Night at the track - 240sx vs. RSX

[Acurate]

First off, this post is to find out what's the average time that a 96' 240sx runs in the quarter mile
This guy at my Uni has been talking trash about my ride, saying that all hondas (& Acuras) are slow, torqueless pieces of crap. He drives a 96' 240sx and I drive a 2003 Acura RSX (not the type-s). Both of or cars are manuals. He has a CAI (don't know what brand), and a cat-back exhaust which has dual can stlye mufflers. Mods on my car are AEM cold air, and a Skunk2 cat-back.

Well, I challenged him to a race and we went down to the track on Wednesday night which was import night. Since this was my first time at the track, I ran a dissapointing 16.4et (2.8 sixty foot)on my first run compared to his 16.2. However, on my second run, i managed to get my time down to a 15.8 while he still ran a 16.2. On our third run, i brought my time down further to a 15.5 compared to his 16.1. Those were our runs for the day.

After all of this, he kept giving excuses that his car wasn't running right, his transmission felt slushy, etc...
He says that he should be running low 15s.

Now, my question is: Is this believable? I don't know much about 240s to begin with, so if you guys could help me out then that would be great

[HaLo]

Stock? hardly. I'd say mid 15s would be optimistic. High 15 is reasonable.

[Acurate]

I've also heard from his friends that his worst time ever was a 16.9
Donno whats up with the track here in washington. I saw WRXs have best runs of 15s. And a Spec V was running nothing but high 15s. And I thought those were supposed to be faster than me:aw: :confused:

[pruto]

driver, tire, camber, condition of the car, etc. there are tons of reasons why cars run faster/slower than the factory/mag/average 1/4 mile time.

and some people just can't back up the talk. Ignore him and tell him to put up or shut up. since you beat him twice, his a$$ is slower than you till he can prove otherwise.

[ruf]

Don't get me started on the Spec V... :p

[Yoshi]

Acurate - what track are you talking about that has import nights on wednesdays? I live in washington too :)

Ruf - what's wrong with the spec-V? my wife wants one

[Acurate]

Import nights is on wednesdays at Pacific International Raceways (if im not mistaken). It was on when i was there... anyway i think you will have to look up their schedule because it's a little random sometimes.

So should I be proud that i actually beat this guy? He was so confident that he would take me and i didn't know what to expect from his car. It seems that his car is in pretty good shape. Only 4X,XXX miles and from what i heard, he babies it a lot. Oh, and i found out that it was a 98' because the lights we're the agressive style. I didn't even know the bubblier shaped zenki existed until i looked the 240's specs up.

[pruto]

spec v had high expectations before it came out. i was looking into getting one. but underpowered, overrated engine, and half a dozen better cars in that segment/price range. its so bleh out of the box.

its actually an ok car, but it just didn't live up to the pre-release hype.

[AceInHole]

Originally posted by Acurate
So should I be proud that i actually beat this guy? He was so confident that he would take me and i didn't know what to expect from his car.
He shouldn't have been so cocky... your car makes more power (I should HOPE it isn't as heavy, either). I guess you should be proud that you drove a faster time than he did.... just don't mention to people that you did so in a faster car :p

It seems that his car is in pretty good shape. Only 4X,XXX miles and from what i heard, he babies it a lot. Oh, and i found out that it was a 98' because the lights we're the agressive style. I didn't even know the bubblier shaped zenki existed until i looked the 240's specs up.
He probably would have had a better chance in a zenki S14. They're supposedly a bit lighter. Other than that and obvious visual differences, the zenki and kouki are pretty much the same.

[uiuc240]

Originally posted by Acurate
It seems that his car is in pretty good shape. Only 4X,XXX miles and from what i heard, he babies it a lot. Oh, and i found out that it was a 98' because the lights we're the agressive style.

Either way, I thought that the RSX could dip down into the high 14s if driven hard. Am I wrong? Sounds like both of you need more time at the track (it's the ultimate equalizer...) ;)

Eric

[Steeles]

Originally posted by uiuc240
Either way, I thought that the RSX could dip down into the high 14s if driven hard. Am I wrong? Sounds like both of you need more time at the track (it's the ultimate equalizer...) ;)

Eric

I thought it was the Type S RSX that could get into high 14s... (acurate said his was NOT a type S)

always be proud you beat him. and mention it too him alot. tell him you'll stop once he beats you. but then you must accept defeat with dignity. (no excuses :) )

[uiuc240]

I thought it was the Type S RSX that could get into high 14s... (acurate said his was NOT a type S)

Steeles: you are right. I am dumb. Kudos to you. This is payback for the nigglings about the N1 duals, isn't it?:D

E

[Steeles]

no this is cause I dont like you :p








:coolugh:






just kidding :) hehe you said nigglings... and I pictured a bunch of little dreadheaded black leprachaun looking things running around with guns! lol (and before anyone gets their racial panties in a twist Im black so Im allowed to see them)

[WIshb0ne]

go to a real race track.. not that 1/4 mile bull****.. then see who has the upper-hand:cool:

[YellwMonky]

my friend drives a new rsx base model. When we raced I beat him, but it's because he was new to driving 5 speed. I think the RSX is just faster than the 240sx. I took off on him and he was catching up slowly. If he had a better launch, i'm pretty sure that car could have taken me.

And you better inform your friend on the new hondas. The new I-Vtec now makes honda engines a lot less "torqueless" if i'm not mistaken..

[sykikchimp]

LESS is the key word there.. they are still torqueless..

It takes a VERY good driver in a type-S to get into the 14's. I've seen lots of time slips for them. Most in the 15.0 - .4 range, and I've driven my roommates type-S more times than I can count. Type-S will beat a 240 even with a moderate driver. I always take him on the launch though.

A base 5-speed RSX, and a 5-speed 240sx will run neck and neck with good drivers. You must be a pretty decent driver to get that base model down to A 15.5.. rsx's are pretty hard to launch without bogging or spinning. Most base models run high 15's to low 16's depending on the driver.

[SilviaSR20DET]

Do you know if the 240sx was black? But anyways, i got a 96 240sx with n1 duals and injen cai and the first time ive went to the track i managed to get a 16.1 but that is with ****ty tires and with one tire flat due to a nail i found out. but for sure i can hit into the 15s with proper shifting and launch cause i did terrible when i misshifted 2 out 3 runs. Also the advantage of the rsx is that its lighter and the transmission is very short and easy to shift whereas the 240sx transmission is long throws so you lose time in the 1/4. Its definately a drivers race cause my friend owns one and i race him occasionally. Dont forget to mention your competing with a truck motor and a 6 year old car.

[Acurate]

Originally posted by SilviaSR20DET
Its definately a drivers race cause my friend owns one and i race him occasionally.

A lot of you guys seem to have friends with RSXs. When you race them, what's the outcome mostly like? I'm asking because that guy made it seem like he would beat me badly every single time, however this was not the case.

If i'm not mistaken, the 240s gears are shorter than the RSXs because we finish the 1/4 mile in 3rd gear as opposed to many other cars which finish in 4th gear.

BTW, silviasr20: The 240 that i raced was greenish in color

[ruf]

Originally posted by pruto
spec v had high expectations before it came out. i was looking into getting one. but underpowered, overrated engine, and half a dozen better cars in that segment/price range. its so bleh out of the box.

its actually an ok car, but it just didn't live up to the pre-release hype.
And the fact that just about every Spec V owner thinks he's driving a Skyline GTR V-Spec.

[Bill Roberts]

Acurate

Those are referred to as longer gears..as we get further down the road in each of them at higher speeds..like Long legged.

Short gears mean you have to shift quick..long gears, 35 to 40 in first.

If you have a "tall" differential, your RPM's are lower at 100MPH than someone who doesn't have a "tall" rear end, or "long" gears.

Just want you to know what it means dude.

[Acurate]

thanks for the explanation, bill. So does that mean the 240 has longer gear ratios than the RSX base? I'm pretty sure that the RSX's gears are longer coz i can take 3rd gear up to 92+ mph.


Again:
A lot of you guys seem to have friends with RSXs. When you race them, what's the outcome mostly like? I'm asking because that guy made it seem like he would beat me badly every single time, however this was not the case.

[s13silady]

a buddy of mine drives an RSX type-S and hes a pretty good driver..(not enough to push it to 14's)... i used to race him all the time.. he had I/E/H and i had the same.. and i would wipe him all the time...hehe.. he wouldnt race me anymore though after i got my SR..:wtc: hehe... but anyways... yes the gear ratios and the drivers make a big difference... and i drove an S13, and im not to sure with the weight differences between the S13 and s14...

[SilviaSR20DET]

Yea the 240sx has a shorter gear ratio than the rsx for sure cause i have to shift to fourth close to the end of the track and my friend (base rsx) stays in 3rd the whole way. So yea the 240sx has to shift faster so thats where the rsx has the advantage in gearing. I drove my friends rsx many times and feel that the clutch and transmission is very solid and smooth but when my friend drives my car he knows that my throws are so much longer than his stock.

[rufrydrsc2]

What are the weight differences between a S13 and an S14 anyway, just out of curiosity.

[Sundi240]

For 1992 Mustang GT, the stock rear-end gearing ratio is 2.73, and a common mod is to replace it with 3.73's or even 4.10's. This gives the Stang(or any other car) a lot faster acceleration, but it does lose top end speed. I guess this means the 240 has a bit faster acceleration, but the top-end suffers a little.

[Acurate]

So yea the 240sx has to shift faster so thats where the rsx has the advantage in gearing

That's where i thought the RSX would be at a disadvantage because doesnt shorter gear ratios equate into better acceleration?

[timmybgood]

Originally posted by Acurate
That's where i thought the RSX would be at a disadvantage because doesnt shorter gear ratios equate into better acceleration?

generally yes, but i depends on how fast the person can shift. shorter gears=more shifting. but think of it this way, your RSX rev's higher than the 240sx, so while he's shiftin at 6500 you're still accelerating in the same gear.

but its pretty close overall, i'd say drivers game

[orion::S14]

Originally posted by Sundi240
...and a common mod is to replace it with 3.73's or even 4.10's.


Hehehehe...and if you don't know, the S13 and S14 come with 4.08 STOCK.

Later - Brian

[YellwMonky]

Originally posted by s13silady
a buddy of mine drives an RSX type-S and hes a pretty good driver..(not enough to push it to 14's)... i used to race him all the time.. he had I/E/H and i had the same.. and i would wipe him all the time...hehe.. he wouldnt race me anymore though after i got my SR..:wtc: hehe... but anyways... yes the gear ratios and the drivers make a big difference... and i drove an S13, and im not to sure with the weight differences between the S13 and s14...

I don't know about that. It's hard for me to believe a 240sx with just I/H/E could get even close to smoking a stock rsx type s let alone a modded one.

[sykikchimp]

"vs." topics are so :ghey:

The RSX type-s 6-speed 1st gear is longer than the 240sx. Every other gear is shorter.

The type-s also has an 8200rpm red-limit. thats an extra ~2000 rpm to spin the engine b/w shifts..

Given equal drivers, stock for stock, a Type-S will beat a 240 everytime.

But that fact that everyone has different skill levels means that just b/c billy bob beat tommy at stop light drags last wed. does not mean one car is faster than the other.

[RedlineRacer]

Originally posted by Acurate
thanks for the explanation, bill. So does that mean the 240 has longer gear ratios than the RSX base? I'm pretty sure that the RSX's gears are longer coz i can take 3rd gear up to 92+ mph.

S13's will redline in 3rd gear at around 95 mph. I don't know about S14's