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Old 04-17-2012, 07:40 PM   #17 (permalink)
aerohead
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Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
Speed limits began to go up from 55 in 1987 or 1986, five or six years before the VX engine.



Maybe the lean burn engine was designed with the better aero and taller gearing of the HF in mind?
Thanks California for the chronology!
I guess my second thought is that the FTP for EPA HWY cycle would still have been run with the max. 60 mph velocity,and average 48.6 mph on the dyno,so regardless of posted speed limits,the EPA HWY MPG would still reflect the lower speed testing.
My friends the Gilkisons had a VX which we tested at 55 mph on a camping trip beyond the Very Large Array,on to Datil Wells State Park,New Mexico and around Silver City,back into the Las Cruces area.I think we broke 60 mpg.
Nowadays,they have dynos which can withstand 0-60 in 7-seconds without slippage and speeds to 80 mph.
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