A governor is a device that controls an engine’s speed based on load. Primary governors monitor the speed and load of a prime mover and adjust the energy source accordingly. Therefore, it controls pressure or temperature or limits speed.
The governors are control mechanisms that use feedback control as their principle. Their primary function is to limit the speed of the prime mover. They have no control over speed change within the cycle.
A governor is a system that reduces fluctuations in the mean speed, which can occur due to load variation. The governor does not affect cyclic speed fluctuations. However, it regulates the mean speed over an extended time throughout the load.
The speed will also change when the load changes. Moreover, the governor will operate the regulatory control. When the governor regulates the regulatory control, it adjusts the fuel supply to maintain a constant mean speed.
Some people do not want to have limitations in their speed. Therefore they do not wish to have governors in their cars. Therefore, how can you remove the governor from your vehicle?
How To Remove Governor From The Car
Install the new power programmer into your car by yourself or hire a pro. The power programmer will remove the governor by replacing the manufacturer’s speed limits. You can easily remove your old governor if you have access to this programmer.
The History Of Governors In Cars
As early as the 17th century, people used centrifugal governors to control the distance and pressure between millstones. First used to pump water, early steam engines relied solely on the reciprocating motion.
After the rotative steam engine by Scottish engineer James Watt, a constant speed was essential to have. They used the rotative steam engine to drive factory machinery. Therefore, Watt and industrialist Mathew Boulton produced over 500 rotative beam engines between 1775 and 1800.
The rotative steam engine consisted of a self-designed conical pendulum governor. The conical pendulum governor is a set of rotating steel balls attached to a vertical spindle by link arms.
Watt’s conical pendulum governor got mathematically analyzed by American engineer Willard Gibbs in 1872. Gibbs observed while studying that Its operation in practice was slow and prone to over-correcting for speed changes.
According to Gibbs, Equilibrium in thermodynamic systems depends on the balance of two entities. The first is heat energy supplied to the intermediate substance, and the second is work energy performed. The intermediate substance is steam in this case.
That work, On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances, was published in 1876. The Gibbs’ free energy equation, also known as Gibbs equilibrium, is based on these formulations and is widely used in the natural sciences today.
Early cars like the 1900 Wilson-Pilcher had governors as an alternative to hand throttles. For example, a governor controlled the vehicle’s throttle and timing to maintain a set speed. Governors were optional on utility vehicles with engine-driven accessories like winches or hydraulic pumps (like Land Rovers).
Moreover, the governor also kept the engine running at the required speed regardless of the load. In addition, they can protect engines from damage caused by excessive rotational speed. In some cases, such governors are a necessity to the law.
The Role Of Car Speed Governor
A car speed limiter keeps your teen from driving too fast. It lets parents set a maximum speed for their teen drivers. If you want to slow down a car, this device works well. It won’t stop drivers from going too fast in bad weather but will keep them from exceeding the posted speed limit. Therefore it will lower the risk of your kids being in a car accident.
Some speed governors also record other driving habits. You can use them in several ways. Parents can use them to spot and correct bad driving habits in their kids. Moreover, teens can use them to learn from their mistakes.
Some insurers even give discounts to cars with comprehensive governors. Having a record of a driver’s performance on the road helps insurance companies determine who is a safe driver. Keeping track of your driving habits is an excellent idea since it will save you a lot of money,
Moreover, speed limiters protect the engine and the car. The constant use of maximum speed reduces an engine’s lifespan. It is because the engine will get forced to work much harder than it would normally. However, if you have speed governors, it will reduce the speed and hence increase the engine’s lifespan.
Environmental factors also exist. Faster cars use more fuel and emit more pollution. Also, local cops might not be pleased if you tried to beat the Veyron’s speed record. Therefore, speed governors will result in slower cars and hence less fuel used and less pollution.
How The Speed Governor Work
The fuel injector system is responsible for governing your car’s speed when driving. The fuel system comprises a fuel pump, a carburetor, an injector, and cylinders. The fuel system controls how much gas gets delivered to the engine at any given time.
When you press the gas pedal, the fuel pump sends gas to the carburetor. The gas then mixes the fuel with air and sends it to the injector. The injector then distributes the fuel-air mixture evenly into each cylinder to power the engine.
As long as this process is not interfered with, you can travel at the speed you want. The more fuel the engine receives, the faster the vehicle travels. However, the fuel delivery to the engines will get controlled by a car’s speed governor. The device prevents over-fueling the engine by carefully calculating how much fuel is required to exceed a certain speed.
A car speed governor reduces the vehicle’s speed by regulating the fuel injection system’s operation. Therefore, it typically prevents drivers from exceeding 73 mph. However, the speed limit can get adjusted to suit your needs.
You can go as fast as you want up to the limit. However, the regulator prevents excess fuel from reaching the engine. Most modern cars have a built-in speed limiter, but it’s only to keep the car from going too fast.
Speed governors like Highway Guardian and Family Link are used to keep the vehicle safe. A factory-installed limiter may prevent you from exceeding 120 mph. On the other hand, an aftermarket one is designed to slow you down. Therefore, it’s perfect for teen drivers.
How To Remove Governor From Car
Despite the benefits people get from having a governor in their cars, some people opt to remove it. If you are one of them, here are the steps for removing it.
Before removing the governor, verify the vehicle’s year. Manufacturers abandoned governors in 1997-1998 in favor of a computerized program. After 1997-1998, the governor gets hardwired into the car’s computer program.
Next is deciding if you can program the computer yourself or send it to a third party. Third parties can fix the governor or computer, but you must send the chip from your computer.
You will then get an auto parts store’s power programmer. The power programmer overrides your current computer and forces it to follow the new speed limits. The system has everything you need to install it on your car.
The next thing to do is to disconnect the computer program from your car. However, by doing this, you will disable your vehicle for several days while you program the computer. There are instructions on how to remove the old system without causing damage.
Install the new power programmer yourself or hire a pro. The power programmer will remove the governor by replacing the manufacturer’s speed limits that favor the speed you want. You can easily remove your old governor if you have access to this programmer.
Vehicles With Speed Governors
In the US, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration looked into mandatory speed limiters on heavy-duty tracks in 2011. When it comes to passenger cars, every car is unique. Performance cars, especially European ones, tend to go much faster than economy cars. It also depends on the engine. For example, the 2011 Ford Mustang V-6 gets limited to 113 mph (181.9 km/h). However, the V-8 can approach 150 mph (241.4 kilometers per hour)
Can You Put Speed Limits On A Car?
A speed limiter is a governor that limits a car’s top speed. Some vehicle classes and jurisdictions require them, while others provide a non-statutory system that the driver can program. Therefore, the answer is yes. You can limit the speed of a car.
Does Speed Governor Use More Fuel?
A top speed Governor can dramatically reduce fuel consumption in vehicles that travel a lot of highways and dual carriageways. If a car uses less speed, it will consume less fuel. Therefore, it is not true that speed governors use more fuel.
Conclusion
You have seen how essential it is to have a governor on your car. It provides people with many benefits other than reducing accidents. However, it does not mean that you cannot be without it. You can even decide to remove it from your car. If you wish to remove the speed governor from your vehicle, follow the above steps.
