If you try to launch too often or fail miserably roughly what is the cost of replacing the differential?

 

Thanks for the insights...My car is actually a 2002, so no CDV. I guess I was mainly wondering if I was being overly cautious in not wanting to do anything other than a normal 1500rpm take off....but it looks like in this car its go for it or or stress all the components with a mild no wheel spin start.

 

I think it depends on the surface and tires. On asphalt I can launch all day. On concrete I burn the clutch, so I don't even try anymore.

 

Your choices are the all-out-spin or the damaging-and-slow bog. Since the spin is not only faster but safer, no-brainer to me.

 

yeah give it a little spin, it will be alright.

 

~$400-500 for a used, unmolested diff.

If you're reasonably handy, you can swap the whole pumpkin yourself. Otherwise figure another ~$400-600 for installation.

~$3000 if you show up to a Honda dealership and ask them to put a new one in.

 

Oh, and a few people (myself included) will "preload" the diff before the actual launch. To get all the teeth meshed and touching on the leading edge. Basically creep up and don't let the car roll back before launching.

 

I would think for most Autocross events you launching super hard wont make that much of a difference. Usually they setup the start gates back from the first set of timing lights, which give you a chance to get up to speed before you trip them.

John

 

What's a reasonable way to accelerate quickly from a stoplight? I'm having trouble bogging when I'm trying to get off the line quickly to change lanes or something.

Do I need to just slip the clutch a lot until I hit 3K-4K RPM?

 

Kind of funny this thread was posted. My last car was a FWD car that I had MANY autox launches on and was actually pretty good at getting it to hook up (1.9xx 60' at the Pro-solo last year).

Ever since I have had the S2k I have yet to launch it, just have really never felt the need and would hate to bust my differential. The other day a friend and I were out in the country and found a perfect stop sign with some nice gravel free pavement, so I thought what the heck . So I bumped it up to 6k and launched just like I did with my K-civic (a little slip until the tires hook up and then off the clutch and full throttle). Next thing I know I am bouncing off of the rev-limiter and not moving, it took me a second to realize something was not right and to let off . My buddy thought I messed the car up really bad, but I knew right away that it was the clutch, sure enough the horid smell of cat piss . I took and did a couple of hard pulls in each gear to see if the clutch would let lose, and it held, so I figured I got lucky this time.

To say the least I will go at it a bit less agressive next time until I figure this thing out. Honestly though I would have never imagined it would have done that, I have never had a clutch let lose like that, if I would have not let off it would have never hooked up period. I have to think it had alot to do with the CDV, is there any special way to launch with one???