rev limiter on 1.8?

[nhallman]

I have a stock 75 1.8 that I autocross regularly. It was a particularly quick course Saturday and I didn't have time to look at the tach. I went past redline on a few occasions in first gear and heard the motor give the quick burp-burp-burp noise that one usually associates with a rev limiter... but I didn't think there was one on the car... so I suppose that could be the sound of floating valves [gulp]. I went and searched through past posts but couldn't find anything on whether there's a rev limiter on the stock motor.

So... three questions:

1. Is there, in fact, a rev limiter?

2. If not, what was that sound, and how much damage have I done? (the car still runs fine).

3. If not, can anyone recommend a good rev limiter that won't disqualify me from SCCA C-Stock class?

Thanks!

[John Rogers]

You might have the rev-limiting rotor inside the distributor? You can pop the dist cap and the rev- limiting rotor is a lot bigger than the stock rotor. Engine damage usually is caused by down shifting to the wrong gear, I.E. going into 2nd instead of 4th! Any rev limiting device is legal for the SCCA stock classes, although a shift light such as the large Autometer light works well and is bright enough to get your attention when you're looking at the track and not the dash. Good luck.

[nhallman]

hmm... I'll check for the rotor, though I don't have a stock one to compare it to... is it enough bigger that I could tell from a photo? Anyone have a photo of a stock setup?

[rockaria]

Best description is this:

Stock: Slim looking
Rev Lim: Fat looking

You'll know when you see it.

[rockaria]

Or you could look in the Pelican on-line catalog!


Stock:



Rev Lim:

[Pete_75]

I belive the 1.8 (L-jet) rev limiter is built in to the ECU and works by disabling the fuel injectors, rather than disabling spark.

Pete Klager
'75 914 1.8L

[tbil]

Look for a spring loaded piece on top of the roter that travels out to create a short when the centrifugal force gets too high. The non rev limiting rotor doesn't have this additiional configuration.

If you don't have one, I suggest you pick up one as it's only a few additional bucks from PP. It's saved me a few times...

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Some of the 75-76 2.0s (probably those with catalytic converters) had a fuel-cutoff relay that plugged into the FI wiring harness. It would interrupt the signals from the FI trigger points when those got fast enough.

I don't know if any or all of the 1.8s had a fuel cutoff built in or not. The larger distributor rotor pictured above is the rev-limiting kind, and works as has already been said.

--DD