4600 Rpm = ?

[Pete Burton]

Got on Blue a little yesterday to give her an Italian tune up. Was just going between exits, but it felt like she had more to go. My speedometer goes to 85. I don't want to be too reckless with her, but I think she needs that occasionally. Does anyone know what 4600 RPM corresponds to?

[SYRacing]

I know that I've had mine to 5k.....at anything past 4500 my engine falls off and seems like it isnt making any power.....might be the fact that I need new fuel filters though. I've had mine at 95mph for about 2 minutes though

[Brian Carlton]

Pete, I can calculate it with the following assumptions:

1) 195-70-14 tires

2) 250 rpm slippage in the torque converter

The resultant speed is 104 mph at 4600 rpm.

[Pete Burton]

Thanks Brian, good thing I replaced my front rotors and ball joints first, no?

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Pete Burton

Thanks Brian, good thing I replaced my front rotors and ball joints first, no?

A damn good thing.

I took the SD out for a drive (first time in two months) and was very impressed as to how tight it feels relative to the soft and sloppy SDL.

The SDL may be smoother and quieter than the SD, but the SD is steadier and tighter and communicates the road much better.

The SD also has more pickup at lower speed with less pedal than the SDL. It appears that the 617 has more torque than the 603 under part throttle conditions.

A world of difference between the two.

[Pete Burton]

Brian, I've never driven the SDL, but I fell in love with the SD when I first drove it. The road feel is just fantastic for a big sedan - hell, it's fantastic for anything. BTW, I was riding with my daughter this wekend and she says "daddy, why are the seats so noisy?" I thought of you immediately

[Brian Carlton]

Pete, don't even begin to talk about seats. The SDL has a band playing in the back seat. I cannot believe that seats can make that much chatter. The cold weather makes it that much worse!

[Hatterasguy]

Really Brian? What does the MB tex rub and make noise? I can see where the rear door panals rub against my rear seats. If they were not cloth they might make noise.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

What does the MB tex rub and make noise?

The leather is rubbing on something back there. Maybe the doors. I need to take the seat out and put some leather conditioner on it.

[Alan Hamm]

Mine is bad too, especially now that it is cold.

[Ara T.]

Hmm.. interesting. Our SDL's seats in the back do that too. I thought it was because the car had been in an accident though.

[Brian Carlton]

No, its just the Germans trying to needle me to death because I worked for them in a former life.

[Krawsczyn]

I thought the rev limiter on these cars was 4500 +/- 50? I have had my 300sd at 110 mph and it didn't seem to have anymore but i thought that these cars are supposed to go faster then 110mph? My rpm gauge does not work... My car needs a valve adjustment and the turbo is pretty ragged out not to mention the car has over 320k miles.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Krawsczyn

I thought the rev limiter on these cars was 4500 +/- 50? I have had my 300sd at 110 mph and it didn't seem to have anymore but i thought that these cars are supposed to go faster then 110mph?

If you honestly made it to 110 mph, the engine was turning considerably faster than 4500 rpm, if you have a 3.07 axle and 195-70-14 tires on the vehicle.

And, I question whether the vehicle actually achieved 110 mph, simply because 125 hp is probably insufficient to get the SD up to this speed. Furthermore, an SD with 320K on the clock, is no longer able to put out 125 hp.

[Krawsczyn]

I have a 1984 corvette and drove a 1993 Cadillac touring sedan with 295hp. I have been over 100 many of times and am sure this Benz was over 100mph. Furthermore, diesels often get inaccurate horsepower rating... My best friend lives on a large farm and they bought a brand new John Deer rated at 115hp and it did over 140hp without giving it everything on the dyno. So you are telling me that your Benz will not go over 110mph? I thought something was wrong with my car… I know the valves need adjusted… You better do some work to you Benz.