ragging a stock 1600? - when do you change gear?

[Loxy]

The Plan:
After going through my spares I carry in the bus, I decided to fit a NOS Halfords purchased Lucas 4500 RPM rev limiting rotor arm that was in there just to see at what point it cut in (out) and whether I had been driving the bus too hard.

The Details:
Engine is the original 1600TP totally stock other than a Turbo Thomas Stainless header & Turbo muffler & pertronix ignitor (vacuum advance dizzy), never rebuilt 52000 miles on it, stock gearbox (CE? code)
Bear in mind that I have 175/65/14 front tyres (~10% smaller than stock) and stock tyres on the rear - all readings taken from speedo.

The Results:
when I used to change up a gear (both before & after exhaust swap):
1st - ~10mph
2nd ~30mph
3rd 55-60mph
4th usually stick to ~65mph except for overtaking

4500 RPM limits
1st - didnt try it (will try later)
2nd cuts out at 31mph
3rd cuts out at 52mph
4th still going strong at 72mph

The Outcome:
I guess from now on I will have to re-adjust my gear changing from 3rd-4th!! as it appears I was giving it a bit more than factory spec stick :shock: I'm also going to take the GPS on a drive next week to get some more accurate figures.

Questions:
Does anyone know how accurate the rpm limiting rotor arms are (still waiting for my tacho to turn up - thanks Royal Snail).

What speeds do you change gear at in your bus (what engine/gearbox)?

 

[Tofufi]

1600 engine and box, stock except for monza (sorry!) exhaust.

change up on average:

from 1st gear - 8-10mph.

from 2nd gear, 15-20, sometimes 25.

from 3rd between 20 and 35 - I feel bad doing more than 40 in 3rd gear.

I generally cruise at 50 on motorways according to my speedo (stock wheels + tyres) but I have been up to 80 on the flat before. Scary!

Obviously all the above depends on load, gradient etc and what speed I am trying to get to / type of road.

Bear in mind I'm known as "the secret love child of captain slow" so I probably don't drive too fast

edit: oh, and I'm in a tintop microbus so not a lot of heavy interior to lug around And the engine is freshly rebuilt and has a fair amount of torque.

edit again: your speedo will over-read a bit anyway because you have the smaller tyres. In theory ( ) mine should be a bit more accurate.

 

[Wannabay]

At a recent techenders meet, one of the guys with a stock engine + progressive weber carb, had a rev counter which at 4,500 rpm indicated changes similar to yours using the cut out rotor arm - can't remember what 1=>2 was but definitely 2=>3 at 30 then 3=>4 at 50 mph, maxing out just over 70

prior to knowing that, I had been changing up similar to Tofufi, but it's alot more fun keeping the revs up

my van's lowered and has low profile tyres, can't remember what size, but on a recent run, I checked my speed against a mate's van running on stock wheels/height - when he was doing 60, my speedo indicated 65-70; so I guess my speedo is 10% optimistic due to my smaller wheels - so no trouble with the speed cameras then............... :twisted:

 

[Tofufi]

prior to knowing that, I had been changing up similar to Tofufi, but it's alot more fun keeping the revs up

It is a lot more fun keeping the revs up... but I sometimes feel a bit mean.

My van is surprisingly sprightly in 1st and 2nd gear when you put your foot down

I daren't work out my fuel economy now, let alone with revving it that hard too often

I have managed to get my beetle down to 18MPG around town from the usual 28-30 by putting my foot down a bit too often :lol: