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Do I have a Freeway Flyer?
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:00 pm
by Snap
I installed a tachometer during the last rebuild and noticed that the RPM in 4th was much lower than I expected. On the last trip I took, I noticed I could cruise at 70 mph turning 4000 rpm. I use to think I was over revving the engine but red line is at 4400. Is this correct? Do I have a freeway flyer and never knew it?
Re: Do I have a Freeway Flyer?
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:07 pm
by Amskeptic
Snap wrote:I installed a tachometer during the last rebuild and noticed that the RPM in 4th was much lower than I expected. On the last trip I took, I noticed I could cruise at 70 mph turning 4000 rpm. I use to think I was over revving the engine but red line is at 4400. Is this correct? Do I have a freeway flyer and never knew it?
That is typical for a stock '71 002 with the 5.375:1 rear axle.
Redline is not 4,400 rpm, that is the horsepower peak. Redline is closer to 5,200 rpm on the Type 1 engine, but good luck getting the poor thing to breathe enough to get there.
VW designed the Type 1 engines to run continuously at 3,900 rpm, about 65 mph installed in the early baywindow bus with 185-75 tires. In 1971, the dual port manifolds and doghouse cooler and different case metallurgy all allowed a cruising speed of 68 mph at 4,100 rpm.
Colin