Launch Control Attempt (Vangaurd/AE Performance HFC X-Pipe)

[///Matthew]

Launch control attempt in my 2011 M3. While the launch control flag came up, the launch resulted in pure tire spinning, no traction. I'll be trying it again at a lower RPM. Car has an AA Green Drop-in Filter, Vanguard Performance Titanium Cat Back Exhaust, and a custom AE Performance X-pipe with HJS HFCs. (Exterior video recorded with iPhone 4S, in-car with Canon 60D)

[Sean@PYSpeed.com]

DSC flashing! LOL

[ss134]

My stock car was even worse than that - LC on the M3 is not very effective in giving you a great launch.

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by Sean@PYSpeed.com

DSC flashing! LOL

This was only the third time that I've done it. I haven't run into the complete lack of traction on earlier LCs, only when I video it...

Took some in-car footage with my Canon 60D and a GoPro Hero2 on the rear bumper. I'll try to get those up soon.

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by ss134

My stock car was even worse than that - LC on the M3 is not very effective in giving you a great launch.

I just mashed the gas from a stop in another vid, much better launch... I'll try to get the other videos up tonight.

[Boostin FD]

Mine gave me so much wheel hop one time I tried that i just gave up on the whole Launch Mode. I don't understand who came up with the idea to launch the car at 5500 RPM. It should always be set at 3k... I shouldn't be lowering it myself and all that crap

[Sales@AUTOcouture]

NJ FTW lol

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by Sales@AUTOcouture

NJ FTW lol

Thanks for the x-pipe install. That's actually a private, dead end road that's gated off at the other end so it's not like I'm ripping on the street.

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by Boostin FD

Mine gave me so much wheel hop one time I tried that i just gave up on the whole Launch Mode. I don't understand who came up with the idea to launch the car at 5500 RPM. It should always be set at 3k... I shouldn't be lowering it myself and all that crap

Yeah, 5500 is a bit high unless your goal is to vaporize your tires.

[STooK]

can you "brake boost" like you can in 335 with auto? just hold down the brake, then give the gas at the same time then let off the brake...i love doing that in my 335 lol

[PetrolFumes]

Where in jersey is this?

Originally Posted by ///Matthew

Launch control attempt in my 2011 M3. While the launch control flag came up, the launch resulted in pure tire spinning, no traction. I'll be trying it again at a lower RPM. Car has an AA Green Drop-in Filter, Vanguard Performance Titanium Cat Back Exhaust, and a custom AE Performance X-pipe with HJS HFCs. (Video recorded with iPhone 4S)

[FriedaTakaha]

I shouldn't be lowering it myself and all that crap

[///Matthew]

Did a little write up and posted all three videos to one article on my blog...

http://mfatuation.blogspot.com/2012/...-tutorial.html

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by STooK

can you "brake boost" like you can in 335 with auto? just hold down the brake, then give the gas at the same time then let off the brake...i love doing that in my 335 lol

Good question. I don't know for sure as I don't own an M3 but I test drove an M3 3 times and you could not brake boost with the DCT like you can with the 6AT on the 335. When you put your foot on both the brake and the gas, the car wouldn't increase RPM. Has anyone found a way around this?

On my test drives (one M3 had ~ 5,000 miles) I tried launch control and it was useless for me. I was pretty bad at it. BuraQ has gotten pretty good at it in his 335is using a reduced-throttle technique. He runs low 12's with only a chip, intake and intercooler. He has a tutorial in the n54 engine section here.

I couldn't get much wheel spin in my test drives by just flooring it in 1st gear off-idle - maybe the traction conditions were better for me as it sounds like you guys are getting a lot of wheelspin by just flooring it in first off-idle.

When I get my M3 in a couple months, I will be doing quite a bit to get the launch perfected, including the use of electronic methods such as the feature in the Procede, which reduces timing (at the milisecond level) when it detects wheelspin. I've been able to get my 0-60 times in the 3's (with V-Box) very consistently without brake boosting at all by just starting out in second gear. I'm running nearly 500 ft lbs tq so I assumed launching the M3 in comparison was a piece of cake.

[JDM3]

LC is useless in our cars unless you have drag radials and are on a sticky 1/4 mile track and heat them properly. I have over 75 runs with zero wheel spin and 1.6 60ft times. If you expect to be competitive your car needs to be setup properly. IMO, BMW did a poor job with controlling wheel spin during LC.

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by 1SICKM

LC is useless in our cars unless you have drag radials and are on a sticky 1/4 mile track and heat them properly. I have over 75 runs with zero wheel spin and 1.6 60ft times. If you expect to be competitive your car needs to be setup properly. IMO, BMW did a poor job with controlling wheel spin during LC.

The first time that I launched the car I had barely any wheel spin, it just WENT. I could not get the car to hook up for the life of me when I shot that video though. What track do you go to in NJ?

[JDM3]

Originally Posted by ///Matthew

The first time that I launched the car I had barely any wheel spin, it just WENT. I could not get the car to hook up for the life of me when I shot that video though. What track do you go to in NJ?

Same thing happened to me. Used LC before I installed the blower and any mods....perfect launch on street! A lot has to do with the pavement your on. I go to island dragway since its minutes from my house. It's 3 tov4 tents slower than Atco because of elevation. I run mid 11's all day long. Track prep on weekdays isn't too good but if your not running a blower, you'll launch fine

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by 1SICKM

Same thing happened to me. Used LC before I installed the blower and any mods....perfect launch on street! A lot has to do with the pavement your on. I go to island dragway since its minutes from my house. It's 3 tov4 tents slower than Atco because of elevation. I run mid 11's all day long. Track prep on weekdays isn't too good but if your not running a blower, you'll launch fine

Didn't realize that there was such a huge difference between the tracks. I think that the pavement that I was on could have been cleaner. Had a lot of dust/sand on it. I'll have to give it another try after a decent rain.

[datbimmerdoe]

sweet vids!

[OM VT3]

my car use to do the same i took the car to bmw they changed a wheel speed sensor and after that the lc worked great no wheel spin

[Bluesummer]

From my experience, I don't know if it's necessarily true, the car needs to "learn" the surface of the road you are launching on. This has been mentioned in some car reviews featuring GTR and other cars equipped with LC. In my case, the most I've ever launch my previous E92 M3 was 3 times back to back from pretty much the same spot. First attempt was a massive wheel spin like what the OP had. The next two attempts was successful launch with very little to no wheel spin at all. Now you can argue that the wheel spin heated up the tires and whatnot. Just FYI, I did it with stock 265 PS2 that came with the car, it had 6/32 on the tires and by the end of 3 lc, it went down to barely 4/32.

[Billykent]

I have made many LCs too. The default 5500RPM is a crap, so you have to lower to 4500RPM. Also the track(road) and your tires matter a lot.