Club rev limiters - the best one?

[Adam43]

I'm going to get a rev limiter. I wondered if anyone had any experience of them.

I'd like it to be adjustable (I guess they all are?). While I'd like to play with launch control and full throttle change I don't think that I'll do this as it isn't really in the spirit of the car. Although these options are very cheap once you buy the limiter. However I'm only interested in protecting the engine. It will allow people unused to the car to have a go and odd spikes due to loss of traction will protected. I'm interested if these features are any good though.

Finally what is the difference between soft and hard rev cuts?
http://www.jjcraceandrally.com/race/...an-rev-limiter

Others I've looked at are
http://www.jjcraceandrally.com/race/...ed-rev-limiter
http://www.jjcraceandrally.com/race/...l3-rev-limiter

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Finally what is the difference between soft and hard rev cuts?

Hard cut just in effect switches the engine off at the set rev/min. Soft cut gradually reduces power as the set limit is approached - I believe it's done by progressively shutting down the spark to one or more cylinders.

[barnettracing]

Although this doesn't really help you, we have tried using Luminition units on both our FF1600 race cars. We had nothing but problems. They were messing up the rev counter and causing a misfire. After that we just removed them and I haven't used a rev limiter about the start of 2010.

I suppose what I am trying to say is, avoid Luminition. They may (or may not) be seen as the best by some but I have had nothing but problems with their limiters. The quality of their other electrical items isn't fantastic either. It'll be interesting to see what other manufacturers the posters on here use.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

Hard cut just in effect switches the engine off at the set rev/min. Soft cut gradually reduces power as the set limit is approached - I believe it's done by progressively shutting down the spark to one or more cylinders.

Thank you.
Soft sounds nicer, but if I'm just using it as prevention then, in theory, I should never actually use it so hard might do.

Thanks barnettracing.

[tristancliffe]

Years ago we used an Omex rev limiter. It worked quite well, except when it was set wrong by accident (even then it worked, but we didn't realise the misfire at 4k upwards was because of it!!).

[Paceracing]

Hard cut is quite aggressive on the engine. Soft cuts are also easier to feel as a driver when they start comming in. Beware that there are often errors on the cheaper rev limiters. Just because you have programmed the cut to 8,000 rpm doesn't make it so! Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. The safest option is to buy a decent ECU, (Pectel, Motec, Life) and use the rpm cut strategies in there. On the subject of gear cuts, be very, very careful there is a lot of rubbish out there that will cause massive damage to the entire drive train. Avoid cheap sub £1K systems like the plague! Believe me, its a can of worms! Again, use one of the three companies above if you want to run gear cut. They are probably the most responsible suppliers and compared to the cost of your race engine / gearbox well worth the money.

[Adam43]

I spoke to the guys at JJC race and rally and basically it was said that they are similar. There is a microdynamics one that you can set on a dial, which could be good if you are changing rev limit as it is easier.

However in the end I went for OMEX. I think it is the most common one.

Dave Brand, the soft part is stopping one in four parks on that one.

I'll post if I like it...

[dtype38]

I originally had a hard cut limiter, but got rid of that shortly after it nearly spat me off the track by completely cutting the ignition while I was powering out of a corner. I then got a soft cut limiter, but eventually got rid of that as well. The problem was not really knowing where the "limit" actually was. The "soft cut" seemed to come in from well below the setting and made it very difficult to "feel" where the gear shift should be. Could never rev anywhere close to the setting and in the end chucked it out and went back to using my ears.

[tristancliffe]

My rev limiter is set at the engine revs I do not want to exceed. This is higher than the RPM at which it is best to change gear. So I either use my ears/feel/rhythm, or I use shift lights.

[dtype38]

Fair point, but at the time my engine could pull more revs than I wanted it to, so gear change and rev limit were pretty much the same thing.

[JohnD]

Like tristancliffe, I use an Omex, and it's easy to use and trouble free.
Range of units at reasonable prices: http://www.omextechnology.co.uk/page2.html

John