4.0 XJR - What should they be capable of - delimited ?
4.0 XJR - What should they be capable of - delimited ?
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Zippyworld

Original Poster:

848 posts

210 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Been on my mind for a bit this one.

These cars are limited to 155 mph. Anyone know what they can do delimited or is it unlimited ?

Is it a case of remapping the ECU to remove the limitations, are there other imnplications besides possible death or dibble ?

Dominicc01

530 posts

193 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
In all likelihood, it's probably close to max anyway. It just sounds better to say that you've limited it to 155, rather than it maxing out at 157.

I'm not sure if it works the same with an auto box, but with manuals, manufacturers tend to gear the car so that it can produce optimal power and torque within the limited speeds.

Manfacturers also design the other components to work to their intended maximum speed. I remember speaking to a guy from Noble, who explained that they could easily engineer the M400 to max at over 200, but they have a maximum designated top speed of 175 because it would be too expensive to design brakes, suspension etc to cope with such high speeds. You might get the Jag to 170, but find that the front wheels are no longer in contact with the road, the suspension can't cope with the speed, and the brakes catch fire when you try to stop.

But, in theory, yes, all you need to do is remove the limiter on the ECU (which will invalidate any remaining warranty, and probably your insurance).


ETA: It would appear that the limiter is not necessarily using the speed indicated on the speedo. Speedos usually read ~10%~ over - so actual 155 would be an indicated 170 on a speedo. Someone I know was demonstrating XKRs on a track when the new ones were launched, and was driving the new one back-to-back with the old one. He said that at one point he saw over 170 on the speedo of the old XKR, when it was supposed to be limited to 155.
Car mags have also noted similar experiences with other "limited cars" - I remember one of the car mags writing a review of the M5 when it came out, saying that it was still accelerating hard at an indicated speed of 170.

Edited by Dominicc01 on Monday 14th June 10:05

richw_82

992 posts

212 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
One of the former test engineers got his XJR6 up to 158mph at Woodbridge the other year. If he can't get it to go much faster I don't think anybody will.

Regards,

Rich

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

848 posts

210 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Interesting points, I guess that there is a grey area. i have never understood why speedos never appear to be accurate, even technology of 10 / 15 years ago you'd have thought they would get it right.

I rteckon the speed on the sat nav could be more accurate, however there are considerable variables affecting both methods I'd have thought.

GavinPearson

5,715 posts

277 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
I would reckon that on a cold day and everything set up right, that the standard V8 engine would generate enough power to make 170 mph if the speed limiter was removed.

Edited by GavinPearson on Tuesday 15th June 03:21

NormanD

3,208 posts

254 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
I have an '99 XKR with the speed limiter removed.
My SatNav shows the speedo is 5mph fast all the way through the speed range

If the XJR has the same diff ratio and tyres as the XKR then rev limited to 6,200 in fith will be 198mph
Not sure if it would pull that though

I have shown 180mph on the SatNav before my engine upgrades, I would be looking to get into the 190's now
I do have an Arden body kit fitted that does help stop the front going light
Also brakes and susspention arn't standard

Last year I gave a XJ220 a good run for it's money hope to do even better this year at Dunsfold



Please not speed quoted were on private land or Germany, not on the Queens Highway

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

848 posts

210 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Hi Norman,

I did read the article in JW and very impressive your machine is too, out of curiosity, what tyres do you have on the car ?

NormanD

3,208 posts

254 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Zippyworld said:
Hi Norman,

I did read the article in JW and very impressive your machine is too, out of curiosity, what tyres do you have on the car ?
Toyo Proxes T1-R's

Still running 245/45 x 18 on the front but have gone up to 285/40's on the rear (same diamiter as the 255/45's)

XJR500bhp

1,204 posts

236 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Below happened on a private road


When you hit the limiter flick the J-gate to 4th then back to 5th it will pass, i have seen 163-165 before no road left

XJR running 414@wheels

NST

1,523 posts

269 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
170. Not sure what mph/1000rpm is for the merc auto box for 4/5 gear but my xkr reaches the limiter in 4th iirc.
Get the car checked over throughly, get the delimit done and then head over to germany. (always drive at speeds you are comfortable at)

CraigW

12,248 posts

308 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
I think an XKR would need a huge amount more power to get into 190's, 180 true mph is astonishing, to get another 10mph at that kind of speed would be more like a miracle and you'd need about 5 miles to do it in. All imho but i'm pretty sure I'm right.

NormanD

3,208 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
CraigW said:
I think an XKR would need a huge amount more power to get into 190's, 180 true mph is astonishing, to get another 10mph at that kind of speed would be more like a miracle and you'd need about 5 miles to do it in. All imho but i'm pretty sure I'm right.
True

But my engine/supercharger upgrades can release 650 horses

CraigW

12,248 posts

308 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
fairplay, thats a lot of power, its still extremely hard to get to that kind of speed.

GavinPearson

5,715 posts

277 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
Bear in mind that an XJR is a lot less aerodynamic than an XK so it will never go as fast for the same power levels.

NST

1,523 posts

269 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
GavinPearson said:
Bear in mind that an XJR is a lot less aerodynamic than an XK so it will never go as fast for the same power levels.
How much faster is the xkr 4.0 over the xjr? Would 180mph be possible?
did jaguar ever test the cars above 155?
Cheers

andy c

1,216 posts

219 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
NormanD said:
I have an '99 XKR with the speed limiter removed.
My SatNav shows the speedo is 5mph fast all the way through the speed range

If the XJR has the same diff ratio and tyres as the XKR then rev limited to 6,200 in fith will be 198mph
Not sure if it would pull that though

I have shown 180mph on the SatNav before my engine upgrades, I would be looking to get into the 190's now

Last year I gave a XJ220 a good run for it's money hope to do even better this year at Dunsfold
I would imagine you would obliterate a stock 220 to 100+ as they are awfully hard to get moving until you hit 3rd.

GavinPearson

5,715 posts

277 months

Wednesday 23rd June 2010
quotequote all
NST said:
GavinPearson said:
Bear in mind that an XJR is a lot less aerodynamic than an XK so it will never go as fast for the same power levels.
How much faster is the xkr 4.0 over the xjr? Would 180mph be possible?
did jaguar ever test the cars above 155?
Cheers
A standard, well run in XK8 managed 168 (from memory). An XKR 4.0L should have the horesepower to be able to make 180.

That said, it might creep up to that speed slowly, hit the rev limiter and or restrictor, but either way, the speed should be attainable.

If you are able to mess around with PCMs & TCMs you could fit a 15HU rear diff with a 2.88:1 Pow-r-lok on an XKR and achieve the top speed if you were getting rev limited.

will747

18 posts

249 months

Sunday 27th June 2010
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Jaguar engineers said that the 4.2 XJR is good for 180mph - gives you an idea.

6speedmanual

140 posts

255 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2010
quotequote all
on 15 June, XJR500bhp said

"When you hit the limiter flick the J-gate to 4th then back to 5th it will pass, i have seen 163-165 before no road left

XJR running 414@wheels"


This suggests to me that for my standard 370bhp XJR to get much over 155 would be pretty optimistic!


Peter

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

216 months

Tuesday 2nd November 2010
quotequote all
richw_82 said:
One of the former test engineers got his XJR6 up to 158mph at Woodbridge the other year. If he can't get it to go much faster I don't think anybody will.

Regards,

Rich
I suspect that's a bit of a false statement. You'd need to know why it wouldn't go any faster.

Top speed is much about power and gearing and to a degree aerodynamics, but the latter is highly related to power.