REV Limiter Stinks.

[attymf]

Ok, I'm driving in a deserted area and run into a worked '73 Z28. We play a bit so to speak.

Anyway, I have the manual SS. I launch the car and take off. Just as I am about to shift from 1st into 2nd the engine basically shuts off. It didn't turn off completely it went into a reduced power mode where you cant give it gas and it basically just idles so your brakes and steering still work.

I do a complete freak out thinking I just blew the engine to a new Camaro SS. As I am slowing to pull over I think to myself, "Hold on a sec. I've blown a few engines in my day. There was no huge bang and shutter, no smoke, no grinding or knocking sounds. No red lights flashing on the dash no DIC warnings." Anyway, the car is actually idling quietly and smoothly. I hit the gas and it takes off, driving perfectly fine. I exhale a huge (and I mean HUGE) sigh of relief. Thank God!!!

So I drive away happy my car is ok but I gotta say a little annoyed at the way the rev limiter shuts the car off. I assumed that the rev limiter just didn't let you go over a certain RPM. It would stay at 6600 rpm (or whatever the max is) and the car would stop accelerating. Then I'd know I should have shifted like 1/2 a second ago, but at least I could still shift into second.

Rather, the Camaro basically deploys a parachute on you. Fast acceleration and then decceleration. I think thats ridiculaus.

I think I read somewhere that mustangs do basically what I thought would happen with the Camaro.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad something happens other than me throwing a rod..lol..but I think there are better ways to stop a car from over revving other than what happened.

Any comments are welcome.

[chevydude26]

i believe there is a way to override that i've read on here...some attachment you buy from somewhere

[SSchase]

were you in comp mode? or with all the trac systems off? cause ive done a few burnouts or not shifting in time while doing a pull letting it bounce off the rev limiter and ive never had it do what you described. mine just does like the z06's do bounce off and on but never shuts down like that.

[attymf]

Had all turned off no comp mode or trac on. I expected to just bounce off so to speak.

[TommyTSquared]

Just think of it as a learning experience. Now you know when you need to shift. You had to find out sooner or later, just sucks you did it while you were 'playing around'.

[MikeSVX]

Mmmmmm, I'm sure I've hit the rev limit once or ywice and didn't have that happen.

[Speedfreak]

Originally Posted by attymf

Ok, I'm driving in a deserted area and run into a worked '73 Z28. We play a bit so to speak.

Anyway, I have the manual SS. I launch the car and take off. Just as I am about to shift from 1st into 2nd the engine basically shuts off. It didn't turn off completely it went into a reduced power mode where you cant give it gas and it basically just idles so your brakes and steering still work.

I do a complete freak out thinking I just blew the engine to a new Camaro SS. As I am slowing to pull over I think to myself, "Hold on a sec. I've blown a few engines in my day. There was no huge bang and shutter, no smoke, no grinding or knocking sounds. No red lights flashing on the dash no DIC warnings." Anyway, the car is actually idling quietly and smoothly. I hit the gas and it takes off, driving perfectly fine. I exhale a huge (and I mean HUGE) sigh of relief. Thank God!!!

So I drive away happy my car is ok but I gotta say a little annoyed at the way the rev limiter shuts the car off. I assumed that the rev limiter just didn't let you go over a certain RPM. It would stay at 6600 rpm (or whatever the max is) and the car would stop accelerating. Then I'd know I should have shifted like 1/2 a second ago, but at least I could still shift into second.

Rather, the Camaro basically deploys a parachute on you. Fast acceleration and then decceleration. I think thats ridiculaus.

I think I read somewhere that mustangs do basically what I thought would happen with the Camaro.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad something happens other than me throwing a rod..lol..but I think there are better ways to stop a car from over revving other than what happened.

Any comments are welcome.

wow, more fail on this car.

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

As far as my experience this is how it works. If your at the track and you hit the rev limiter, your gonna lose. You will have lost all your momentum. Sometimes you just get so excited, you forget about the limiter. I'm glad it is there, just don't forget about it if your drag racing someone at the track.

[Bill Dillow]

I did the same thing and had the same first reaction as you did. I was messing with a Mustang GT and the rev limiter kicked in prior to shifting in to second gear. Scared the crap out of me until I realized what happened.

[CDBiker220]

Hmm. I have hit my rev limiter maybe 5 or 6 times when i was still getting a feel for the shift points...just bounced off it, never did anything that surprised me. I knew i hit it the second i did, shifted and kept going.

[Bill Dillow]

Originally Posted by CDBiker220

Hmm. I have hit my rev limiter maybe 5 or 6 times when i was still getting a feel for the shift points...just bounced off it, never did anything that surprised me. I knew i hit it the second i did, shifted and kept going.

What does just bounced off it mean? When it kicked in, it's like a total surprise and no power.

[Number 3]

There is a reason it is called the RED LINE. Bad things happen when you go beyond it, bady unpredictable things, and just to ensure you don't blow up your engine at your time of choosing a rev limiter is in place.

For me, I've always looked at it as an opportunity to know my car better, how it feels, how it sounds so that I can shift at the right time. And when I hit the rev limiter, I blame myself, not the car.

[Hylton]

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35382

[trm0002]

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

wow, more fail on this car.

WTF? What is fail? Quite honestly I haven't hit the rev limiter in this car (yet) but I had several times in my 96 Z28. IMO, the optimum powerband shift points are just below the rev limiter anyways from my experience so I agree with the guy who says to use this as a learning experience of where exactly the car should be shifted. The torque curve flattens out in the LS3 at roughly 4500 rpm. That's roughly where you want to be AFTER the shift to the next gear which puts your shift point, 1->2 at 6400 rpm. Same with 2->3; shifting at 6400 rpm lands you at 4400 rpm post shift. Again, same with 3->4, ending up at 4490 rpm post shift, and by the time you're hitting 6400 rpm in 4th, you're doing 158 at the speed limiter anyways...

Now I've seen conflicting information on whether the actual rev limit is 6600 or 6800 but in either case, you don't need to get there to achieve what you want.