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Speed limiter question

5K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  EDXR6 
#1 ·
Hello peeps, this is my first post after lurking for a while.

I was wondering what was the reason for the 180 km/h speed limiter placed on most recent falcons (including my EF). It is an automatic, stock 6 cyl Futura (well, except for being lowered 30mm with 16" ROH azzuros). I have heard it is the auto transmission itself, and I have also heard it is to do with the driveshaft - to be able to handle higher speeds it would have to go up in diameter, but there is no room for it to fit.

I understand the manual versions don't have a limiter? Which models do and don't?

Finally, is there anything that can be replaced/upgraded to enable the removal of the limiter?

This is just theoretical for me, I really don't see myself doing 180+ in my car (unless I took it to a track or went to the NT :) , but it's just kinda depressing - a psychological thing, like the car's been neutered or something. Do you know what I'm getting at?
 
#2 ·
The limiter came in with the ED. No flat rule can apply for which cars do have it, I had a friend with an ED GLI auto and it had it, I had an ED Gli Auto (X cop) and it didnt. Manual do have it also (XG, XH ute I drove) XR's ED and EF I know don't. It's in the management system, even disconnecting the speedo will not get around it. I heard reason is tailshaft wobble, some cars must be balanced better than others I guess.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply BOF. I guess some shmicko, balanced new tailshaft would be needed. I've seen mention of speed limiter removal being done at chiptorque and also by the powerchip people.

I think I'll just spend my money on making it quicker getting to 180...
 
#5 ·
I noticed that about 2 years ago when i had an EF, after a big fight with the ex, and storming off, i found out about the speed limmiter. it shocked the sence back in to me to slow the hell down.

you will actualy find it's mentioned in the user manual for the car. my nf's manual says about it being there because "the cars not designed to go more than 180km/h, damage will result if it exceeds this limmit. its not recomended to tamper with the speed limmiter or serious injury or death may result" or something like that
 
#6 ·
The driveshaft is one issue.Remember the diff ratios are going higher[lower geared] and over drive in gearbox actually make the d/shaft rev much higher than the old 4/ 3 speed auto's of the past. Most the old V8 5:8's had 2:7 final drive std and no o/d.Now the f/ drive is 3:45 or there abouts..With the overdrive the d/shaft is actually rotating faster than engine..
They have had a few problems with whip and the front yoke smashing out.Bad news..But I figure it's more to do with ballancing.I see the faster unlimited cars have alloy shafts..
Utes too!!

The other issue is safety.For a start the brakes.Then handling.The last thing a manufacterer wants is there cars known to be coffins on wheels..Pluss duty of care and all that sh!t..
To make you feel better my W.R.X [Jap import] is speed limited to 180 also. How many of them have you seen in bad accidents,though mainly stollen and driven by people with stuffall experiance. Be something to do with compliance too like there is no point having a car that will do 260Klh and have 298mm brakes would there?The brakes on Falcon's are just good enough for 160, IFF THAT!!
 
#7 ·
I have an EF Wagon 5 speed, limiter came in at 180km/h. They say it's cause of tail shaft vibs, but seems bloody smooth when i drive at around 180km/h. I reckon 200km/h would be ok.
 
#8 ·
I have an ED XR8 ex police unit and it does not have a speed limit at all I have on many occasions been past the 200kph mark not knowing what I am actually doing.
One quick and easy way to remove the speed limit is to disconnect or to add a switch to the VSS input to the EEC processor, this will remove the speed limit and also give a more responsive (dashpot, engine rev down) when in decel.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for the replies folks.

I understand quite a lot of Japanese cars are limited to 180 - Skyline GTRs, hot Subarus and all. I think it is a government thing. I also think the little Kei-class cars like the Mira, Handivan, that size, are limited to 130. Wouldn't wan't to be doing more than 130 in one of those anyway :p

ebxr8240, you have a good point there regarding the brakes.

It's all academic to me, I drive like a grandpa most of the time - the fastest I've had my car would be ~130 during an overtake...
 
#11 ·
Belive me you don't want to be in a car doing 190+kmph when the autogearbox explodes...

Its for a reason.

Driveline mostly, other safety issues come with it too, like tyres ,few tyres accually like travelling for hours at low pressure (most people are slack) at 200+ kmph... Brakes are a minor concern, but 5 year old fluid will boil like water on a hot plate.

Fairlanes/long wheel base have the longest single peice tailshaft in the world. No wonder there are vibration problems.

Driving at 200Kmph takes alot of effort in Australian made cars. Most of them are more designed to sit at 120-140 not 200+kmph.

Germans however are famous for filling a car up, driving it at the maxium speed (255 userally) until the tank becomes empty. Most non german cars aren't very good at that. Slow down for a couple of slow drivers and your brakes will fade, after 1 hour at 6500 rpm many engines can get sick or use up too much petrol..

My car uses ~18 l per 100km @ 210kmph. More unaerodynamic the more fuel you will use.
 
G
#12 ·
The reason why current Falcon's are limited is that the critical whirl speed of the tailshaft is reached just above 180km/h. All Falcon's have a steel tailshaft, with the exception of XRs which have an aluminium one - this is why XRs do not have a limiter. Utes and Longwheel base vehicles have the longer tailshaft, and athough some have an aluminium tailshaft (as does my XR ute), they still have the limiter due to the extra-length reducing critical whirl speed to something like a steel tailshaft.
 
#13 ·
I reckon all the utes xh^ would have the aluminium shaft, mine has, its just a plain old auto S pack.
Wouldnt ford make the alloy shafts to decrease the rotating weight, thus improving fuel economy/preformance.
Anyway 180kmh in one of these utes is madness with the stock suspension, near 8in of travel...!, I fixed that, no problem now very smooth and solid compared to my old xf sedan at that speed...
 
#14 ·
Yeah i've noticed that as well, since the lowering of my wagon it feels much more planted at high speeds. That front spoiler style bumper is doing it's job. Bloody awesome. :thup: :thup: :thup:

Does it's job on speed humps as well. :whoaa: :whoaa:
 
G
#15 ·
The EBGT and ELGT have a carbon fibre wrapped ally tailshaft for this reason. The std. ally shaft will vibrate to such a degree as to break the extension housing on the gearbox. Long wheelbase vehicles have an increased problem with the whip in the shaft occurring earlier in the speed range.

As EDxr8EBgt says you can disconnect the VSS pin from the EEC but it will affect dashpot functions. So if you have a switch inline to pin6(V8) or pin3(I6) you can turn it off when you hit about 160 odd K's and just keep accelerating. This is especially useful for guy's with 4.0 auto's(also AU up V8's aswell)which need the VSS for gearbox shift control. So you can turn it back on once you get under 180 again and the gearbox will know what to do again.

Or you can use an EEC-Tuner and simply turn it off.

Pete.
 
#16 ·
EF_GuY just wants to tryout the EF doing 205km/h. The EA Wagon S pack in a 5 speed with 139kw can do 205km/h, sedans can do 215km/h.

I'm sure at 205km/h no pulsar or cars alike would even be close. :s6: :s6: :s6:
 
#18 ·
Drive shaft fix

While at the D.B.A tour a couple of weeks ago I got talking to a South African guy Rob Mildren and he said to get hold of Barry Wallis at Uni Drive/Hardy Spicer.Said ask about metal matrix shaft for Ford non irs. As per South Africa.. I don't know where Sydney or Melbourn ??? But he gave me his Email address.
rob.mildrenhall@capricorn.com.au

EF guy I wouldn'y underestimate any 16 valve esp manual and size12 big right foot !! Hahaha
 
#19 ·
I went to alice springs last year - WOO HOO NO SPEED LIMIT and hundreds of klm of boring flat smooooth roads, and my eb v8 auto happily wound out past the 199 mark, not sure of exact speed as digi dash will only go to 199 and stay there:s5
 
#20 ·
BTW

A mate of mine bought a brand new xg falcon ute and was driving it home and wanted to test max speed. The motor in the ute SHUT DOWN and switched itself off......and he shite himself, dont know wheter it was cos he had no power steer, or cos he thought he just blew his motor.

needless to say, he never did it again.
 
#21 ·
Sort of on the topic

I guess this is sort of on the topic, but i thought it was funny to see the speedo in my sprint bouncing off the bottom of the cluster and she was still pulling at 4000rpm. The dude who owned it before reckoned he had a gps in it one time and it was doing 230. Just gotta find me a gps :)
 
#22 ·
Hinchi:: The speed is easy to work out, drop back to 2000 rpm in the same gear and double it !! You might sh!t yourself!![1/2 rpm so you can read speedo ]
That model didn't have speed limiter..
 
#23 ·
i have a ED XR6 and have had it over 180 a few times and have felt a slight vibration from the car and havn't dont it scince, but i have a friend who has a ED XR8 sprint and we have had that off the clock many times and it feels smooth at those speeds, so i guess it just comes down to the quality of your car as well ????
 
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