So what does the car actually do when it hits the rev limiter? Cuts fuel? Retards timing?

 

LT1 PCM cuts fuel.

 

Injuneer,

Is there any sounds when this happens...does the pump stop sending or is there a some solenoid that shuts?

The reason I ask is sometimes when I floor it hard while it's cruising in 4th..I hear this click click click...and it's usually when I'm up in the high RPMs...so not sure if the car downshifts and hits rev limiter at the same time. Is this possible? Trying to figure out what this clicking sound is...the clicks are loud and fast and only for like a second or so..then the car just takes off.

Not sure if it's not shifting into gear quick enough, or the car is hitting the rev limiter. This only happens if I REALLY floor it hard..I can unlock the TC, down shift at high throttle and no clicks...but if I floor it...sometimes I hear and feel the clicks.

So, any signs of hitting the rev limiter except for a sudden slowdown b/c no fuel...any sounds?

Thanks.

 

Not sure where your '96 is set at but a stock '94-''95 rev limiter is 5875 RPM cutoff and 5790 resume. With an A4 you can hit it in 1st, but mostly it really shows in 2nd gear around 73 MPH w/3.42 gears, probably high 60's in your car. Your talking over 128 MPH in 3rd and 180+MPH = in 4th with 3.42 gears probably a few MPH lower with your 3.73 to hit the limiter. Unless your 4-3 downshift is really slipping. Symptom is the car bucks between 100 RPM as fuel is cut then resumed. If you bought your tune they most likely raised the cutoff. No clicking that I can think of, but seriously at 6K RPM it's really hard to hear anything over the engine and exhaust. Sounds more like a converter or tranny thing. TCC engage/disengage settings to close, only guessing..

 

If you hit the limiter, there will be no doubt... its a large "bang"... no "clicks" involved. At least that's the way it felt when I still had the T56.

 

the clicking sounds like it would be valvetrain related. Usually low octane fuel will do it when putting the car under a load.