WHAT IS THE STRAIGHT FACTS ABOUT SPEED?

[dweisel]

I have read quite extensively about top speed being limited. People seem to have a wide range of opinions and speeds. What is the maximum top speed of an ALH Beetle? Is there a factory limiter? Not so concerned about rev limiter.

UPDATE: 07/27/23
Adjusted the turbo actuator on my 02 Beetle after having it go into limp mode from over boost when i had it a tracknight event. After 3 attempts it feels better. So, i did an impromptu hot run and was able to get it up to 136mph before running out of run way. Pretty satisfied with that number .........for now.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

Highest speed limit I have seen is 80 and my bug will do that all day. But yes I have seen triple digits somewhere. Seems the speed is generally limited by the oncoming wind resistance and high rpms with no power due to the stock car setup.

 

[dweisel]

Highest speed limit I have seen is 80 and my bug will do that all day. But yes I have seen triple digits somewhere. Seems the speed is generally limited by the oncoming wind resistance and high rpms with no power due to the stock car setup.

I have some mods on mine. First Beetle i have owned that wasn't stock. Just trying to tweak everything with the set up i have. I know there are plenty more mods i could do for a better and faster Beetle.

I did get it up to 123mph the other day and then blew off a boost hose. But i was happy. LOL

Just looking for where the top of the bar is to give me something to shoot for.
sincerely,
dweisel

 

[oilhammer]

130 is the speed limiter. Which is odd, since the earlier cars were 120. The ALH in stock form is going to have to give everything it has and a decent length of smooth straight road to tag it, though. 120 is not as bad, but that last 10 mph is tough to hit. And to be honest, the NBs start to get a little wind rocking north of about 105, so I've never ventured to take any of mine faster than that. The Golfs and Jettas are fine, though.

In my younger more daring days, a friend and I took a road trip to Denver, and we drove at night in January in my then-new 1995 Golf Sport (which was inexplicably what Volkswagen called the GTI that year). Although it did have stiffer springs, bigger sway bar, bucket seats, fog lamps, alloy wheels, 2-slat grill, black side trim, yada-yada, but it still had the standard issue 115hp ABA 2.0L and 020 5sp . There was a period of about 45 minutes where I had that car on the 120 speed limiter non stop, western Kansas/eastern Colorado, where there is nothing at all. Normally that is a 12 hour trip, we did it in just over nine.

 

[dweisel]

THANKS, oilhammer! You are someone i can trust on this info. I had read some different people posting speeds clear up to 164mph which i found hard to believe. I know what you mean on the wind buffeting. Some runs i made a few months ago the buffeting was sort of unsettling. Although since then i have installed H&R lowering springs and UroTuning front strut stabilizer bar, rear strut stabilizer bar and their front under stabilizer bar which seems to have stiffened up the whole car. It runs up the road way better now.

LOL, on your road trip. Thats impressive.

Again, thanks for the info!
Appreciate it!

Sincerely,
dweisel

 

[oilhammer]

Worst part about that road trip in the '95 was that it was single digit temps the whole way, and the engine could not maintain coolant temp at those speeds oddly enough. The gauge was dropping down and the cabin heat was only "just enough" to keep us comfortable and keep the windows clear. It wolfed down gas at a staggering 19 MPG on one tank (car was only rated 32 hwy).

 

[GlowBugTDI]

Im sure if you were to remove the limiter and keep supplying enough boost and fuel with a tune set up properly for fueling and boost at higher rpm's I'm sure you could climb past 130mph easily enough.
When my beetle was stock my limit at that point was higher then after when I put on oversized tires. All to say that stock the engine couldn't spin the tires any faster at the speed I was going...or at least with the headwind I was hitting.
I could be wrong but I feel the biggest things taking away from the beetle top end is wind resistance and weight that the J/G/JW just don't have. The wagon is about same weight.

 

[oilhammer]

The ALH is not geared tall enough to really go much faster, and in stock form I don't think it could muster enough power even if it was geared a little taller. Most of the ALH's usable power is in that 2000-3500 RPM range, going that fast will put you well beyond. At 80 they are already around 2900. I think that is why they feel like the hit a bit of a wall at 100. That's plenty fast, though. After that it becomes "how far illegal to I want to go?"

 

[dweisel]

I have heard of some chips that are available that remove both the speed limiter and rev limit. I do have a Malone Stage 4 tune, but not sure if these chips can be installed without affecting the Malone tune?

 

[dweisel]

The ALH is not geared tall enough to really go much faster, and in stock form I don't think it could muster enough power even if it was geared a little taller. Most of the ALH's usable power is in that 2000-3500 RPM range, going that fast will put you well beyond. At 80 they are already around 2900. I think that is why they feel like the hit a bit of a wall at 100. That's plenty fast, though. After that it becomes "how far illegal to I want to go?"

I do have a .658 5th gear. Not sure how much that would add to top speed? I didn't take note on the last run as to where the tack was at 123mph. I guess i need to check that out next time.

Funny about the 100mph. I noticed that anytime someone wants to race. They drop out right at 100mph. Must be a pyhcological barrier.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I don't think there's a rev limiter. I had a 6000 RPM tune on my Wagon for years and the tuner (Rocketchip) made no mention of a limiter. Tach stops at 5400, so on the track I'd wait till then, count to three, then shift.

 

[dweisel]

I don't think there's a rev limited. I had a 6000 RPM tune on my Wagon for years and the tuner (Rocketchip) made no mention of a limiter. Tach stops at 5400, so on the track I'd wait till then, count to three, then shift.

Well that is one reason i started this thread. I wanted feedback from people i can trust with real world experience.

Thats good info you are providing and i appreciate it!

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Straight fact about speed: It is highly addictive.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I've gotten my Wagon up to 125 or so a few times. When it had the big turbo it was still pulling pretty hard at that speed. But I wasn't in Mexico so I backed off.

 

[dweisel]

Straight fact about speed: It is highly addictive.

TRUE

 

[dweisel]

I've gotten my Wagon up to 125 or so a few times. When it had the big turbo it was still pulling pretty hard at that speed. But I wasn't in Mexico so I backed off.

Cool! Are they more lenient in Mexico with speeders? LOL.
I was headed towards 125mph the other day and then blew a boost hose off at 123mph. Damn.

 

[burpod]

next time, you gotta be logging that 011-001-004

it really shouldn't be needing to push that much boost to drive that fast, i have "theories" on what's wrong

 

[burpod]

and what were boost/egt gauges reading if you have those? curious

 

[dweisel]

and what were boost/egt gauges reading if you have those? curious

The turbo i have is good for 24psi sustained. It will spike to 30 at times and then settle back down. EGT's were probably around 1200°. I don't think i have ever seen over 1300° and that was usually when i was nursing it home with a blown off boost pipe. But i learned when a pipe is off,stay off the fuel and EGT's will stay lower.
sincerely,
dweisel

 

[[486]]

Pretty sure they're only speed limited by the amount of power they make.
when mine was N/A it'd only do 70 with a strong tailwind (there are no hills where I live)

also, little turbos drop power FAST at high rpm, so even with a piston-ring-butting tune you're likely only making 140hp at 4k+

 

[dweisel]

next time, you gotta be logging that 011-001-004

it really shouldn't be needing to push that much boost to drive that fast, i have "theories" on what's wrong

Well, i will get those logs as.soon as i get a chance make some hot runs.

 

[[486]]

The turbo i have is good for 24psi sustained. It will spike to 30 at times and then settle back down. EGT's were probably around 1200°. I don't think i have ever seen over 1300° and that was usually when i was nursing it home with a blown off boost pipe. But i learned when a pipe is off,stay off the fuel and EGT's will stay lower.
sincerely,
dweisel

you need another turbo, the golf with the he351wg never gets over 900F once it is wound out
which is disappointing because it's already running a 12mm pump and .360 nozzles, but the transmission input shaft flexes enough that the clutch hub cracks out of the disc after only 20k miles so I think that one isn't going to be driven much any more... :c

 

[dweisel]

eing

Pretty sure they're only speed limited by the amount of power they make.
when mine was N/A it'd only do 70 with a strong tailwind (there are no hills where I live)

also, little turbos drop power FAST at high rpm, so even with a piston-ring-butting tune you're likely only making 140hp at 4k+

I agree with the 145hp and that is probably being generous.

sincerely,
dweisel

 

[dweisel]

you need another turbo, the golf with the he351wg never gets over 900F once it is wound out
which is disappointing because it's already running a 12mm pump and .360 nozzles, but the transmission input shaft flexes enough that the clutch hub cracks out of the disc after only 20k miles so I think that one isn't going to be driven much any more... :c

Where is your EGT probe?

 

[GlowBugTDI]

you need another turbo, the golf with the he351wg never gets over 900F once it is wound out
which is disappointing because it's already running a 12mm pump and .360 nozzles, but the transmission input shaft flexes enough that the clutch hub cracks out of the disc after only 20k miles so I think that one isn't going to be driven much any more... :c

Any idea what hp range your in?

Ever consider adding a brace for input shaft?

 

[dweisel]

Any idea what hp range your in?

Ever consider adding a brace for input shaft?

No, I would just be guessing at hp. I plan on getting it on a dyno sometime soon.

Have not thought about bracing the input shaft. What all does that entail?

sincerely,
dweisel

 

[Abacus]

Back when I was in the Army and stationed in Germany, we hit the autobahn in my roommates new gasser Jetta. We grabbed a 12 pack and hit the road, the driver was not drinking as they just shoot you over there, no tolerance or leniency for DD's. As there was no speed limit, we were in the left most lane with the car wound out at 126 mph. We were kings and owned the world. Our driver then moved over to a middle lane and someone asked what he was doing, "Wait for it" was all he said. A black 930 Porsche with a huge whale tail went screaming by us so fast we couldn't read the license plate. He looked down and said, "He was flashing his lights from a long ways back so I had to move over...we're still doing 126 mph". That kind of let the air out of our sails so we turned around and went back to the barracks.

 

[J_dude]

you need another turbo, the golf with the he351wg never gets over 900F once it is wound out
which is disappointing because it's already running a 12mm pump and .360 nozzles, but the transmission input shaft flexes enough that the clutch hub cracks out of the disc after only 20k miles so I think that one isn't going to be driven much any more... :c

You’re running the same turbo I have on my Cummins..? That was a big enough upgrade from the hx35 for me. Wow. I guess it does spool almost instantly on the 12 valve, probably isn’t even very laggy on a TDI... interesting.

Edit:
I hit 198 km/h (123mph) in my Jetta before it overboosted and went into limp mode... and that’s on a tuned car. After reading this thread I feel kinda disappointed

 

[dweisel]

You’re running the same turbo I have on my Cummins..? That was a big enough upgrade from the hx35 for me. Wow. I guess it does spool almost instantly on the 12 valve, probably isn’t even very laggy on a TDI... interesting.

No lag at all and spools up fast. Pretty much has power at any speed. Runs great!

You’re running the same turbo I have on my Cummins..? That was a big enough upgrade from the hx35 for me. Wow. I guess it does spool almost instantly on the 12 valve, probably isn’t even very laggy on a TDI... interesting.

Edit:
I hit 198 km/h (123mph) in my Jetta before it overboosted and went into limp mode... and that’s on a tuned car. After reading this thread I feel kinda disappointed

No lag at all and spools up fast. Pretty much has power at any speed. Runs great!

Sorry, not sorry. LOL.

 

[jokila]

Cool! Are they more lenient in Mexico with speeders? LOL.
I was headed towards 125mph the other day and then blew a boost hose off at 123mph. Damn.

Let me share you my story about the policia over there. Probably back around 2007 or so I was hauling in my TDI about 100 to 105 mph along their toll road from the Texas border at Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey. I was doing fine until was pulled over. Officer approached and I made him speak to me in his rough English (by not offering to even speak Spanish to him as I could) so I could have the advantage of communication.

Anyway, he asked for me ID and then asked me if I knew how fast I was driving. I said I wasn't speeding and feigned ignorance at my situation. He said that I was and replied back, "that no, i was going exactly 100!" He said, "but sir, those are kilometers (per hour) not miles", where I just smiled and said, "ooohhh ok, I understand now."

He let me off with a handshake and off I went. Doing 60mph(100kph) until I was out of his sight. When I arrived at my destination, my friends were cackling at how I got off with zero consequences. I think the cop was simply surprised at me and probably my Oscar winning performance.