Correct RPM for a 280SE

[Green74280se]

Hi Guys,

Well I finally got my new plates on the car and can now legally drive it...... which I did last night!



One thing I noticed is that it seems to Rev very high.. and no, I'm not comparing to my two diesels!!!

At around 100kph its sitting at around 3000revs and at 120 - 130kph it starts getting above 3500rpm and closer to 4000rpm.

It just doesn't seem to be going into the last gear / overdrive??!!... Is there an electric / vacuum overdrive on these cars?

My blue 280SE seemed to rev high too but I never really took it on the motorway which is now most of my trip to and from work.

In saying all the above, the pickup at 120kmph is great, the motor stays cool and the fuel consumption didn't seem ridiculous so I'm thinking MAYBE all IS o.k and i'm just being paranoid.

Any advice / technical data would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance and cheers,

Al

[Depa77450sel]

Cool the green plates are look great fits the car perfectly

[carl888]

Unfortunately you've struck my biggest bug bear with the w116, and the 280 SE in particular, it's under geared.  The 3.69:1 differential ratio means you'll be spinning over at 3,200 rpm at 100 km/h.  looks like a nice car, congratulations!

[ZCarFan]

I have a W126 280SE and it revs quite a bit on the highway just as yours does.  I just ignore it.  I am getting about 20 miles per U.S. gallon in mixed driving.

There is no overdrive.  1st gear only engages if you either pull the lever all the way back, or if you give it more that 2/3 throttle (approx.) when leaving a stop.  It is set up to pull away in second gear to soften the response.

[Green74280se]

Thanks Guys..... Now that I know Esmerelda is "Normal" I can breath a sigh of relief!

The other surprise this morn was the size of fuel tank..... I had around 1/4 of a tank left so thought I'd better "fill her up"!

$106 later she was full!!!!!... at $1.56 per litre for premium = 68 litres .. at 1/4 full equates to a tank of around 90 litres??!!.. as long as my fuel gauge is working correctly!!! LOL

And as for the plates.. I think they look ok too but are the wrong shade of green... ... My wife (an artist with a steady hand) has agreed to over paint them once I get some Citrus Green paint mixed up! 

[ZCarFan]

$1.56 per litre !  if my calculations are close that's about 50% more than we pay.

[Depa77450sel]

96 litre tank 

[Green74280se]

$1.56 per litre !  if my calculations are close that's about 50% more than we pay.

Not sure what you currently pay in the U.S but from previous trips that wouldn't surprise me!!!

At the moment, here in Sydney Diesel is around A$1.48 / litre, "Standard" unleaded (91 Octane) is around $1.36/ litre and LPG (Gas) is around the A$0.71c / litre mark.... +or - 5% depending what suburb and what "Brand" you're buying. 

[ZCarFan]

We are paying a bit less than 4 dollars per gallon (3.8 liters) for premium.  We hit a low point well under 2 dollars back in 2008.  When I moved to Georgia in 2001, we saw prices under a dollar for a while.  It was great.  It would be a lot cheaper and go further if we'd quit burning our corn crops and just stick to eating it.  All that ethanol has killed fuel economy at the same time it raised prices.  Not to mention the ecological damage of burning a fuel that takes up more energy in production than it supplies.  It's only saving grace is you can make more power with the addition of ethanol.

I have yet to drive my W116 280SE as it is low on the project list.  Mine's Topaz Brown, so not nearly as pretty as your car.  If I keep it, the color is changing for sure.

[Green74280se]

I have yet to drive my W116 280SE as it is low on the project list.  Mine's Topaz Brown, so not nearly as pretty as your car.  If I keep it, the color is changing for sure.

Topaz Brown?, not sure what colour that is but from what i understand it's a lightish brown... My mate has a 450SEL in Milan brown which is quite dark. The main response I get with Esmerelda as i drive around is they look and simply smile... Don't know whether because she's so retro in both style and colour or they feel sorry for me cos it's such a LOUD colour!!! In any case, i don't mind, she's a champ to drive and honestly think she's enjoying being driven again!!!

I'm going to replace all the fuses on the weekend as many look a little dodgy and I blew the blower motor fuse after having the aircon on for over an hour on the trip home last night.

Other than that we had torrential rain for around 4 hours last night and as I had her parked on the street  I was awake thinking I hope she's waterproof! LOl

Got in her this morning and all was dry in both cabin and boot (trunk)..... Awesome!

[entresz]

My 450SE does about 2700rpm at 100km/h (not that I'd know that being a P-plater and all....). Fuel consumtion is about 16L/100km. A 4th gear would be nice though.

[Pieter Lötter]

4th gear on a 280 is a ratio of 1:1 and third gear on a 350, 450 and 6.9 is a ratio of 1:1 the only difference is the diff ratios 3.69 for the 280 and 3.46, 3.07 and 2.65 for the 350, 450 and 6.9.

I think a 280 with a 450 diff would be ideal as that would mean 130km/h at about 3350 rpm ( yes I did the math   )
I also think its not that far fetched as my little 2l ford focus only revs 3200 at 130km/h

Thoughts . . .

[Green74280se]

Thanks Pieter,

I love the fact you've calculated that a diff from a 450 would be beneficial!!!.. May have to look into that.

I actually made a note at the revs on my 3.5 litre 1988 4 speed Auto Range Rover yesterday on my way down the coast and 100kph was around the 2800rpm mark so i'm coming to grips with relatively high revs on Esmerelda.

[Pieter Lötter]

Yes its a bit unnerving at first especially if you just step out of a new 5spd manual car, I'm constantly looking for fifth in the old girl.
That said my mother told me that in 1975 they took a trip to the coast and back a round trip of about 1200km and the 280 gave them 12 km/l
8.33 l/100km that's better than the car  i drive now I would love to get her back to that like new condition.
So if the people with the thick glasses and the pink soks designed the car to rev like a banshee who are we to argue

[John Hubertz]

I'm curious about the statement regarding being a "p-plater."  I googled it and discovered this is an Australian situation in some areas where they issue a provisional license. 

Tell me what are the various restrictions?  I have to admit being here in the rural USA I have a lurid fascination with the amazing barriers to driving around the world.

For your viewing enjoyment I present another iconic image of road safety around here: