I'm obsessed with 0-60 times. I know 1/4 mile times are the common ground with cars but I'm just a fanatic of getting 0-60s down. It's just how I relate cars to each other.

Anyway, my goal is to get my GS430 down to the low 5's, dreaming of 5 flat.

What will it take?

My best so far, 6.23 (G-tech)

I'm thinking TC/Nitrous/light wheels and a 3/4"drop.

 

5 flat is going to be really hard

rmmgs4 has tc, lsd, valve body, exhaust, and intake. i have driven his car, quite a bit faster than mine (tc, lsd, and exhaust only). the best he has done so far is 5.2, and that's on very good luanch already

oh and to do low 5? get some light weight wheels with some good tires

 

Supercharge it or turbocharge it

 

I am fairly confident that 5 sec. 0-60 is obtainable but it would take a combination of ideal conditions (weather, track etc.) besides the "enhancements" already listed. In addition, the unpcoming JB headers and some careful tuning would certainly help IMO.
You would also need a set of some kind of drag slicks or tires specifically for this purpose since you will now be traction limited. Might not be possible on the street with street tires, but you could get really close I believe. If you went to a track for some 1/4 mile runs, the drag slicks (or drag radials etc.) might do the trick! With a really good reaction time, good traction and some weight reduction I think 5 sec flat is possible with a mid to high 13 sec 1/4 at over 100 mph. You would need to use a G-Tech or something for the 0-60 time of course (with a correction factor).
With my car and the current mods, I can consistently run mid 5 secs. and occasionally slightly better (I don't really do it all that often though). With a bit more HP (headers, tuning) and better traction...

 

Lee,

Assuming you have the 3.77 ratio torsen LSD the next thing you need is PRACTICE. As I posted in the other thread I just ran a pair of 5.9 second 0-60s in my 90k mile 99 LS400 with the ONLY mod being a modified stock air cleaner housing (cold air, better flow, apx 5rwhp)

Those runs were full weight, full exhaust, stuff in the trunk, etc.

My best ever GTech 0-60 was on the old firmware (have since upgraded to the more accurate 4.0 SS version firmware) was 5.35 seconds and that was recorded on the GTech at the dragstrip (Houston Raceway Park). Racetrack timeslips do not list 0-60 but it gave me the chance to compare the GTech numbers to the racetrack numbers. In the full 1/4 mile the Gtech with the OLD firmware was optimistic by 0.36 seconds and 4.26mph. Since the 60mph came up in aprox one third of the timed run it is fair to say that the difference in time at 60mph should be much less than the difference at the end of the run. Should be around 5.5-5.7 seconds.

With the new firmware the best I have ran is 5.8 seconds. I have not ran the car in as good of conditions as my best racetrack numbers both in car prep and atmosphere. Remember, my car is heavier and has less power.

NOW, for your car, I am completely confident that your GS430 can go quicker than 5.7 seconds in its current condition. I am NOT completely confident in your Gtech accuracy. Old software/firmware and cannot be upgraded.

So, are you obsessing over your particular Gtech numbers or the REAL zero to sixty numbers?

If it is the later I recommend a better timer.

Then practice practice practice. Learn to maximize your launch torque against your available traction.

Then, mods, in order of importance to MAXIMIZE 0-60mph.

NUMBER ONE: Drag radials. BFGoodrich DRs are stickiest followed by Nitto Extreme DRs.

#2: Precision Industries torque converter.

#3: Modified valve body to create much quicker and firmer upshifts.

The above in the hands of a skilled driver should crack 4.9 0-60

Honestly, with drag radials alone you should go low 5s.

 

As Rominl said, I have most of the standard NA mods that you can get. I do have the headers on order, so other than FI, I believe the only other helpful mod would be an SAFC or other engine management.

As FutureGS400 has commented, I agree that TRACTION is the key factor in moving such a heavy car to 60mph at a decent rate. I prevously had 285 size tires and due to non-availability, later switched to 275 size tires. All I can say is these sizes on 10 inch rims are just not enough traction. I have done a good 20 to 30 0 -60 launches with a G-Tech and the only runs that I could get a good time was when I launched perfectly with very very little spin and on a street surface that was grippy, which usually meant a rocky asphalt surface, and not a smooth newly paved black top. Spinning the tires or not launching hard enough would result in a loss of up to half a second. So I would either do 5.7 -5.8 or 5.2 - 5.3. Very seldom would I get a time in between.


As far as drag radials, etc. are concerned I have no doubt a sub 5 sec run is possible. HOWEVER, I don't find much satisfaction achieving a low 0-60 using tires that will not be used under daily driving conditions.

So my best alternative on tire size and brand was to switch over to an 11 inch wide rim and put the super sticky Michelin PS 2 's in size 295 width.

I DO NOT believe there is another non drag tire available in 19" or larger that would have better traction than this size and set up. There may be better tires in 18" rims or smaller, but again, those sizes are not an option for me by personal choice.

Both Pirelli and Continental have 305 size tires that would fit the GS, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that these tires will have better traction than my PS2 / 295 combination.

All this said, I DO plan on dynoing the car before and after the header install as well as do some 0-60's.

After this testing, a little forced induction will be in order.

Stay Tuned.

 

FYI, Mickey Thompson now makes drag radials and they're stickier than the BFG's

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.html click on ET Street Radial

wider wheels, like RMMGS4's will help traction, but you also have to realize the increase in rotational mass that comes along with it, not to mention that there is probably very little sidewall which also hurts traction...the best way to increase traction is, as JBrady said, a smaller wheel with drag radials (assuming you want this to be street legal and not track use only) though not a lot of people are willing to sacrifice their pretty wheels...if you want bigger wheels like RMMGS4 though, you'll need some more power add-ons to achieve your goal, just as he said

 

All so true. You see my point as well. There's NO WAY I am compromising my 20s or low profile sidewalls for the sake of better traction, so an FI upgrade is eminent.




BTW, the rotational mass on this set up is less than a lot of people who run 19s and 18s. Both Tire and Wheel are some of the lightest 20's available.

 

very nice...you could always get another set of cheap wheels and some Mickey T drag radials for use at the track though you could drive it there, make a few passes, and drive back home to put the HRE's back on when you get home

personally, i'm in the same boat as you...i'm not so serious about drag racing that i'd put small wheels on the car for daily driving...hell, if i were serious about drag racing, i wouldn't be buying a gs4 ...but i wouldn't rule out getting some cheap 16's and some drag radials for the occasional track use though

 

There are plenty of semi-exotics and even not so exotics that have low profile tires and can easily do sub 5 sec. times. The goal for me is to obtain such times under real world driving conditions, not on a strip where there is no value added use for me.

Like you said, if I wanna enjoy driving fast on the strip, there are a lot of other vehicles I'd prefer to run other than a GS.

 

Hey Glenn, What a beautiful wheel. Excellent picture.



I too am crazed about zero-60. I have no interest in going to the track or quarter mile times.

I need to get one of these G-Tech things and get some real numbers. My best guess with the SC installed on the GS400 is 4 and a half seconds

Ivan
3dog

 

Thanks Ivan. Please do get a G-Tech and let us know your results.

I can't wait to get an SC installed and find out for myself, but unfortunately other priorities are getting in the way. i.e. INDGOGRL !