[JFernald]

When I was younger, I used to rev the engine of whatever car I had and dump the clutch to do what my dad called a jackrabbit start. (He told me not to do it.) If it was an automatic, I put it in neutral and revved the engine, then dumped it into drive. I got plenty of tire squeal and quick starts regardless if it was a '56 Buick Special, a '63 Riviera or a '78 Cutlass. With the Fiat, it doesn't work. Sure it revs in neutral, but when you shift to drive, it very calmly lowers the revs to idle speed and acts like you never meant to start quickly.

What can I do to get a "jackrabbit start" in my automatic Spider? How can I get the revs up before the transmission is engaged?

 

[Greg]

When I was younger, I used to rev the engine of whatever car I had and dump the clutch to do what my dad called a jackrabbit start. (He told me not to do it.) If it was an automatic, I put it in neutral and revved the engine, then dumped it into drive. I got plenty of tire squeal and quick starts regardless if it was a '56 Buick Special, a '63 Riviera or a '78 Cutlass. With the Fiat, it doesn't work. Sure it revs in neutral, but when you shift to drive, it very calmly lowers the revs to idle speed and acts like you never meant to start quickly.

What can I do to get a "jackrabbit start" in my automatic Spider? How can I get the revs up before the transmission is engaged?

That's 63' Riv with it's Dynaflow transmission could really lay down some rubber!

The Fiat's software won't let you rev in neutral and drop it into drive as you have discovered. However the transmission does at least appear to be pretty rugged, and it has a torque converter with a stall speed around 1800rpm. So for fast starts, I suggest the following. Hold the brake with the car in drive or manual 1, and rev the engine to 1800rpm against the brake. Release the brake and floor the pedal and it will take off pretty fast and boost will come up almost right away.

Now I'm sure this puts some wear on the components, but as long as you don't hold it at 1800rpm for too long I don't think it will heat up enough to matter. I'm basing this on experience with previous transmissions, obviously we haven't had automatic 124s long enough to know much for sure.

Greg

 

[Chipshot]

Launch mode/control anyone? Plenty of "cousins" have it.

 

[JFernald]

Greg,

Thanks. I'll try that.

 

[vandor]

The technique Greg described is called brake torquing.

 

[Greg]

The technique Greg described is called brake torquing.

It has a name! I didn't know that.

Greg