd gear, brake boosting to about 5-6 psi and eliminating shift time all together until just past 60mph. I did a few pulls tonight and the video quality is shit and I'll have to frame by frame it, but I believe it is sub 4 second.

Just put it all in this past weekend, and haven't gotten to doing a write up yet, let alone the rest of the fun stuff (dyno, track, race gas + meth, etc). I intend on doing so when I can get to it. Im happy letting Arizona cool off a bit more in the mean time.

[cmattone93]

i have an o8 335xi, i do alot of races as well.. countless drags where i absolutly demolish cars off the line.. i turn traaction 100% off and i do NOT launch off idle... i put it in ds, 1st gear and i shift myself. i brake boost up to 3,000 to 3200 rpms and rip off the brake pedal as fast as i can, i chirp my rear tires and im out... i have the jb4 and bms DCI and a muffler delete with 2 1/4 inch piping and 4 inch tips.. i run on stock 17 inch runflat oem tires and a stock suspension.. so far i have not lost to anything off the line.. let me know what others say.. interested in their forms of launching

[pits200]

What does your 1/4 time end up being and how about your 60.

Originally Posted by cmattone93

i have an o8 335xi, i do alot of races as well.. countless drags where i absolutly demolish cars off the line.. i turn traaction 100% off and i do NOT launch off idle... i put it in ds, 1st gear and i shift myself. i brake boost up to 3,000 to 3200 rpms and rip off the brake pedal as fast as i can, i chirp my rear tires and im out... i have the jb4 and bms DCI and a muffler delete with 2 1/4 inch piping and 4 inch tips.. i run on stock 17 inch runflat oem tires and a stock suspension.. so far i have not lost to anything off the line.. let me know what others say.. interested in their forms of launching

[amclint]

Mostly Mustangs at the track, but a Challenger SRT8 392 and a modified C6 did run me. The C6 I can beat off the line and in the 1/8 but it's a toss up at the 1/4 as to who got the better launch. He traps nearly 118.x to my 114.x both @ 11.9xx, from what I recall he only had minor work done.

Obviously up top they just slaughter