Do I have a Freeway Flyer?

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Snap
Getting Hooked!
Location: Newberg, Oregon
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Do I have a Freeway Flyer?

Post by Snap » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:00 pm

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?
-Snap

'70 Type II
9 Passenger
1641 DP
Solex- 34 PICT 3

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Amskeptic
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IAC "Help Desk"
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Re: Do I have a Freeway Flyer?

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:07 pm

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
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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