At 23:37 10/22/99 , Ron Bloomquist wrote:
>Hi gang,
>
>Not to change the subject but...
>
>How is it that my 1984 Vanagon speedometer can read 10 mph too high?  I am
>riding on 185/14 inch tires which I think are stock size.  Yes.  When the
>speedometer reads 70 mph I am actually only doing 60.  I don't get it.

1984 and '85 up through December '84 production used European calibration
specs, the USA DOT rule (FMVSS 127) having been cancelled in May 1983 (the
new DOT requirement is only that the speedo never read low).  The euro
calibration is -0, +(6.2mph +5% of actual) [that's 10kph + 5%], so at 60
mph you could be reading 69.2 and still be within spec.  And that's with
new tires.  Getting-down-there tires will add a little more yet (couple
mph?  too lazy to figure it out).  Apparently VDO got tired of making lousy
speedos or the customers complained or something, b/c after that they went
back to making them with a tolerance of -0, +3 mph.

(ref Bentley 90.30)

david
David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon.htm
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"