1.8 Redline

[Mark LaBarre]

What is a resonable redline for an IT trim VW 1.8 litre? I used to be able to spin my 1.6 up as high as I wanted. It would pull all the way to 8K (where I'd chicken out).
Don't want to blow up my new motor, tho.

[Bill Miller]

Mark,

I don't think you should have a problem going to 7k w/ a properly built and balanced motor. But, an IT motor probably isn't making any power above 6k

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[Knestis]

We had the rev limiter on our full-nuts rally 8v set at 7200 but pretty much never used it. Peak HP is probably going to be lower than you think - in the neighborhood of 5500-5800rpm but you probably want to be able to run a little past it so you don't fall too far off on upshifts.

K

[Racerwrtr]

My dyno testing showed a peak HP at 5250 rpm and a pretty sharp drop off above 5900. As Kirk says, you want to be able to go a bit higher to avoid falling off the torque curve and also sometimes to save a shift, so I set my rev limiter at 6200 rpm at most tracks (6300 at some to avoid a shift. You can see the dyno curves and my gear chart in athe current (September 2004) issue of European Car Magazine in an article that starts on page 94. With our IT gearing I calculated the 2-3 shift should be at 6250 rpm, 3-4 at 6000 rpm and 4-5 at 6000 rpm for maximum acceleration.

Kevin Clemens
85 VW GTi

[MarcV]

Kevin,

Great article for a newbie like myself who bought a "race-ready" 85 GTI recently. I plan on going to the dyno myself this winter. Which issue has Part 1? I want to order a back issue.

Marc

[Bill Miller]

Originally posted by Racerwrtr:
My dyno testing showed a peak HP at 5250 rpm and a pretty sharp drop off above 5900. As Kirk says, you want to be able to go a bit higher to avoid falling off the torque curve and also sometimes to save a shift, so I set my rev limiter at 6200 rpm at most tracks (6300 at some to avoid a shift. You can see the dyno curves and my gear chart in athe current (September 2004) issue of European Car Magazine in an article that starts on page 94. With our IT gearing I calculated the 2-3 shift should be at 6250 rpm, 3-4 at 6000 rpm and 4-5 at 6000 rpm for maximum acceleration.

Kevin Clemens
85 VW GTi

Wow, EC actually did a recent article on something earlier than an A3? I subscribed to EC nee VW&P since '87, and dropped last year due to the fact that it had turned into just another 'rice rag'/.


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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[Mark LaBarre]

Thanks guys!
That's pretty much what I noticed when I had the car on track last, but wasn't sure if it was because it had 168,ooo miles on the engine. The thing just wouldn't pull like the old 1.6 past 6k

[Racerwrtr]

Thank you for the kind words. The first part of the series was in the August 2004 issue. The third part should (in theory) be in the Novemeber issue. Unfortunately for me,(but making a good story for readers), I have had significant engine problems with my Golf, and I have really tried to go about solving them in the way a "normal" IT racer might, including junkyard engines, etc. Anyway, I still believe that the BEST way to go is to buy a proven race ready car (with the caveat that no car you buy is ever really "race ready")

Kevin Clemens
85 VW GTi