It seems like that on the Fridays that I decide I want to go to the dragstrip to vent some frustration from the week my truck runs great until I get there. I drive around an hour or two before going to the track and get gas and a few necessities. While driving around, I'll do a few practice launches at the stoplight and it usually pulls real hard and feels strong. So as any other guy, I get all excited thinking I'm gonna have a good night. Then when I get to the track and get all teched in and up to the line and the light goes green, it always falls on it's ***. Am I the only one that this happens to? It does this on the way to work too. One day it will pull the hills and cruise right along without a hiccup and other days I think I'm gonna have to get out and push it up the same hills.

 

Do you always but your weekly gas at a different station than when you go to relieve some stress? I have found certain stations take more care with what is in their storage tanks than others. There is one local station that reduces my wifes mileage by 5 MPG. She has a 2002 Caravan with the 3.3 V-6. Needless to say we no longer go there.

Another question - Does this seem to happen after you have recently filled up, and does the truck run better below 3/4 tank? I've seen when there is not enough air in the tank, the fuel flow can slow down because something has to replace the gas volume and air is what it needs. A full tank has less ability to compensate for the used fuel than say a tank that is half full.

Just thinking outside the box in an effort to help diagnose what is going on.

Good luck.

 

Naw I always get gas at the same place. I never thought about the fuel flow idea. That's a good one. I usually try to go on a 1/4 of a tank or less due to weight. Maybe it's a mental thing. I just notice that it boggs horribly at the track, but not on the street. Of course it could be difference in air quality too.

 

Try running the tank down earlier in the week so you dont have to drive that long before going to the track. Always better if the engine and tranny are cooler when making passes. I like to make my passes with the engine temps around 140-160 deg. Weather conditions can change quickly. The barometer could of dropped by the time you got there.
Track conditions make a big difference as well. Mine would run faster ets if the track wasnt too well prepped (unless too cold) I run 12.5" ET streets and skinny drag fronts at the track so traction is usually pretty good. If they have sprayed a lot of VHT the track is so sticky it can slow you down as well. Try different launch rpms off the line.

 

I usually have the hood up in between passes and sometimes I even push the truck to the line before I start it to keep it cool. As far as launching I've tried stalling it and just punching it and neither seem to work any better than the other. I'm some my problem is that I don't have any cats so theres no back pressure.

 

lol i think its just bad lucky, the same thing happens to me. one day it will feel like its got more power then god and another day or even an hour later it feels like im pulling a trailer around. i still have yet to figure it out but like RM Indy said i betting it has to do with the weather and the gas

 

My truck feels a lot faster driving and ripping up and down the road, but at the track when I see them funny cars runnin 7's. I feel like a retard, I just went there once with her to have fun.