Speedo accuracy | FerrariChat

Speedo accuracy

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by marce, Jan 22, 2017.

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  1. marce

    marce Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2014
    432
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Marcel
    G'day dudes,

    I have correct dimension yokohama advan sports on my 550, by my calculations the speedometer reads about 7.5% faster than a gps based speedometer app that i measured it against.

    If anyone else has done this sort of test, what sort of results do you get. ?

    Cheers
    M
     
  2. ixlr8

    ixlr8 Formula Junior

    Aug 24, 2015
    301
    Eastern Shore- Virginia
    Full Name:
    Jim
    My 550 is about the same, speedo reads faster than GPS actual. I haven't done the calculations, but the speedo does read between 7-10% faster than the GPS.
     
  3. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Marcel- Seems to be a constant with Ferraris of 5-10% fast on the speedo, but the odometers are usually pretty accurate. Was the same for the ones I owned, all the way back to the Dino in 1975.
     
  4. GTS Bruce

    GTS Bruce Pisses in your Cheerios

    Oct 10, 2012
    793
    Orchard Park NY
    Full Name:
    Bruce Roche
    Agree. I watch the gps to determine cruising speed then keep it steady using the tach.
     
  5. au-yt

    au-yt F1 Veteran
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    Aug 13, 2006
    5,834
    Burradoo... Actually
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    Graeme
  6. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
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    Terry H Phillips
    Works great with one of their speedometers, but not sure it is adaptable to a Ferrari.
     
  7. au-yt

    au-yt F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 13, 2006
    5,834
    Burradoo... Actually
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    Graeme
  8. marce

    marce Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2014
    432
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Marcel
    Graeme, not sure if you use this skill set of yours outside the forum, but you're a bit like a google!
     
  9. Emartleb

    Emartleb Karting

    Dec 6, 2004
    79
    San Francisco, CA
    Full Name:
    Val Beltrame
    I've calculated the gearing, tire size, etc. to translate to 26.2mph for every 1000 rpm in sixth gear. This seems close to the 26.18mph figure I seem to remember reading somewhere. Interestingly, and assuming my tach is correct, my speedo is dead-nuts accurate up to about 80mph. I mean perfectly accurate. After about 85, the speedo starts immediately reading about 5-6% fast (or perhaps the tach becomes inaccurate). For example, by 4,000 rpm, I should be going a tick under 105mph, but the speedo shows about 110-112. I know there is some "tire growth" and perhaps some aerodynamic changes that occur at speed but this transition seems too abrupt and too large to by accounted for by those types of things. I also seem to remember reading that Ferrari (and others) build in some speedo inaccuracy at higher speeds. I don't know if that's true or not.
     
  10. au-yt

    au-yt F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 13, 2006
    5,834
    Burradoo... Actually
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    Graeme
    That's funny, It just so happens I have another project car and have resently been reasurching
    Speedos and found there are a variety of GPS speedo drives. One in particular has a programable stepper motor and will drive an analogue gauge. Wish I had known about it for my Maserati. Only down side is loss of signal in cities and tunnels.

    Also I recently dismantled a Alfa Jeager speedo that was running slow, only needed lubing with very fine oil. And talking to a friend he has calibrated his own by increasing or deacresing the magnetism of the rotating magnet, bit fiddly. I wouldn't suggest it here for Modern Ferrari's as I think most are digitally driven.

    I cannot help but wonder is the calibration of modern V12 is the same for Ks and Miles and the marking on the speedos isnt as accurate for milage speedos.
     
  11. JohnnyRay

    JohnnyRay F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2014
    2,863
    Central FL/NW WI
    My 550 MPH speedometer seems very accurate when comparing the reading to stationary radar at "legal" speeds. But, then again...it is analog...
     
  12. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    550 mph is really humming. I make that to be about mach 0.72 at sea level.
     
  13. JohnnyRay

    JohnnyRay F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2014
    2,863
    Central FL/NW WI
    Meant to say the "MPH" speedo in the 550... :) It does zip along nicely though!
     
  14. johngtc

    johngtc Formula Junior
    Owner

    Mar 4, 2005
    817
    Yorkshire, UK
    Full Name:
    John Gould
    Is this not to do with Construction and Use or Type Approval Regilations?

    The UK (European?) regulations include the following paragraphs:

    2. For all true speeds up to the maximum design speed of the vehicle, the true speed shall not exceed the indicated speed.

    3. For all true speeds of between 25 mph and 70 mph (or the maximum design speed if lower), the difference between the indicated speed and the true speed shall not exceed—

    V / 10 + 6.25mph

    where V = the true speed of the vehicle in mph.

    Presumably manufacturers er on the high side to compensate for the fitment of different tyres, temperatues etc.

    And, of course, GPS readings may not be 100% accurate, dependant on gradients and satelite visibility.
     
  15. au-yt

    au-yt F1 Veteran
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    Aug 13, 2006
    5,834
    Burradoo... Actually
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    Graeme
    Domestic GPS units don't to the pin point accuracy of a Military unit, having said that If you run a GPS Speedo app like Ulyssees it will tell you the number of Satellites it has identified.
     
  16. nettwerkjohn

    nettwerkjohn Karting

    Mar 6, 2015
    114
    Waikawa, Picton 7220
    Full Name:
    John Phillips
    My 456 reads 10kmh high, consistently...
     
  17. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
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    Terry H Phillips
    John- So at 10 kph it reads 20 kph?
     
  18. nettwerkjohn

    nettwerkjohn Karting

    Mar 6, 2015
    114
    Waikawa, Picton 7220
    Full Name:
    John Phillips
    Correct. It reads 10kmh when it's stopped.

    Far as my gps reports, it is accurate it's whole travel, less 10kmh
     
  19. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
    988
    Mountain Living
    Full Name:
    Jim
    Whenever I see one of those speed trackers (supposedly slows people down), I just go by at 20, 30, 40, etc., mph to calibrate my speedometer. Speedometers are always about 5% to 7% fast.
     
  20. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
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    Oct 15, 2012
    7,698
    Newbury, Berkshire, England
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    John
    You can do anything in Maranello! :)

    Mine reads about 575 at 550. ;-)
     
  21. dakharris

    dakharris Two Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2001
    29,441
    Sleepy Hollow
    Full Name:
    Cavaliere Senzatesta
    When I put the larger diameter (by one inch) tires on my 550, it reduced the revolutions and now my speedo reads accurately.
     
  22. rokhound

    rokhound Rookie

    Sep 8, 2016
    19
    Sacramento, CA
    Full Name:
    Jon Mistchenko
    The speedometer in my 1995 456 seems to read about 10% too high based on comparison with a roadside radar-based speed sign. I assume this is due to the regs mentioned earlier that require it to never read low, despite alternate wheel and tire fitment.
     
  23. Twosherpaz

    Twosherpaz Formula Junior

    Feb 25, 2014
    889
    Thermal, CA
    Full Name:
    Private
    When I wear my Speedo, oh never mind.
     

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