How much does a 215 lb passenger affect performance?

[black mamba1]

I am just curious about something...

I was racing a stock SRT the other night, he was alone and I had a 215 lb passenger with me. I pulled him, but only once I got passed 3500-4000 rpm in second gear. I have 528 rwhp, so I have him by by at least 80-90 rwhp. I have never raced another SRT before, but I come across Vettes and Porsches all the time. I pull them too, and pass them like they simply quit racing. Not this time.

Does 215 additional lbs counter 80-90 rwhp that significantly?

 

[plumcrazy]

easy to find out, kick the guy out and race the other SRT again...

 

[black mamba1]

easy to find out, kick the guy out and race the other SRT again...

Funny thing is that is exactly what we are to do today. We drove around last night, but he kept avoiding the highway, would not get on it no matter what...I wonder why?

 

[plumcrazy]

keep us posted on this scientific testing..

 

[black mamba1]

Well I think this explains it:

The Gen 4 has a 20% hp/lb advantage over the Gen 3 and better transmission. Gen 4's are averaging 11.7 in the 1/4 mile, roughly .3 better than most Gen 3 times I have seen. W/ the extra passenger, I had a 11.7% hp/lb advantage. That explains why even though I pulled him, it was not in the monstrous way I am used to.

I was at 7.25 lb/rwhp. He was at 8.21 lb/rwhp. w/out the passenger I am at 6.8 lb/rwhp. We will see what happens today!

 

[Joseph Dell]

The answer depends on whether she is yelling at you to "slow down" or egging you on saying 'go, go, go!!!!!'

100lb= .1 in the 1/4 I think. something like that (as a rule of thumb). so shave 500lbs and you can shave .5 off an ET. Or in this case, tell her to put down the doritos and GET OUT while you race!

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Try to keep the same level of gas in the tank for a good comparison.

 

[Malu59RT]

Well I think this explains it:

The Gen 4 has a 20% hp/lb advantage over the Gen 3 and better transmission. Gen 4's are averaging 11.7 in the 1/4 mile, roughly .3 better than most Gen 3 times I have seen. W/ the extra passenger, I had a 11.7% hp/lb advantage. That explains why even though I pulled him, it was not in the monstrous way I am used to.

I was at 7.25 lb/rwhp. He was at 8.21 lb/rwhp. w/out the passenger I am at 6.8 lb/rwhp. We will see what happens today!

So you were racing a 2008? Most of those are putting down more than 528whp aren't they?

Jason

 

[FikseGTS]

the extra 200 pounds will cost you about 2 car lengths from 0-122 MPH......

 

[MikeR]

Like others mentioned, 200 lbs would equate to .2 tenths lost in 1/4 mile. Might be less where your already at speed and roll on. But I can vouch that a passenger hurts. ILLSMOQ and me at one point were about 20 rwhp different. One day he is cruising with his cousin, about 200lb guy. Well nrmally Kurtis would pull me slightly. With his passenger I actually was pulling him. We tried a couple times. At the time, neither one of us thought about the passenger.

Anyways, anytime I knew i was going to run someone, I made sure not to have a passenger.

But theres a easy fix for that, get your Paxton already.....

 

[ILLSMOQ]

Like others mentioned, 200 lbs would equate to .2 tenths lost in 1/4 mile. Might be less where your already at speed and roll on. But I can vouch that a passenger hurts. ILLSMOQ and me at one point were about 20 rwhp different. One day he is cruising with his cousin, about 200lb guy. Well nrmally Kurtis would pull me slightly. With his passenger I actually was pulling him. We tried a couple times. At the time, neither one of us thought about the passenger.

Anyways, anytime I knew i was going to run someone, I made sure not to have a passenger.

But theres a easy fix for that, get your Paxton already.....

also...MikeR would never fill his gas tank more than half way in order to keep his car lighter.

 

[Twister]

Without my 270 pound passanger I ran consistent 11.9-12.1's at 119-121 mph..

Then still on the same night with him in the car adding 270 pounds I ran 12.2-12.4 at 117-119 mph..

Gas was under an 1/4 tank on all the runs..

With the stock SRT10 you ran it just depends on a lot of factors....

Was it a 2003 SRT10 vert..These are the fastest in stock form running high 11's much more frequently than the other years...

A 2003 with 460 rwhp stock is not unherd of...In that case your 530 rwhp SRT10 would have a 70 rwhp advantage...But a 200 plus pound passanger would make that more like an 50 rwhp advantage...


Then what gears and mph where you starting in...A good driver can start in second gear at 60 mph but it takes balls and extremely quick shifting...Most prefer third gear as it's much easier/safer...

But if he's a good driver and started in second gear at 60 mph while you were in third gear at 60 mph this would also explain quite a bit..

My SRT10 was a light bolt on with 470 rwhp and my friends ROE 1997 had 540 rwhp...But I could start in second while he literally had to start in third at 60 mph...The results was me being only 2 cars behind at 120 mph...

 

[1TONY1]

You guys sure have some nice sized women

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

It’s ballast.

 

[black mamba1]

Thanks guys, this really explains quite a bit to me. When my wife and I go hunting on Sunday morning we annihilate everything we come across. And while I did pull my buddy, it was nothing like what I was used to. My buddy has an 04 SRT, red, simply gorgeous.

We were supposed to hook up yesterday...but he was MIA.

hmmmm.....

 

[SSG CHIC]

So you mean to tell me that my car is only faster because I weigh a whopping 100lbs. Great news!! That means when the hubby gets his Viper, I'll always win the race!! You guys are a wealth of knowledge!! Don't tell him, ok? Thanks!

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

So you mean to tell me that my car is only faster because I weigh a whopping 100lbs. Great news!! That means when the hubby gets his Viper, I'll always win the race!! You guys are a wealth of knowledge!! Don't tell him, ok? Thanks!

100lbs? That like my wife, how tall are you? I had to make her a booster seat.

She drives it as much as I.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Black Mamba.

On of the reasons you did not pull him till you got to 3500-4000 rpm is that is where your extra HP from Tator comes on due to improved breathing. That is where your extra HP begins to shine.

Down low the extra hp is smaller and thereby offset by the additional weight.

 

[SSG CHIC]

100lbs? That like my wife, how tall are you? I had to make her a booster seat.

She drives it as much as I.

I'm 5'0. And, shockingly, I do ok without the booster seat but what a brilliant thought! The great part is that I can ride with the top down and the windows down and my hair doesn't get messed up. I love it!

 

[black mamba1]

Black Mamba.

On of the reasons you did not pull him till you got to 3500-4000 rpm is that is where your extra HP from Tator comes on due to improved breathing. That is where your extra HP begins to shine.

Down low the extra hp is smaller and thereby offset by the additional weight.

I believe you are absolutely correct. I can feel the "boost-like" kick when I get to like 3500 rpm..and she just surges...but not like the forced induction guys out there!

 

[black mamba1]

the extra 200 pounds will cost you about 2 car lengths from 0-122 MPH......

Great info...I would love to know how you can be that precise. Is there some kind of data or formula for that?

But thanks!

 

[GTSRboy2000]

my freind told me that about 100lbs=15hp, so having a 215 pounds guy is the same as driving alone with 31 less horsepower

 

[FikseGTS]

a lot of drag racing at the track with and without passengers..... 200 pounds in a 3300-4000 pound car is usually worth about 2/10 in the 1/4 mile, which is about 2 car lengths.....

Great info...I would love to know how you can be that precise. Is there some kind of data or formula for that?

But thanks!

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

I'm 5'0. And, shockingly, I do ok without the booster seat but what a brilliant thought! The great part is that I can ride with the top down and the windows down and my hair doesn't get messed up. I love it!

So that's the secret.

 

[black mamba1]

my freind told me that about 100lbs=15hp, so having a 215 pounds guy is the same as driving alone with 31 less horsepower

I see, very good observation. Gas weighs around 9.9 lbs/gallon, right?

 

[SSG CHIC]

So that's the secret.

It's one of the few times in my life that my size has been an advantage!!