SE 1/4 mile speed tests

[Steve]

EDIT - NEW INFO! 2/17/06

Built a scale 1/4 mile drag strip (20.625') with a full length timer and a laser speed trap at the last foot. Here are some results for a stock 4th Gen SE:

In all cases red idler and axle were used. No body or front tires. 3 "good" runs per motor.

21,500 RPM MOTOR (red)

2.951 @ 5.73 MPH / 4.77 MPH Average
2.959 @ 5.63 MPH / 4.75 MPH Average
2.911 @ 5.88 MPH / 4.83 MPH Average

23,500 RPM MOTOR (yellow)

2.673 @ 6.20 MPH / 5.26 MPH Average
2.640 @ 6.26 MPH / 5.33 MPH Average
2.741 @ 6.10 MPH / 5.13 MPH Average

28,000 RPM MOTOR (orange)

2.479 @ 6.75 MPH / 5.67 MPH Average
2.507 @ 6.75 MPH / 5.33 MPH Average
2.433 @ 6.75 MPH / 5.78 MPH Average

34,000 RPM MOTOR (purple)

2.475 / 5.68 MPH Average
2.535 / 5.55 MPH Average
2.463 / 5.71 MPH Average

I included the average speed numbers because I think it gives some idea of accelleration. There may be more to the numbers than meets the eye so I recorded everything.

EDIT: I did some more testing, and I think the top speed numbers I've been getting are not very accurate. The timer resolution isn't high enough to properly guage speed across the short 1 foot trap. The highest I've ever seen it go is 6.75 MPH, which is roughly .100s. The software won't register times below that. Which means, I need to lengthen the speed trap distance, but I don't think that those numbers would mean much either as I think the cars might still be accellerating at 17, 18 or even 19' down the track. SO, I've decided just to do away with the speed trap at the end of the track. For my purposes, it's really only the ETA that matters. For future testing, top speed numbers won't be available. As for the numbers already posted, I'll leave them there, just don't take too much stock in them.