Date:         Sun, 23 Apr 2000 18:51:01 -0400
Reply-To:     Carl Krucke <ckrucke@AWOD.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Carl Krucke <ckrucke@AWOD.COM>
Subject:      Re: Top sppeds
Comments: To: Zcoop1@AOL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>David Cooper <Zcoop1@AOL.COM> said:
>What is safe speed(engine wise) for 3rd and 4th gear in my 82 Westy?
>Since my Westy does not have a tach and the engine is a mile away it is
hard
>to get a true read on the engine rpms.  Any input?
>Coop

David, my 82 Vanagon L has little red dots on the speedometer to indicate
max safe rpms for all gears but 4th.  Third, I is about 53 mph.  I like my
license too much to find out about 4th....  ;-)

The manual that came with it says:
1st gear 0 to 15 mph
2nd gear 10 to 32 mph
3rd gear  15 to 52 mph
4th gear from 30 up.  Wow! no limit!  (yeah, right...)

Anyway, it also says, "If you have a traffic situation where it is necessary
to accelerate in 2nd and 3rd gear above the recomended speed ranges, you may
do so for a brief period only.  A governor is installed on the engine to
prevent damage from excessive engine speed (revolutions per minute)."

I still intend to put a real tach in someday...

Carl