Problem getting into 3rd gear on the drag strip

[Bob K]

I have done a bit of drag racing but not a lot (my '96 GTS with just intake and exhaust mods). Last week I ran a 12.18 at 116mph with no problems. My reaction time was .212 so I could have gotten below 12.0 with a better hole shot. I went to the strip again last night and made 3 passes. I could not get into 3rd gear on any of them and shut it down before the 1/4. This has never happened to me before and was very frustrating. Under normal driving conditions I have no problems. What could be going on? Granted it could be me screwing up, but this has never happened before, and especially 3 times in a row! Assuming it is just me, would a different shifter help (I have the stock one on), and if so, which would you recommend?

On a side note, the first car I ran against was an '02 Z06. The guy told me he was stock and that he routinely ran in the 11's (Ya right!). He ran an 11.62 at 121mph. Later I learned that he had $15,000 into the engine.

Bob K

 

[00SVTdubs]

just practice. Also, reaction time has nothing to do with your et/mph. Good luck and have fun!

 

[estelius]

I Have The Same Experience On My Srt-10 But It Was Because I Broke A Silinoide Sensor And Got Stock Right In The Middle So I Couldnt Use 3rd, 5th And Reverse.

 

[PAvenomRT/10]

Bob,
Trust me, you are not alone in having had this problem. I suspect that you just were rushing it a bit as we all tend to do under the heat of battle (especially against the Z06 owner who apparently told you upfront to expect a sub 12 sec run from him ). Having missed the shift the first time, you were understandably focused on it perhaps a bit too much on your subsequent runs which likely contributed to the succession of missed shifts . Since you have not had a problem in the past, this seems like the most logical explanation. Shifting the Viper from 2nd into 3rd takes mostly upward pressure with just a slight hint of pressure to the right. Too much and you miss 3rd , not enough and you get the thrill of hearing your engine rev uncontrollably as you are now back into first gear . A couple of runs without a lot of pressure and you'll be back in the saddle again .
Pavenom RT/10

 

[Madduc]

Also check your motor mounts.

 

[99 R/T 10]

As said, check all mounts(motor and trans), but also if you were doing multiple passes, the clutch could be heating up, making it difficult to get into gear.

 

['02 RT/10 Joel]

I was having difficulty getting into 3rd when drag racing until someone explained how they did it.

1st to 2nd: fingers lightly wrapped around the right side of shifter knob (not on top), elbow near your side (not on/above the console), pull shifter down and toward you,

2nd to 3rd: heel of your palm pressing against the rear of the shifter knob (not touching/palming/grabbing the top of the shifter knob), elbow near your side (not on/above the console), push the shifter away from you in a diagonal line toward the passenger headlight - a single, straight movement, not up-over-up!

3rd to 4th: now you can grab the top of the shifter knob - palm on the top, elbow now goes on/above the console, pull straight back.

It seems like a lot to remember, but I practiced while waiting in the staging lanes. I've never missed a shift since.

 

[-FROG-]

Oddly enough, I was missing 4th alot when "getting on it".... I'm no pro driver, but I'm no newby eithor and missing gears like that was flat out ******** for me. After paying more attention, I realized my entire shifter was moving to the right in 1st and 2nd gear while in the powed band. I guess I really didn't pay as much attention to it in the past as I was focusing on where the heck I was "rocketing" to... eyes on the road... anyhoo, Take your car out and in first gear, NAIL IT, with good traction hopefully (I have Kumho v700's) and see if your shifter moves over to the right any. If so, you need new mounts and thats your problem. Also, I had a spot on the underside of my hood fireliner, where the motor was kicking up and rubbing, so that is a give away too.

Result:

I had a totally destroyed motor mount and it fell apart upon removal. So, I had 2 new motor mounts replaced and a poly tranny mount installed. Now I don't miss gears!

 

[Bob K]

FROG,
Thanks for the tip. I will have my motor mounts checked. As I said I am not a stranger to the drag strip (although not a pro either) and have also done 1 mile and 1/2 mile shoot-outs with no missed shifts. I'm thinking there is an issue with the car and not me.

Bob K

 

[Jack B]

As said, check all mounts(motor and trans), but also if you were doing multiple passes, the clutch could be heating up, making it difficult to get into gear.

You are 100% correct - on the street, or without the nitrous my car shifts fine. When I do a long burnout and high rpm launch with the nitrous the clutch gets so hot that it won't go in any gear. It will start with third and finally at some point it won't go into second. Normally there is only a 1/32" clearance when the clutch is all the way in, if the disk expands too much the car will start to shift hard. It does not have to be a high hp car, just slip it a few times and the same condition happens. The fix is to use a metallic disk. I just replaced my CenterForce with a SPec 3+, which is a metallic. When I pulled the clutch, the flywheel was also warped and burnt. It still shifted fine NA or on the street.

There is another little trick where you can preload the shifter to right (preload left side). I have a SVS shifter and i added two washers to the left side, this allows you to shift from second to third in a straight line.

 

[SidewinderGTS]

When I do my drag racing ,move seat up and make sure hammer clutch all the way the too floor when I shift.
Most times I missed shift is because my foot is faster then my hand.

 

[crossram440]

I too had an issue at the Mopar Nats. I ran my GTS for the first time at the strip during the Mopar Nationals Viper Shootout. I Have a 66 Belvedere wagon that is a stick car that I usually run and always bang the gears in that with no problems. I have a Hurst Shifter in the GTS and the short throw requires a firm grip to quickly move it to the next gear. It was so hot out that I actually lost the shifter twice from a sweaty palm. I ended up swapping out the ball shifter that night for an older style Hurst T handle shifter. That made all the difference in the world. I could now grab the shifter with a fist and was able to really bang some gears the next day during eliminations. I swapped the handle back when i got back home that night. I was able to run more consistant times because i could shift with more confidence and not worry about missing a shift. If you are running the stock shifter an adaptor could be made to run any of the various types of shifter handles that might give you a better feel or grip than what you have. Everyone has a different driving style and technique so a shifter handle that works well for one person might not fit well with yours.