Notices
Series I Tech Garage The place to discuss anything technical about the RX-8 that doesn't fit into any of the categories below.

Increasing max speed/removing the governor

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 12-28-2004, 11:18 AM
  #1  
WW8P6OLBJD?
Thread Starter
 
baseballgenius80's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Swansea, IL
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Increasing max speed/removing the governor

Just curious if anyone has tried this or knows how to do it.....

This past weekend I wanted to find the top speed of my 8. So on a 20 mile straight away (yes, more than enough road than I needed) I figured I'd find out. I reached 131 mph in 5th gear ranging in the high 7000s of the rpm range. However, once I hit that speed, the governor kicked in and wouldn't let me go higher. I was a little P.O.'ed since I still had 6th gear to go through.

Does anyone know if there is a way to remove the governor and replace it with a different chip? Or is there possibly a way to change the settings so it is set to cut out at a higher speed or even not to cut out at all?

I am a rookie at all this, so please try and explain to me in simple form.

Thanks for all your help in this.

Phil
Old 12-28-2004, 11:36 AM
  #2  
czr
RX8 RX8!
iTrader: (3)
 
czr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Max Speed is 147 but you could probably go a little more downhill.. more than enough for daily driving.
Old 12-28-2004, 11:36 AM
  #3  
Registered User
 
Totaled_RX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i had a 2004 yellow rx8 and i got it up to 155 and no governor kicked in
Old 12-28-2004, 11:38 AM
  #4  
czr
RX8 RX8!
iTrader: (3)
 
czr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Totaled_RX8
i had a 2004 yellow rx8 and i got it up to 155 and no governor kicked in
lol. How fast were you going when it was totalled?
Old 12-28-2004, 11:40 AM
  #5  
Registered
 
magixpuma's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 808
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
According to what i hear the only thing govning us spec rx8 is the engines power.
Old 12-28-2004, 12:42 PM
  #6  
Banned
 
Broke_Apex_Seal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well I had my 8 on the dyno over 195mph. No limiter here.....
Old 12-28-2004, 01:00 PM
  #7  
RainMan is Back
 
brothervoodoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 2,650
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can't recall exactly but didn't someone mention it was limited in 5th gear (mechanically or govenor) but not in 6th? Really, how fast do you need to go anyway...
Old 12-28-2004, 01:02 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
Totaled_RX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i was goin 50 when i totaled i got t boned by sum *** that ran a red light
Old 12-28-2004, 01:19 PM
  #9  
Lubricious
 
Nubo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: SF Bay Area, California
Posts: 3,425
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
I recall that the US version is "drag-limited", meaning the only limitation is engine power vs. aerodynamic drag. Will depend on how much power you're making, altitude, humidity, how clean the car is, body modifications, etc. You won't reach top speed in 6th gear.
Old 12-28-2004, 02:22 PM
  #10  
My doctor prescribed RX-8
 
devoid's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Is it safe to say Ohio yet?
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is an easy fix....drive in a vacuum! :D The US version isn't supposed to be governed!
Old 12-28-2004, 02:35 PM
  #11  
Screw gas mileage
 
Gambit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Marlton, NJ
Posts: 2,179
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
you can't drive in a vacuum, there's no air to burn fuel
Old 12-29-2004, 12:30 PM
  #12  
Registered User
 
Darien's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
speed cut

what ways are there to get rid of the cut off either than changing ECU???
n how much does a new ECU cost??
Old 12-29-2004, 12:59 PM
  #13  
Administrator
 
zoom44's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: portland oregon
Posts: 21,958
Received 115 Likes on 88 Posts
what speed cut?
Old 12-29-2004, 01:16 PM
  #14  
Lawyer in training :)
 
markd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 913
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hopefully you mean the 125mph auto governor and not the 155mph manual limiter. Couldn't imagine needing to go any faster than 155.
Old 12-29-2004, 02:59 PM
  #15  
Registered User
 
speedaholic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: jakarta
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
my 8 is JDM version, it have speed limiter at 180 km/h and I instaled HKS speed de-limiter and so far I hit 245 km/h but it still going faster
Old 12-29-2004, 11:53 PM
  #16  
Registered User
 
Darien's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the one we have ere..is the japanese spec....speed cut at 180km/h ..so i need to find a solution ....180km/h is just too slow
Old 12-30-2004, 02:42 AM
  #17  
Int'l Man of Mystery
 
Japan8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Darien
the one we have ere..is the japanese spec....speed cut at 180km/h ..so i need to find a solution ....180km/h is just too slow
If you have the Japanese ECU, then just order a speed limit/Rev limit cutter from one of the Japanese tuners. Some make "plug and play" solutions and others do ECU reflashes. Rmagic, Knight Sports, RE Amemiya, RE Revolution, Fujita Engineering (FEED) are a few to start with.
Old 12-30-2004, 03:14 AM
  #18  
'RX-EIGHT'
 
RXE16T's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
HKS Speed Limit Defencer should solve your problem.

http://www.hksusa.com/products/?id=781&rsku=
Old 12-30-2004, 12:50 PM
  #19  
WW8P6OLBJD?
Thread Starter
 
baseballgenius80's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Swansea, IL
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you for everyone's suggestions. If you are wondering why I'm wanting to drive this fast, it is only because I want to find the limits of this superior machine. On the vacuum idea, you think Eureka or Dirt Devil my want to work with me on this? I'm sure it would be great PR.

Thanks again to all, and happy new year!
Old 12-30-2004, 12:54 PM
  #20  
Administrator
 
zoom44's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: portland oregon
Posts: 21,958
Received 115 Likes on 88 Posts
merged 2 threads that were on the same topic. also thought you all might want to check out this thread about the hks defencer.
Old 12-31-2004, 12:22 AM
  #21  
Registered User
 
Totaled_RX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
why get a sports car then if ur not gonna go fast.... i wanna go at leas 200 in a car
Old 12-31-2004, 12:26 AM
  #22  
czr
RX8 RX8!
iTrader: (3)
 
czr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Totaled_RX8
why get a sports car then if ur not gonna go fast.... i wanna go at leas 200 in a car
I've only been in the 130's but what would be the difference between 150's and 200's. And assuming you live in the US, where the hell would you go that fast?
Old 12-31-2004, 10:03 AM
  #23  
Registered
 
Gord96BRG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 2,845
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by baseballgenius80
I reached 131 mph in 5th gear ranging in the high 7000s of the rpm range. However, once I hit that speed, the governor kicked in and wouldn't let me go higher.
The misinformation in this thread is amazing.

Here's the real facts:
- In 5th gear, there is NO governor - you should be able to hit the rev limiter in 5th, which is around 148 mph.
- In 6th gear, there IS a limit at 148 mph. This isn't some random number - Mazda chose 240 km/h as the limiter speed, which happens to equate to ~148 mph.
- It's German car manufacturers VW, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi who have a voluntary agreement to limit top speeds to 155 mph (actually, 250 km/h). Porsche has never been part of that agreement. Mazda has nothing to do with it, and as mentioned uses a 240 km/h limit.

Baseballgenius80, there may have been some other factor kicking in to limit your top speed (slope of road, headwind, safe mode in engine if running too hot, etc), but it wasn't the rev limiter.

Regards,
Gordon
Old 01-01-2005, 12:41 AM
  #24  
The Dark Dope
 
Batmobile1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bellingham,WA
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
huh.....man...Ii got past 130 in my nearly stock mx-6 surely you folks possess the cajones to let the 8 stretch its legs?
Old 01-03-2005, 11:35 AM
  #25  
WW8P6OLBJD?
Thread Starter
 
baseballgenius80's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Swansea, IL
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks Gordon,

That's pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for all the information. At the time when I reached my top speed (so I thought) it felt as if a governor was kicking in. Like I said, I'm a rookie at this, so it helps that you cleared that up for me.

Thanks again!


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Increasing max speed/removing the governor



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:24 PM.