Need help on launch

[JAXRS6]

Love my RS6 'cept for one thing: It's quite a bit slower than advertised from launch.

I'd been driving a chipped 2000 S4 6-spd for two years when my RS6 arrived, and I thought right away that it was no faster than the older car from launch. So last Friday I went to a local dragway where the best I've done on my S4 was a 14.2 quarter. My best run in the RS6 was 14.137 -- just a notch faster than the S4 but a full second or more slower than most of the times reported in car magazine road tests or comparisons. (My car already had nearly 8000 miles on it at the dragway, due to a just-completed trip, so "newness" should not be much of a factor; right?)

The elapsed time slip seems to indicate the problem is at the start: while I got to 60 ft. in 2.0 secs in the S4, it took 2.34 secs on my best run in the RS6. Others have written that a difference of .3 to 60 ft. results in a much bigger difference at the end of the quarter -- perhaps a full second IIRC.

For now I'm giving the car the benefit of the doubt until I develop a better technique. Currently I depress the pedal rapidly to the floor, but I don 't "stomp" it because that seems to make lag worse. On one of my runs I held the brake while depressing the accelerator some but not much -- to about 2000 rpm I think. I hesitate to press down further because I don't want to damage the car.

Any suggestions? Do the guys at the car mags rev up much higher before releasing the brake? Is such a practice harmful? What else could I try to come closer to the better results obtained by others?

(Please, no lectures on how the RS6 was not built to drag race. I don't plan to visit the track often, but I knew of no other way to confirm my suspicions that it's not much faster than my chipped S4 -- and quite a bit slower at launch.)

[Erik]

It sounds slow.

What fuel do you use? Do you foot break+accelerate up to about 2000 rpms?

A few runs with another RS6, http://www.rs6.com/articles/008.html

http://www.rs6.com/gfx/articles/008m.jpg

http://www.rs6.com/gfx/articles/008o.jpg

[JAXRS6]

I used Amoco's best here, 93 octane. Info & my questions on the brake issue are at end of my original post.

[TheBrit]

I replied to you in this thread (http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&goto=lastpost&threadid=1567).

[Erik]

Originally posted by JAXRS6
On one of my runs I held the brake while depressing the accelerator some but not much -- to about 2000 rpm I think. I hesitate to press down further because I don't want to damage the car.

The RS6 (or any other VAG-car for that matter) won't let you "left foot brake." I think around 2k rpm is max, then the car won't let you go higher.

[Bauer]

Jaxrs6,

I have noticed when I turn the trac-control off and put the car in "manual mode" and hold the throtle and manually shift it tends to pull harder. I cannot confirm track time as of yet because I have not had the opporunity. If you use the drive mode it starts in 2nd and for some reason the sport mode does not seem as fast. Just what I have found....maybe different for others.

[bilbozilla]

Have you tried using the paddles? I'm still waiting for mine, so I can't intelligently discuss this topic, but it's just an idea.

[Bauer]

sorry,

Thats what I was talking about. The car seems to be faster using the paddles.

[srosie]

Mid 13's for two informal qtrs. was my experience. However, I have almost 2500 miles on my car. Two foot brake launches to about 1800 rpms worked just fine for me.

[JAXRS6]

How are times and distance determined at your informal quarter?

[srosie]

The hardest part is finding a road with the proper distance and you need to be somewhat exact.

We only got off 3 runs and the best run was 13.4. The worst the 1st was 13.8. This was a straight country stretch of road, not a track. I think with pratice I can get it under 13 seconds.

[Snow]

Does the RS 6 start in 2nd gear if you are in automatic mode or does it start in 1st? Some cars (like the Porsche Boxster) start in 2nd unless you switch to "manual" and use the paddles to downshift to first before launch.

[Bauer]

In the regular "D"rive mode the RS6 does start in 2nd in "S"port mode it starts in 1st and when in manual it starts in 1st.:incar:

[Erik]

Originally posted by Bauer
In the regular "D"rive mode the RS6 does start in 2nd

:confused: :error: ?

Or is the RS6 à la USA different...I think not.

[Bauer]

Erik,

Atleast that is what it appears to do. I have noticed that the sport mode launches much more quickly and since the display does not show what gear you are in unless you are in the manual mode it is hard to judge. I have on several occasions, when I was starting in drive, flipped to manual and it showed 2nd gear. Cant confirm it does this all the time but the few times I did it to check it was in 2nd. I may be incorrect but thats what appears to happen.:cheers:

[peterb]

When in 'D', mine won't let me select second gear until moving at 5 mph or so.

[Bauer]

ahhh! that may have been my problem. I have only done it casually and didnt really think much of it. I was most likley past 5 to 10mph and it probably shiffted already leading me to think it started in 2nd. Sounds like I am wrong ....I will have to do more closley watched test. Sorry for the wrong info.

[Erik]

Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere:

The S-mode will rev the car longer, hold the gears longer and also increase the revs in when in the lower areas so that the turbos will start charging right away.
It is not possible to reach top speed with S-mode, with S-mode it will only use gears 1-4.

[Nordschleife]

Erik
In S mode the car changes to 5th at somewhere between 250 and 260, it goes on up to 330kph, on a 'modified' car
R+C

[Erik]

Originally posted by Nordschleife
Erik
In S mode the car changes to 5th at somewhere between 250 and 260, it goes on up to 330kph, on a 'modified' car
R+C

I'm not surprised, different from other Audi models then.
And good they changed it.

My friend in his modified RS6 Avant hunted a Lambo Murciélago up to about 320 km/h on the speedo. :eek:

[JAXRS6]

...for your informal quarter. You're right -- it's important to be exact -- but I'm wondering how you do it because if you're off by much, your times could be pretty meaningless as far as quarters go.

[srosie]

The road was walked off with a measuring wheel not once but twice. The marks each time were within 2 feet so not to shabby a measurement. The stop watch user on start is ok, it's the finish line you wonder or not he's on the mark. So it's an imperfect test without proper computer aids. Thus I assume the .5 spread might account for some of the measuring deficiencies. Either way I think the 13.5 or 13.6 number for the quarter was pretty close for me. I still think with practice (and a better test method) I can get it under 13 seconds. However, the original post of 14 and change seems to indicate another problem.

[gmbh6]

Originally posted by JAXRS6
Any suggestions?
Did you turn the A/C off? :D

...well the one time I really dragged it against the M3 off the red light...i had my left foot firmly on the brakes then started gradually pressing the gas (with my right foot of course) to about 2000-2500 rpms.....then when the light turned green i just gunned it and let go of the brake.....and it "launched".

i think there's a magic number in the rpms somewhere between the aforementioned revs. i did it all on instinct......i'll let you know as soon as i get it on a track or a quarter mile street.

[JAXRS6]

I really dragged it against the M3

[gmbh6]

Originally posted by JAXRS6



click below to find out. :addict:

click here (http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2077)

[bilbozilla]

... on instinct.

CAKID's a natural. I like that.

[JAXRS6]

I mentioned the ESP in a similar post at audiworld.com and received numerous replies saying "TURN OFF THE ESP!" So I did, and I'm pretty sure that was the biggest contributor to my running a 13.674 quarter Friday night. As noted in my original post, the best run ten days ago was 14.137 -- so I shaved off almost half a second! (BTW I know it probably sounds dumb not to turn off the ESP in the first place, but, hey, I've never had it before so it didn't occur to me.)

13.674 is no record, but that's OK because I'm not trying to set a record; I just want the car to perform to expectations. And I'm pretty sure I'll be able to shave off another half second when I get to the Bradenton, FL dragstrip in a couple of months. Reason: The times on my chipped '00 S4 were a half second faster there than I could get from multiple trips to Moroso (FL) and Milan (MI). I've never done better than 14.2 at either of those tracks in my S4, but when I went to Bradenton I broke 14 seconds even when I missed a shift! My best there, in the S4, was 13.775, and I'm hoping that almost half-second improvement will apply to the RS6 as well.

Meantime, with the improvement I've had so far, there's no need to visit a dragway again until I head south, so ... thanks to all for your help!

[Erik]

JAXRS6, don't forget that the S4 is a manual.
I'm surprised the ESP did so much, my (little) experience says it doesn't really matter, there's enought grip anyway. (or too little power ;) )

I would think that the most important thing for you in the US is to get petrol of the highest possible grade. I'd guess it's made to run on 98 octance (EU).

[TheBrit]

Originally posted by Erik
JAXRS6, don't forget that the S4 is a manual.
I'm surprised the ESP did so much, my (little) experience says it doesn't really matter, there's enought grip anyway. (or too little power ;) )
Turning off the ESP also turns off the EDL. If you get fractionally different traction levels left/right on either axle, EDL will brake one of the wheels to correct it. ESP off makes a big difference unless you have perfect traction on all four wheels.


I would think that the most important thing for you in the US is to get petrol of the highest possible grade. I'd guess it's made to run on 98 octance (EU).
Yes, the manual even has a warning about not engaging full throttle or running high engine speeds when on 95RON fuel.

[Mightyhead]

...but I want to hear about someone else trying it first. I asked a gentleman who claimed to be an SAE certified level something or other mechanic what he suggested for launching and he said this : shift to neutral, rev to 6000 rpm, and drop it into sport mode on green. I recoiled in horror at what this would do to the spendy bits, he only said "Trust me".

Anybody actually try this?

[JAXRS6]

...but I want to hear about someone else trying it first. I asked a gentleman who claimed to be an SAE certified level something or other mechanic what he suggested for launching and he said this : shift to neutral, rev to 6000 rpm, and drop it into sport mode on green. I recoiled in horror at what this would do to the spendy bits, he only said "Trust me".

Anybody actually try this?

I'd ask him to show how this technique works ... in HIS car!:thumb: