Date:         Fri, 17 Oct 1997 14:53:51 -0400
Reply-To:     Sudhir Desai <cdes@WELCHLINK.WELCH.JHU.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Sudhir Desai <cdes@WELCHLINK.WELCH.JHU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: What is rpm @ 70 mph?
Comments: To: Budd Premack <bpremack@WAVETECH.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <199710160702.CAA04552@riptide.wavetech.net>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Thu, 16 Oct 1997, Budd Premack wrote:

> My 17 year old son is now the primary driver of our 84 Vanagon, with the
> standard 1.9 L, automatic transmission, and no tach.  In order to keep him
> from over-reving the engine, it would be helpful if he knew the rpms at 70
> mph, which is the top legal speed in this state.  (Of course, all of us
> remember that we never exceeded the speed limit when we were his age.)

what are ya tryin ta do?
make all a'us 17 year olds feel like we're not bein trusted?


my van is getting a bigger engine, and i'm getting a tach, but on the old
engine, there is a built in rev-limiter that kicks in at around 5500 rpm
but with an automatic, you can't go that fast anyway.

i live in maryland, and when my cousin and i drove to memphis where he
lives, we drove at 85mph the whole way, and nothing went wrong.  BTW we
were getting passed by caddies goin 90+

your son will know when the van is going too fast.  it shakes and starts
to steer worse and worse as you get to about 95mph.  That might be cause
of my tires but when i start getting the sensation that i am losing touch
with the road, i slow down.

for the tackometer, you can get an instrument panel from an '85 vanagon
because it has a tachometer standard.

good luck.

Sudhir H. Desai                         1984 VW Vanagon 3.4 liter ChevyV-6
cdes@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu            1996 Subaru Outback 2.2 liter flat-4
sudhir_desai@geocities.com              1997 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 liter i-6

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1889