I think the redline for the 2.0L is somewhere in the mid 5,000s (it is on my 914
2 liter anyway, which is substantially the same engine except for having solid
lifters and different heads.)

In theory, you should not be exceeding 5500 rpm for extended periods of time. In
practice, you may often have to, or at least you may need to hold it at that
speed for periods of time if you are climbing grades.

I have an '82, and I am in 3rd gear on freeway grades most of the time. However,
this is an Adventurewagen with a fixed high roof, so the drag may be more than a
Westfalia.

If you have the correct speedometer installed for your year van, there are marks
on it that signify the maximum rpms. These are there as maximum shift point
indicators. While they don't tell you what the actual rpms are, they do tell you
the safe rpm for which you can rev in each gear.

Dan Schmitz

David Cooper wrote:

> What is safe speed(engine wise) for 3rd and 4th gear in my 82 Westy?
> Since my Westy does not have a tach and the engine is a mile away it is hard
> to get a true read on the engine rpms.  Any input?
> Coop