Re: rpm limit: how high is high (fwd)

[Rolf Mair <waves@epix.net>]

Most audis/vw make peak horsepower somewhere in the mid 5000 rpm range. 
There really is no reason to want a higher rpm limit since horeses drop 
off bigtime after 6k rpm. Even on my race car, I don't go past the stock 
redline even though it has work done to it including raceware hardware. 
If the motors power curve shows that power is just starting to drop off 
at 7k, you've built a nice mill and might benefit from a few hundred 
rpms, if you beefed up the block and head.

For starters, the hydraulic lifters are not good for much over 7k, they 
float. Second, the weak link in the bottom end is probably the rod bolts, 
as they tend to break at the number one cyl. sometimes #3. It's ok to tap 
redline once in awhile, to clean out the carbon, although I'm sure anyone 
on this group doesn't granny ride their cars. But running anything over 
6k is harder on the engine than you might expect!
r.mair