General Cruising Speed

[FR85]

Hi All,

I have a 500f with a 650 engine, what is a fair and kind cruising speed for the car? Not driving Miss Daisy but not hanging around either?
What do people try and average on a run, road, traffic and terrain depending of course.

Gav

 

[fiat500]

On a fairly straight and level "A" road, I usually try to maintain the same speed as the rest of the traffic, which means that I can be cruising at between 55 and 60mph. 50 mph feels too slow and approaching 65mph I'm out of my comfort zone but the car easily handles it. I have a calibrated, rally speedometer, so my speeds are accurate. With a 594 engine and a 650 before that, the engine and driver are not under any undue strain. This speed reduces if it's windy or in a more rural situation where I just try to go as fast as the limitation of the handling and the power of the engine will allow.

Here in Highland Scotland, that means that progress is more or less the same as any other driver who is observing the speed limit, but a helluva lot more fun.

 

[FR85]

On a fairly straight and level "A" road, I usually try to maintain the same speed as the rest of the traffic, which means that I can be cruising at between 55 and 60mph. 50 mph feels too slow and approaching 65mph I'm out of my comfort zone but the car easily handles it. I have a calibrated, rally speedometer, so my speeds are accurate. With a 594 engine and a 650 before that, the engine and driver are not under any undue strain. This speed reduces if it's windy or in a more rural situation where I just try to go as fast as the limitation of the handling and the power of the engine will allow.

Here in Highland Scotland, that means that progress is more or less the same as any other driver who is observing the speed limit, but a helluva lot more fun.

I have a rev counter that when idling hovers around 850rpm but at 55mph says I'm only doing about 2100rpms. Don't think I'm trusting it!
She keeps up alright with the surroundings on B roads but I don't think I'm prepared to share a dual carriageway with 40fts!!

 

[lazylobster]

Seems low RPM for 55MPH.

I sit at 100KHM on the motorway. It's fast enough (62mph) and there is a little in reserve if needed. My RPM is around 3000 ish

R

 

[FR85]

Seems low RPM for 55MPH.

I sit at 100KHM on the motorway. It's fast enough (62mph) and there is a little in reserve if needed. My RPM is around 3000 ish

R

I figured it was out, wasn't sure by how much. I'll get it to to 60 later and see what it's telling me.
Thanks for the input, as mentioned I thought it was out, good to know by how much now!

 

[lazylobster]

Well, to advise, my engine is a 594cc and I'm connected to a later sync 126 gearbox, so final drive will be different impacting the engine speed at car speed.

I always thought my RPM was low on my digital dash but the engine is not high revving. The fiat service manual I have states max torque at 3000 ish. So to alay my fears I purchased an inductive rpm gauge which you set and wrap around the spark plug lead, it reads the pulse and this concured with my digital dash.

R

 

[lazylobster]

In fact a thread about it.

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/480723-tachometer-readings.html

 

[FR85]

In fact a thread about it.

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/480723-tachometer-readings.html

Oh will be reading that! Mine is wired to the cap like most of them but in researching a similar set up for my 850 the clock needs to be compatible with the quantity of cylinders. I've not pulled out the clock to check the back but with your info at least I've a starting point.

It's odd and nice at the same time that you were able to incorporate new with old but in a useful way!

 

[the hobbler]

On my 500, with a tuned 652cc engine and 13inch wheels with 165/55 tyres on them along with a standard '126' gearbox, the car is geared to 14.1mph per 1000rpm. This gives me 60 mph at 4,250rom and 70mph at 5,000rpm. Where allowed, I cruise at between 60 and 65mph----6,000rpm gives me a heady 85mph!!---and yes, it will do it!

 

[Bleeding Knuckles]

Hi All,

I have a 500f with a 650 engine, what is a fair and kind cruising speed for the car? Not driving Miss Daisy but not hanging around either?
What do people try and average on a run, road, traffic and terrain depending of course.

Gav

Hi Gav, I have a tuned 126/500/30 hybrid engine fitted to a 126 box with a BIS diff (9/39 ratio) Using 165/60 R12 tyres I can cruise along at 62 mph @ 4000rpm in 4th and 70mph @4500rpm in 4th, at 5000rpm it gets silly at 78mph above this I chicken out as the scenery passes too quickly
Ian.

 

[FR85]

On my 500, with a tuned 652cc engine and 13inch wheels with 165/55 tyres on them along with a standard '126' gearbox, the car is geared to 14.1mph per 1000rpm. This gives me 60 mph at 4,250rom and 70mph at 5,000rpm. Where allowed, I cruise at between 60 and 65mph----6,000rpm gives me a heady 85mph!!---and yes, it will do it!

85.....even if it could do it, I'm no where near that brave!!

What cam and carb are you running can I ask?

 

[FR85]

Hi Gav, I have a tuned 126/500/30 hybrid engine fitted to a 126 box with a BIS diff (9/39 ratio) Using 165/60 R12 tyres I can cruise along at 62 mph @ 4000rpm in 4th and 70mph @4500rpm in 4th, at 5000rpm it gets silly at 78mph above this I chicken out as the scenery passes too quickly
Ian.

The scenery passes quick enough at 60 for me!
I don't mind the 60 part, it's the might need to stop suddenly part that scares me!!

 

[the hobbler]

When working correctly, the brakes on a 500 are quite efficient---don't forget, they were designed for Italians who can be quite---enthusiastic in their driving! I will concede that I have disc brakes on the front of my car, but it does have a 659cc engine (bored 0.4mm), a Dellorto FZD carb, a fairly 'warm' cam, bigger inlet valves, a ported head, a lighter flywheel, electronic ignition and a good exhaust---quick enough to keep a smile on my face, especially in traffic!

 

[berkeleyman]

as an Italian gentleman once told me, the car will do 75mph, the main bearings, they will do 65mph!!!

 

[lazylobster]

Oh will be reading that! Mine is wired to the cap like most of them but in researching a similar set up for my 850 the clock needs to be compatible with the quantity of cylinders. I've not pulled out the clock to check the back but with your info at least I've a starting point.

It's odd and nice at the same time that you were able to incorporate new with old but in a useful way!

Hi, I wanted some more engine parameters especially oil pressure and temp but I'm not a fan of the Abrath style instrument pod. So this add on dash works well for me. It can be removed in less than 1 min, only a plug / socket. The dash only goes to 4 cyclinder, so I have a tach convertor inline which converts the signal to 2 cyclinder specs. The RPM takes the signal form the coil neg.

 

[the hobbler]

I will concede that if you rev a 500/126 crank to 6,000rpm on a regular basis it will eventually have a complete huff---and snap!

 

[BucsaBogdan]

On a fairly straight and level "A" road, I usually try to maintain the same speed as the rest of the traffic, which means that I can be cruising at between 55 and 60mph. 50 mph feels too slow and approaching 65mph I'm out of my comfort zone but the car easily handles it. I have a calibrated, rally speedometer, so my speeds are accurate. With a 594 engine and a 650 before that, the engine and driver are not under any undue strain. This speed reduces if it's windy or in a more rural situation where I just try to go as fast as the limitation of the handling and the power of the engine will allow.

Here in Highland Scotland, that means that progress is more or less the same as any other driver who is observing the speed limit, but a helluva lot more fun.

Could I ask why you changed to the 594 engine? i have a 594 and I’m very courios what the real life difference is to a 650.

 

[fiat500]

Could I ask why you changed to the 594 engine? i have a 594 and I’m very courios what the real life difference is to a 650.

Yes, the main reason was that I simply wanted to experience what the engine was like. I bought one for very little money and enjoyed rebuilding it. The 650 engine fitted already had nothing wrong with it and I intended to put it back in and then sell the 594. But I like the 594 so much that it's stayed in place.

The car feels just as fast as with the 652, the sound it makes is bit more solid, it goes up hills just as well....maybe better. But the main thing I like is that the range where it gets best torque is much more like that of the original 499. This means that driving is the same experience but with just a bit more power. I'm doing everything in the same gear as I would be with a 499cc and changing at the same times and speeds, but I'm going faster at all these stages.

It's would be a subtle differenece for some people, but I prefer it.

 

[BucsaBogdan]

Yes, the main reason was that I simply wanted to experience what the engine was like. I bought one for very little money and enjoyed rebuilding it. The 650 engine fitted already had nothing wrong with it and I intended to put it back in and then sell the 594. But I like the 594 so much that it's stayed in place.

The car feels just as fast as with the 652, the sound it makes is bit more solid, it goes up hills just as well....maybe better. But the main thing I like is that the range where it gets best torque is much more like that of the original 499. This means that driving is the same experience but with just a bit more power. I'm doing everything in the same gear as I would be with a 499cc and changing at the same times and speeds, but I'm going faster at all these stages.

It's would be a subtle differenece for some people, but I prefer it.

Thanks for the details. I only experienced the 594 on my 500 so have no real thing to compare it to. What I take from your oppinion is that there is not a huge difference between the 2 so that it’s worthwhile for me to buy a 650

 

[fiat500]

Thanks for the details. I only experienced the 594 on my 500 so have no real thing to compare it to. What I take from your oppinion is that there is not a huge difference between the 2 so that it’s worthwhile for me to buy a 650

If your 594 has the 28IMB carburettor it will be fine. I wouldn't say don't buy a 652 if you get the chance; everyone deserves to try everything for themselves. But if it means paying a lot more money than you are comfortable with, you aren't a loser with the 594.