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 :cool:

Max Speed is 147 but you could probably go a little more downhill.. more than enough for daily driving.

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?

According to what i hear the only thing govning us spec rx8 is the engines power.

Well I had my 8 on the dyno over 195mph. No limiter here.....

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...

i was goin 50 when i totaled i got t boned by sum ass that ran a red light

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.

This is an easy fix....drive in a vacuum! :D The US version isn't supposed to be governed!

you can't drive in a vacuum, there's no air to burn fuel

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??

what speed cut?

Hopefully you mean the 125mph auto governor and not the 155mph manual limiter. Couldn't imagine needing to go any faster than 155.

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

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.

HKS Speed Limit Defencer should solve your problem.

http://www.hksusa.com/products/?id=781&rsku=

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!

merged 2 threads that were on the same topic. also thought you all might want to check out this thread about the hks defencer.

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?

The misinformation in this thread is amazing. :rolleyes:

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

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?

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!

Two minor comments:

1) My (german) RX-8 so far topped at 253 km/h (approx. 153 mph). I also went beyond 240 km/h several times.

2) VW is not an official member of that agreement, they limit their cars at a higher speed. They don't have many cars that are that fast though. Besides that, the agreement is about to fall soon, and manufacturers start to leak "true" top speeds (e. g. 310 km/h for the new BMW M5, which is said to reach 270 km/h with limiter btw) and (inofficially) also offer to remove the limiter on request.

My rx8 is french.....i did 261 on a motorway it take long time to go faster than 250 , but she goes.....

Hi guys, i'd like to know if a speed limit cutter (like HKS or maybe piggy back ECUs such as Unichip and CZ) was installed on JDM models, would it show the actual speed of the car on the digital display? I have someone in the forum saying that even though you could be going say 210km/h, it'll only show 180km/h cause the computer's programmed to show up to 180km/h. Please advice...Thanks!!!

Does anyone else see the contradiction in bringing up the concept of "need" when discussing the RX-8's top speed while being an owner of an RX-8? The car, itself, satisfies no objective need. The RX-8's creation was based solely on "want". That's good enough for me.

CRH

good feedback charles, but i need objective answers not personal opinions on your psychological needs.

Hey V, if you read my post in the context of other responses you have received, I was giving support to the notion that other RX-8 owners who questioned your stated need to remove the speed governor were hypocrites in doing so. Apparently, you missed the point. Since you are quick to put me on the couch, which psychological needs (again with the word "need") are they you think I am satisfying here with my responses? If you get them correct, I'll promptly admit it.

CRH

ok charles, i could have read you wrongly, apologies. anyhow, i'm still curious about the digital reading for JDM cars if it should read the actual speed instead of showing around 180km +. cheers!

Have I ever exceeded the speed limit?
Sure! Only by 10 or 15 mph though!

Next time you feel the irresponsible "need" for speed on our public highways,
kindly notify me at 1-800-URA-RETARD so I can get my kids off the street!

This kind of speed is acceptable on the track but not on our streets.
Ask ER-DOC if he wants your business....
I'm sure he has a snow shovel with your name on it...

no offense here RX8 MD, but if you read where i'm from...it reads MALAYSIA. we have a F1 track here to test our cars, should we decide to go beyond what you describe as irresponsible. I think before you start criticizing other people's decision to 'break the law', do understand in what circumstances would this person be perfoming such dire acts. Anyhow, i'm just wondering if anybody knows about the actual readings on a JDM model should a RSM be installed. I am not here to ask for a hard time nor your personal opinions on how to be responsible on the road. thank you.

Well, Sir, forums are all about opinions.
My post was not directed towards track racers (you).
The original post of this thread states "he had 20 miles of open highway".

If you want to speed and endanger yourself,
thats fine,
I have no concern for what you do to yourself on the track.

Spend some time working in an ER putting broken bodies back together....

When you have to tell a parent that you couldn't save their 7 year old (who was
hit by a speeding driver).... I'll stop giving my opinion...

PS: if you don't like what I have to say, feel free to block my posts!

Now there is a definite "need". The need to preach.

CRH

I doubt the 7 year old was killed crossing "20 miles of open highway."

Going 10 to 15 miles over the speed limit can be dangerous in some instances. Going 140 on a straight away CAN be safer if the road conditions allow. People do it in Germany and Montana all the time. It can be done safely.

Start your own thread.

-Mr. Wigggles

I'd like to remove the laws of thermodynamics from my engine.

There is nothing I can say that will stop any of you from speeding and endangering the inocent....
After all, we're all in a mindset that "it'll never happen to me"....
I'm here to tell you "it does happen", people die everyday at the hands of someone like us.
Unless you've seen combat in the military or worked for Emergency Services
(IE: Law Enforcement. Fire or Medical), most of you (fortunately) will never
see what we've seen, feel what we feel when a senseless, traumatic death
occurs in our presence.
So, do what you must. There is a price to pay for every action you take
and when your 300 lb cellmate is making you his wife... please, remember
all your friends here at the club...

I'm done preaching.
It's hard to take advice from a guy who posts "Why do I cry when I masturbate?"

tok my car up to 135MPH, its fucking fast, if i wanted to go any faster i would shit my pants. The reason i feel that most ppl want to speed is to have a sense that what they payed for should go fast, no matter what car you have. Its sometimes good to experiment new things.

Rx8 MD,

I am glad you read all of my work.

My comment about crying was in a thread entitled "Random Crap...". I gave my thoughts which were random so they fit that thread very well.

Three general "speed kills" diatribes on your own part don't contribute to the thread starters question of: "What is the max speed of the RX-8?"

Start your own thread.

-Mr. Wigggles

I've got a European Low Power version.
192 hp,5 speed manual. At the German Autobahn I reached 229 km/h(142 mph).
That was with only 4000 km on the tacho,and I feel the car is faster now with 13000...

I concur with Mr.Wiggles...this is a thread about "increasing max speed/removing the governor". I'm sure all of us in here are very well aware of the consequences of speeding. I appreciate you sharing with us how humanitarian doctors are, and you deserve what u do with the sinful amount you earn. I posted in this thread hoping for answers regarding the above mentioned topic, not to be bombarded by you questioning my social responsibilities. I'm a consciencious citizen, and please don't predict the future for us.

I wonder what this same doctor/e.r. tech is doing about the risk to patients' health and welfare by the medical profession's demand for 24 and 36 hour shifts? What's more risky? Driving 20 m.p.h. over a posted speed limit on a freeway that is technically designed for sustained speeds of 85 m.p.h. or going under the knife in an emergency room at the end of the 24 hour shift?

CRH

If you hadn't realized, I am the person who originally opened this thread. The reason I asked this is because I live in the St. Louis area next to Gateway International Speedway. On some weekends they open the course and also have open drags on their 1/4 mile strip weekly. All I originally wanted to find out was what the 8 was actually capable of so I could put myself in a comparible class when going to Gateway. In respect to RX8_MD, my mom is an RN in the cardio thorasic unit at one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation. Trust me, I've heard the stories and seen some of it first hand by donating time at the hospital. I know the consequences of what can happen. I figure the more knowledge I have of this car, the better I will know it and know what to expect and when. Keep on posting, so far everything is educational, but please keep your parental type preaching to another thread.

Thank you.

the top speed i hit on my 8 was 153 mph , Now that i think about it i dont remember what gear i was in but nothing kick in i just came to my senses and slowed down.the car was bought in the usa.

07' RX-8 GT Automatic here. Just recently hit 125mph on the highway in 4th gear and at 7k rpms and the car jolted like giving the brakes a good tap. Was unexpected and disappointing. How do you turn off this limiter.