# Top Speed for '04 GTO



## Whiteshadow (Sep 28, 2004)

Just wanted to clear up something that is the topic of a lot of posts... The top speed on the '04 GTO is 160mph. Last night the speed limiter was kicking in at exactly 160mph, it felt like I had just hit a ton of bricks when it kicked in, and it doesn't take long to bounce right back to 160! 

Now, just need to find a way to take off the limiter and find the true potential!


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## BigJim (Oct 30, 2004)

arty: Man thats fast! I wonder how fast it would do after the limiter is gone?


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

Are you sure it is a speed limiter? People used to think that the Z28s had a limiter but it was only the cars that were not delivered with Z-rated tires from the factory (115 mph). It turned out that the "limiter" was the electronic ignition turning off because the engine had reached red-line in 5th gear (172 mph). The Z28 would not pull 6th gear at that speed. A couple of military guys stationed in Germany figured this out on the Autobahn. The GTO is geared a bit lower than the Camaros LS1s so this may be what is happening in your case.

I wouldn't encourage anyone to test this out on the GTO. Beware, at 120+ it takes forever to stop and the '04 GTO's brakes aren't its strongest suit.


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## fwyflyr (Nov 27, 2004)

How many R's were you turning?


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## Redline (Aug 10, 2004)

ohhh top speed run :cool


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## chris8299s (Dec 15, 2004)

*what happens if...*

if a cop catches you going 160mph will he likely put you in jail and take your car away? maybe even charge you with some kind of felony?


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## Phoenix (Dec 22, 2004)

I thought there was a 160 governor on our cars. The guy that got rid of my skip shift said he would raise it to 255 when I bring the car in for tuning.


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## carguy (Nov 8, 2004)

Whiteshadow said:


> Just wanted to clear up something that is the topic of a lot of posts... The top speed on the '04 GTO is 160mph. Last night the speed limiter was kicking in at exactly 160mph, it felt like I had just hit a ton of bricks when it kicked in, and it doesn't take long to bounce right back to 160!
> 
> Now, just need to find a way to take off the limiter and find the true potential!


how meny R's were u turnin at 160?


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

I checked it coming home today. 160 is redline in 5th. No I did not go that fast but 2,000 rpm is 53, 4,000 is 106, thus 6,000 is 160. I haven't read anywhere or in any report that the GTO has a speed limiter. I think this most likely is the electronic ignition turning off at redline.


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## jeffthunbird (Dec 30, 2004)

You be a crazy man! What if a tire blew or a deer ran out? I've been up to 132 in my vette and I saw God.
You be a crazy man-don't do that again!


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

Saw another post with a guy doing 162 in 6th gear and claimed the speed limter turned off the engine, an indication that this car will hold or pull 6th gear (LS1 Camaro Z28 could not) and if the ignition cut off in 5th doesn't stop you the speed limiter will. 

Hopefully, the common sense limiter will kick-in before all this. It is so easy to run this car into the 3 digits - I've just set my overspeed tone at 100 and use at as a knock-it off alert.


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## mGTO04 (Jan 2, 2005)

wondered where it was...I hit 147 on the third day out...was in the shop getting the graphics on and the man asked me if it had some snap, so I felt obliged to let him know, then he told me he was an Iowa State Trooper...niiiiiiiiiice


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## mGTO04 (Jan 2, 2005)

knock it off alert, I like that
Mine is set for 80...maybe I will bump it up just a little...


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## Sexy_Silver (Dec 20, 2004)

*ewww overspeed*

is there a way to remove the over speed warning... its top is what 130? too low.... i wanna get rid of it all together


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## DuramaxGTO (Jan 5, 2005)

That overspeed warning is annoying, I have mine set at 130, 100 mph comes up so fast in this car, and it doesn't take much longer to get to that point, to date I've only had mine up to 126mph. Did that yesterday. It is so smooth you barely notice. I blow by everyone anyways, I just do it quicker with my GTO than with my Dmax. 

If you have a class D license, you'll just get hit with a big fine if you do that out of state. Hopefully the state that you get caught in doesn't have reciprocity with your home state. Otherwise you are screwed. I had a friend that got hit with a $600 speeding ticket in VA for doing 120 in a 65 and he was from Washington. Guess he was in a hurry or something. 

But if you have a class A then you gotta be on your toes. Or keep your foot out of it, that's the hard part, haha.


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## mGTO04 (Jan 2, 2005)

:agree That ospeed does come on too fast, and it is really annoying. Mine came on constantly during the test drive, it was on 55 and I thought that was a permanent setting?! I quickly found out how to change it up, but it is handy bc the acceleration is so smooth...you get there in a hurry!
Enjoy your GTO rides today, mine is in the garage under a foot of new IOWA snow. Guess the 02 Avalanche gets the ride today!


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## Whiteshadow (Sep 28, 2004)

Ok, to clear up some more of the things said in the post soo far:

1. Yes, it was a really stupid thing to be driving that fast, and I don't really know why I did, but it's kind of a thing that I do with every vehicle I own. hehe, I topped out my GSXR1000 motorcycle this summer, well into the 190's. 

2. I believe I was in sixth gear, and don't know the rpm I was at. BUT I can tell you this... There is for SURE a governor set in the car at 160mph. I had the digital speedometer showing 160mph, as well as the needle pointed at 160mph, when it would back me down roughly 5-10mph. It was startling to say the least, the car pulls pretty damn hard all the way to 160, and running into that limiter really caught me off guard. 

3. I know that the C5's are unlimited, and my roomate and I put his up to 175mph, and I believe there was still plenty of power to go further. REASON I mention this, is because I know the GTO can go much faster, it has plenty of RPM's left on the tach, as well as the power to keep going. (not that anyone WOULD or SHOULD.)

4. For the guy asking where I did this, I was right outside of Ames, Iowa... Highway 30 was re-paved this summer from Nevada to Ames, and I used most of that stretch to test the 160mph theory. 

5. Someone else mentioned the tire rating. Don't quote me on this, but the BFG's are W-rated, is that correct? And I believe W-rating is limited to 160mph which could be the reason the computers won't let us go any faster. As I understand it, a tire manufacturer is not responsible for any tire failure if the user is operating at a speed higher than the tire is rated? I remember seeing something about this a long while back somewhere, anyone care to add to this?


Anyways, I don't plan on going any faster than 160mph. If I want to go faster, I'll just buy another bike. That way I KNOW if I hit something at that speed, I won't be a vegetable for the rest of my life.


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## Purdone (Jan 6, 2005)

I hit 155 in my 98 LS1 TA Vert (A4, 2.73 rear) two times. Once with the top up and once with it down. The LS1 will pull you to 160 without even sweating. Also, don't forget that your speedo isn't the most accurate device. They can be off anywhere from 3 - 6%. 

I got my GTO last night, and haven't taken it over 80 yet, but it was raining. I imagine 160 would be quite a nice ride in this car. It sure is firmer than my drop top was (duh).


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## DuramaxGTO (Jan 5, 2005)

Whiteshadow,

You have the BFG G-Force KDWS tires right? Those are ZR speed rated... *201+MPH*, fat chance that we're going to get that fast soon. :cool


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## Purdone (Jan 6, 2005)

*Actually:*

P - 93 Mph
Q - 99 Mph
S - 112 Mph
T - 118 Mph
U - 124 Mph
H - 130 Mph
V - 149 Mph
W - 168 Mph
Y - 186 Mph
Z - 149+ Mph


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## UrassisDragon (Dec 7, 2004)

Please not there be any Auto Insurance Companies looking at these posts of this "Top Speed for 04 GTO" forum.


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## Whiteshadow (Sep 28, 2004)

DuramaxGTO said:


> Whiteshadow,
> 
> You have the BFG G-Force KDWS tires right? Those are ZR speed rated... *201+MPH*, fat chance that we're going to get that fast soon. :cool



Duramax, you must have some special KDWS tires then... because mine, and the ones they are selling on the tirerack site are W rated...


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## sno-rydr (Oct 13, 2004)

So, Duramax, how do you like your truck? I plan on getting one when I retire my 91 GMC. GM trucks are the best. What kind of mileage do you get on the highway with no load? Any problems with the truck? How many miles are on yours? And for everybody talking about the annoying speed chime, I don't know if you know this, but if it bugs you, don't run it up to 130, you can turn it off. If I'm not mistaken, it's by holding down the mode button when the over speed is in the window. The manual will tell you exactly. I just keep mine off.


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## mGTO04 (Jan 2, 2005)

So the factory tires on the GTO are W rated?


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## muohio (Sep 22, 2004)

mGTO04 said:


> So the factory tires on the GTO are W rated?


Our tires are Z rated with a W in the service rating. Originally Z tires where marked as 149+ but now many cars exceed that amount so they add the W and Y rating.


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## G & S (Aug 11, 2004)

http://www.thepontiactransampage.com/index12.html

Rating
R - 106 mph
S - 112 mph
T - 118 mph
U - 123 mph
H - 130 mph
V - 149 mph
W -168 mph
Y - 187 mph
Z - 187+ mph

They are BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS 245/45ZR17 95W M+S. These are W rated tires. The sales brochure even says they are W rated tires. Thus, the PCM is programmed to limit the speed of the car to 168 mph. To remove this you need a programmer and program a Z rated tire into the PCM. I have done this on my Chevy Z71 and will on the GTO.


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## DuramaxGTO (Jan 5, 2005)

Sno-rydr,

I love my dmax, before and after I had done all the mods to it, it is an awesome rig. I just couldn't stand those pizza cutter 245s that were on it. It's even better now. I have BFG All-Terrain KO 285s on it now. Suncoast Level 3 tranny upgrade which will hold anything I throw at it, I typically have it around 435hp, but am back to stock with the snow and ice here. Many many more mods too. I typically get mid to high teens nowadays, with the big beefy tires and everything. Before I typically saw high teens and even low 20s if you keep your foot out of it. 


Maybe I was mistaken about the ZR rating on our tires, but I do know for a fact that there are ZR rated tires, i.e. Michelin Pilot A/S sport tires and they are rated for 201+mph, purchased them from my local tire place where I'm pretty chummy with them. They aren't on my car, my bro got those for his GTP. That Z category though includes W and all those above 149+mph. Nice to have that sense of 'security' haha. Better than those zero pressure tires.


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## G & S (Aug 11, 2004)

Do people really understand what a speed rating on a tire is? Probably not.

A speed rating on a tire is what the tire is rated, and not suppose to come apart, at a given speed for 5 minutes. Who watches a stop watch at any speed over 100? NOT ME. Both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel.

Just info, My GTO will go 140 with no problems, have no other cars, or drivers in the area that want to beat that. My Police Unit, Crown Vic, will go 120 but there are problems. It shakes and you have to DRIVE the car to keep it on the road. The GTO feels like a smooth sunday stroll at 140 mph. Just for info, don't try to outrun a police unit, like the saying goes you can't outrun the radio.


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## skulltatt (Jan 7, 2005)

G & S said:


> http://www.thepontiactransampage.com/index12.html
> 
> Rating
> R - 106 mph
> ...


Sorry, this chart is incorrect. Z rating is 149+ mph. When Z rating originally came out it was thought it's rating would be enough to cover all vehicles. Over time this has changed. Now Z rated tires are also broken down into sub categories (w-168 mph and y-186 mph). So technically our tires are Z rated with a sub rating of W. 
On a side note, if your y rating on your tires are in parentheses then they are good for 186+!


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## TulsaGTO (Oct 3, 2004)

Got it up to 160 tonight on a 8-lane highway with no one else around. It might have had a little more in it, but not much. So, I'm guessing about 160 is all it will do. For the price, that's incredible. arty:


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## BigJim (Oct 30, 2004)

did you not hit the limiter? I think the Goat would do around 165 tops. The 05 is without the governor is supposed to do about 175 though. arty:


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## Castro (Mar 6, 2007)

My 97 Cadillac is one of the few Z-rated versions that came from the factory with Z-rated tires, thus it cam without a speed governor. It is governed by the wind and it's weight at supposedly somewhere around 160 (I've never come close). All other caddy's came with a speed governer set at or below the max tire speed rating. I always assumed this is true for most modern cars.


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## gsxfanatic (Jun 4, 2006)

*How Fast?*

I have a stock 05, A4 and hit 167... Phoenix racetrack. I don't know what my speedo said, yet I was clocked 3 times. Didn't really have the @^%* to look down from the track. The vehicle at the time only had 7500 miles. Although I did have a little higher octane fuel. I recommend anyone/everyone if you get the chance, find a racetrack and see what your car could do. Ever since then I know what the meaning of Pontiac IS driving excitment!!
Let me tell you it's fast!!!!


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## sniper.x611 (Jan 30, 2007)

and people wonder why insurance cost so much... People like you cost me an arm and a leg to enjoy a nice car...  
:lol: 
I just wish I could go that fast in a car....

Soon as I get mine its gonna be :willy: going to work everyday!!


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## germanchris85 (Mar 20, 2007)

my 04 GTO's ospeed is 125... kinda annoying. i mean still nuts to drive that speed on the i95 here in miami but still. what can i do to get rid of the speed limiters and torque management all together. is a performance chip or module the way to go? anyone? plus a nice cold air intake? lol


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## BrandonS (Feb 19, 2007)

TulsaGTO said:


> Got it up to 160 tonight on a 8-lane highway with no one else around. It might have had a little more in it, but not much. So, I'm guessing about 160 is all it will do. For the price, that's incredible. arty:


where'd you go around here to go that fast?


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

sniper.x611 said:


> and people wonder why insurance cost so much... People like you cost me an arm and a leg to enjoy a nice car...
> :lol:


If the world had only perfect drivers the insurance companies wpuld still charge you an arm and a leg!


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