On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 07:19:47 -0700 (PDT), Dave
wrote:

- Engine damage occurs over about 0.5k over the red line. Unless
really critical, do not use the revs above this. Most modern cars
have rev limiters that prevent going much over the red line anyway.

It's not immediate de-arrangement (well yes it is with OHV pushrod
motors) but the initiation of small cracks in pistons and rods that
grow with every rev. It takes time at high rpm/load for those to grow
to the point at which engine integrity is compromised.

Nissan 1800cc CA18DET has a 7,200 rpm redline for UK market, the N/A
version the CA18DE in Japan has a 7,700 rpm redline. Bottom end is
identical. I don't know what they ran it to in Japanese F3 but it
should have been over 8K.

1972 Honda 350 K4 twin had a 9,500 rpm redline. Production race kit
was a pair of exhaust pipes, pair of carbs, pair of high comp pistons,
a cam, valve springs and a 14,000 rpm tachometer. They run to over
11,000 rpm in classic racing.

1974 Honda CB125S has a 9,500 redline on a 12,000 rpm tachometer. Over
18,000 miles in 18 months I saw 12,000 on 3 occasions (in top!). A car
magazine did their utmost to kill one. Eventually they put it on the
stand, then held the throttle wide open with no load, the rod
ventilated the crankcase at 17,000 rpm.

Obviously exploring the red zone means the warranty is void and
expected life is one race season ~ 2000 miles. Annual rebuild requires
new pistons and rods.
--
Peter Hill
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