ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

I'll have 2 teenagers driving shortly, l feel the need to install some sort of rev limiter.

I'm running a stock German crank and for now a stock vacuum advance points distributor.

What's the cheapest, easiest way to add protection short of yanking a spark plug wire.

What would a good limit be- 5000 rpm? 5500? Lower???

There is a German rev-limitating rotor available from Bosch. It is available in several RPM limits; I have been running one that has limit of something like 5500 revs

If it's a distributor which takes the 04 012 or 033 rotor (most later stock ones, plus the 0 231 178 009) there are a few different rev-limiting rotors you can use in it. Lowest is the one that was stock on Buses w/Type IV engines, just 5400 RPM...there are a couple of higher options available too, and ones as low as 4500 that were used in Euro-spec Buses with the 1600 Type I engine. Expect to pay around $25-$30 for one if you shop around (aircooled.net has'em at $37.95 + shipping), some places ask >$40 ...but some will ship for free.
4500, 5400, 5800, 6500, 6600, 6800, and 7100 versions exist - with a stock crankshaft I'd opt for the 5400 (04 016).

CIP1 has a Bruck clone of the 5400 which should be good enough for your purposes: http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... D332%2D144


1 234 332 144 / 04 016 (5400 RPM) normally used in T4 engines
1 234 332 207 / 04 030 (5800 RPM) normally used in 4-cyl 914s VW P/N 022 905 225A
1 234 332 198 / 04 023 (6500 RPM) `69-`77 911, 914/6 Porsche P/N 911-602-928-00
1 234 332 205 / 04 028 (7100 RPM) `69-`73 911E Porsche P/N 911-602-925-00

Baywindows with Type I engines (never sold in the US but available in other markets) had:
1 234 332 192 / 04 021 (4500 RPM)
1 234 332 314 / ? (4800 RPM)

Think small venturis also, a little less harsh that the sudden fire/no fire

Thanks. It can't get much easier than swapping out a rotor!
I'm only running the stock 34 pict carb but because the apple doesnt fall too far from the tree, I think when nobody's looking they'll step on the gas so hard that you'll be able to see toes stickin out the top of the carburator!

VW Heritage have a 4500rpm limiting rotor arm listed for T1 1600 engines.


https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/2119052 ... m-cut-out/

limit the throttle opening

Limit it through valve float

bug66 wrote:Limit it through valve float

BAHAHA! That's what I was thinking!

Seriously though, a really restrictive carb will do it. Ditto for the exhaust and aircleaner. Look out for a 30pict and a tiny venturi.

Failing that, you could hook up some single port heads and lower the comp ratio.

petew wrote:

bug66 wrote:Limit it through valve float

BAHAHA! That's what I was thinking!

Seriously though, a really restrictive carb will do it. Ditto for the exhaust and aircleaner. Look out for a 30pict and a tiny venturi.

Failing that, you could hook up some single port heads and lower the comp ratio.

Could that method end up in a lean out condition and destroy some components? If so that is not a cheap rev limiter.

Well that would be down to jetting. The motor is more likely to run rich because you're constricting the amount of air it gets.