I nearly topped my SDL out a few months back, 117mph I think I hit? I posted up about it a while back.

It was still pulling when I let up, as someone pulled out in front me a good ways up. This was done at night so roads were pretty empty on this stretch of freeway.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Most of the time my high rev's come from entering the freeway with the selector in "S" without realizing it. From a standstill if I floor it as far as I can mash it down, it shifts right on the dots on the speedo right on cue. Our 83 is a little more rev'y, it will shift a few mph beyond where the dots would be, (it has a 160mph speedo, but properly calibrated to a 3.07 diff, we checked) I think I had it up to 81 before when getting on the freeway, in 3rd, before I slightly let up and it went into 4th. That car's engine just loves it though, its quite happy in the 4000rpm range, it idles quite rough, but is smooth as silk up to 5,300k or so...probably injector related.

When I went 7-8mph over the 2nd gear dots it was deliberate, I had the selector in "L" to allow it.....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I'm surprised the rev limiter didn't stop you from doing this. I never tried maxing the engine speed in a low gear, but it did happen to me in neutral in the 87 300D when I had a stuck throttle linkage. The engine speed leveled off at around 5000 rpm.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Yeah, isnt there a fuel cutoff for the IP ?

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

there is

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I'm sure there is nobody here dumb enough to try and proove this, but...

*hypothetical situation* If you are going 90mph and the shift lever somehow gets nudged to "s", will it downshift? Since there is no CPU to stop it, what's to prevent it from going into 3rd and 7,000rpm? Mabye an internal hydraulic governor would stop it?

According to my manual 5150 is the max engine speed for a 603.

I wouldn't be to quick to spool these 20+ year old engines to far past their limits. Just how many times can a stock 617 handle 5,500rpm before something lets go? What are you gaining these are not race cars, we are talking slow 0-60 times even on their best days.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Six times.

These are tough engines, I'll vote for 8!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

im never going to find that out in my 617... i like it in its current state.. one piece

no it wouldnt downshift even if you put the lever in s.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I think it would downshift and that's why I'm not going to try. If you look at your owner's manual you'll see it says not to downshift unless the speedometer is below the mark for the next lower gear otherwise you'll over-rev the engine. But the IP rev limiter should prevent the engine from over-reving in all other situations.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

If it does downshift, the rev-limiter won't help you. All it can do is shutoff the fuel. The wheels coupled to the engine are what would be driving the engine to a ridiculous rpm.

Back to opening these cars up on the interstates, I was ticketed in South Dakota one time on the interstate and charged not with speeding, but with "WAISTING FUEL." I wonder if they'll make any exceptions for our efficient diesels?

Well so far I have had the 617 above 5500RPM about 15-20 times...

It doesn't show any sign of giving up, the bottom end is still tight, and YES you get an advantage to revving the engine higher. The gains mostly come from the upshift into the next gear. YOu are deeper into the power band and already have solid boost built. And if you need another reason...why would the finnish guys rev their cars so high and adjust the max speed on the IP? Sure its not a good idea and it wears the engine more and increases the risk of a bottom end failing...but its undoubtably giving your gains...

So chill out

Its sorta sad...my 300SD pulls much like the 350SDL in that video...

BTW yes the car will downshift at 90MPH if you drop it into S...the transmissions physical lockout is substantially higher than the little marks on the speedo...but I don't think it would throw the engine over 6K rpm. Cutoff is probably somewhere around 5500RPM or so...way above redline but the engine can obviously take it.

P.S. Here is a video for those that haven't seen: http://brandon.importtransmissionexchange.com/benz_files/300SD5700RPM.wmv Its slow to get the last 250RPM becuse I didn't have my foot on the floor...watching road was/is more important