THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

sooooo, I just brought home a 710M and I managed to trundle down the highway at just about 70 mph ... no idea if i'm spinning the engine too fast at that speed or not. I do intend to put a tach in there eventually, but i'd like to have SOME idea of just how fast I can rev the engine. i know it's not a sportscar and I don't want to drive it like one, but some idea about it's capabilities in this area would be nice.

and while I'm at it ... anyone have a recommendation for a tachometer? it' s converted to the "usual" electronic ignition, still has the military plugs and cap.

thanks in advance

jim
'73 pinz
'02 hyundai accent
'81 fiat x1/9
'02 ducati monster

If you keep doing 70mph, you will smoke your pistons! Cruise at 50mph all day long but don't take it over 60mph for more than SHORT bursts. These things redline at 4,500 RPM!!!!

Twin Pinzies wrote:If you keep doing 70mph, you will smoke your pistons! Cruise at 50mph all day long but don't take it over 60mph for more than SHORT bursts. These things redline at 4,500 RPM!!!!

there are numerous web sites that document the top speed at something higher than the 50 mph you suggest ... depending on the tire size. there's quite a variety of opinion out there about just how fast a (mostly) stock one of these things will go

which is specifically why I asked for the redline ... not the top speed.

and I thankyou for the 4500 reply. that I can use.

still hoping for a tachometer suggestion ...

jim

http://www.pinzgauer.com/vdo-gauges.php Here you go

Erik712m wrote:http://www.pinzgauer.com/vdo-gauges.php Here you go

(whistles)

this is much more/better than I had hoped.

i thank you profoundly.

jim

Just a word of caution on the tach. It seems to vary by the truck how accurate they are. Mine is useless over 2500 RPM. It bounces all over, even when steady it's off by almost 1000 RPM at the upper range.

I have heard others here that had great luck with them. I have not really seen a correlation to the accuracy by the trucks set up (stock vs. civi ignition, pertronix, etc.).

The warning light on dash is supposed to come on at 4500 RPM. I've only seen it once (I wasn't even sure it worked). After hearing how bad the engine was screaming, I won't do that again.

todds112 wrote: ... The warning light on dash is supposed to come on at 4500 RPM.

Mine has never come on. I think I'll take a look and make sure the bulb is ok, just in case.

and thanks

i appreciate the info.

jim

the 4500 light should come on at start up for a quick second.. easy test for the bulb.

Does anyone know the dip switch settings on the back of the VDO tach? I want to check mine but can't find the manual. I wonder if accuracy is affected if they are set wrong? I'm sure it is.

Just hold it on the floor in neutral. It'll come on. It surprising how much noise there is at 4500 rpms... I think you need to be doing near 80mph in a 710 in 5th gear to get the light on. About 67 or so in a 712 if I remember right. Use a GPS and see. The tachs are so inaccurate. I had one and it was off like 800-1000 rpm after 2000. It was fine at idle basically ands that was it.

indigoth wrote:

Twin Pinzies wrote:If you keep doing 70mph, you will smoke your pistons! Cruise at 50mph all day long but don't take it over 60mph for more than SHORT bursts. These things redline at 4,500 RPM!!!!

there are numerous web sites that document the top speed at something higher than the 50 mph you suggest ... depending on the tire size. there's quite a variety of opinion out there about just how fast a (mostly) stock one of these things will go

which is specifically why I asked for the redline ... not the top speed.

and I thankyou for the 4500 reply. that I can use.

still hoping for a tachometer suggestion ...

jim

I didn't infer that the top speed was 50mph... read my post again. The top speed is stated by the manufacturer to be 100km/hr=62mph. The engine redlines at 4,500 rpm's. If you are doing 70 for any long distances, you will be on the side of the road wondering where that smoke is coming from!!

Twin Pinzies wrote:I didn't infer that the top speed was 50mph... read my post again. The top speed is stated by the manufacturer to be 100km/hr=62mph. The engine redlines at 4,500 rpm's. If you are doing 70 for any long distances, you will be on the side of the road wondering where that smoke is coming from!!

i read and reread your post several times. my initial question wasn't about road speed at all. it was about the engine's redline, which you answered and i'm thankful for. and, yes, I know what the manufacturer claims is the top speed ... again, with the stock/standard tires. mine aren't stock/standard which, regardless, still has nothing to do with the redline. I drove over 350 miles straight through at speeds well above 65 mph. no smoke of any kind, no bad noises, no knocks, no floating valves, no problems of any kind. I've been working on vehicles for over thirty years. I know what kinds of things happen when you over-rev an engine. nothing like that happened to me.

again I thank you for letting me know what the redline is ... that was perhaps the most important part of my question.

The accuracy of the VDO tach seems to be dependent on where the power is taken from. I had taken mine from the tap on the Dizzy and it was really wonky. I then took it from the tap on the battery lead as it goes to the starter and used the proper resistor to get it down to 12v and it is right on all the time.

Morris