How often do you redline your cars?

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Blueskies123
Once every 10 years. Over 200,000 on two cars. Redline is not necessary. Does your manual recommend you redline?


Hello Buzz Killington!

 

[Colt45ws]

Everyday.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
A lot of talk about red lining a car and the pro's and con's to the engine. How about an automatic transmission? Lets say you find an open stretch of road that is unoccupied and you're cruising along at 60 mph and punch it out. How about the transmission dropping to a lower gear and hitting red line in the lower gears, what is the impact on the transmission? I'm more concerned about an automatic transmission, I don't worry much about a stick, but an automatic, that's another story to me.


There is a lot of torque management in today's cars that I don't think I'd worry about it. Most will cut timing for that split second while the transmission shifts to take things easier on it. Most newer cars will rev match on downshifts so you are covered there.

It's been said that "crisp" shifts are easier on autos than a slipping shift. I know if you are at about 50 and punch it in the Taurus sometimes you will get a firm shift as it drops from 6th to 2nd. It used to slam into gear and after a reprogram it's just "quite firm". At 63k now and no tranny issues.

 

[IndyIan]

Without some sort of VVT, all my cars listed drop a little power near redline, so I never touch the rev limiter when driving on the street. But they all see a couple gears up to 6000rpm WO once or twice a week.
The Neon, when autocrossed, sees the limiter once in a while when I leave it in 1st. Most of our courses don't have a sustained section above 50mph.

 

[TFB1]

Yeah lets red line 'em several times a day and use 5W-20 to get good gas mileage...


This place never ceases to amaze me...


No I'm not a old fud that would never do so, just don't spin my daily's up as 99.9% of the time there is no need, my toys are another story...

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
My cars are stick shifts. I pretty much swing the needle past the redline on my WRX and GTI every time I'm in the right situation. First at a stop light on a 55 MPH 2 lane road.. . I think there's a big difference in reliability redlining an antiqued OHV engine vs a modern OHC one.


Why do I see so many civics smoking?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
My cars are stick shifts. I pretty much swing the needle past the redline on my WRX and GTI every time I'm in the right situation. First at a stop light on a 55 MPH 2 lane road.. . I think there's a big difference in reliability redlining an antiqued OHV engine vs a modern OHC one.


Why do I see so many civics smoking?

That's a good question, I see a lot of them smoking too.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
My cars are stick shifts. I pretty much swing the needle past the redline on my WRX and GTI every time I'm in the right situation. First at a stop light on a 55 MPH 2 lane road.. . I think there's a big difference in reliability redlining an antiqued OHV engine vs a modern OHC one.


Why do I see so many civics smoking?


I can't say that I ever see any smoking, but they are known to burn some oil. Not all engines but some do.

Also being the reputation Civics have they probably go through a lot of neglect because people treat them like [censored] a lot of the time.

 

[Vikas]

I only do it when I turn off the mpg gauge Otherwise, it is too depressing to see the massive hit on the numbers.

 

[Jarlaxle]

My Caddy: today.

I was getting on the highway on a long, straight ramp...with a clear ramp & no traffic, I punched it from about 15MPH. By the time I reached the end of the ramp, I was going about 75. I sometimes forget how much FUN 600HP can be!

 

[hattaresguy]

I run every motor I use to the stops all the time car, boat doesn't matter.

 

[ls1mike]

How many stars are in the sky?

They all see it. The truck not as often, it has few times towing.
The Trans Am. LOL.
The modified Supercharged Buick. LOL.
The Equinox, Only when I drive it, but it does see it once a week.

 

[Artem]

Not a day goes by that I don't rev the engine in my 2006 Scion tC to it's 6,200rpm redline. I do this in 1st and 2nd gear whenever possible just to pull away from traffic so I can cruise in peace WAAAY ahead of everyone behind me. 3rd gear sees redline each and every time I merge onto the highway, just to get up to speed. I enjoy every second of it.

110,000 miles on the tC and both me and the wife have been driving it this way since 10,000 miles, when she bought it. Everything is still OEM except for fluids and spark plugs. OEM accessory belt, clutch, etc. I expect 200k out of this car EASY!

So why not rev your engine sky high and enjoy it / life whenever you get a chance? Life is short and I prefer to enjoy mine every chance I get.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

The Sonata (5 speed manual) is normally full throttle every day but it doesn't have that much power. Rev limiter kicks in at about 6500 rpm, it will see 6000 rpm 2-3x day merging on to highway in 2nd and/or 3rd gear. The fuel cut is annoying so I shift before that. With a 4cyl manual getting moving with traffic around here almost requires full throttle in the lower gears.

I had a loaner Sonata a couple times (automatic 4 cyl) and full throttle would take it to about 6k but it was much different experience (noisier, not as fun) with revs staying higher between shifts.

The Sequoia with automatic takes it to almost redline at full throttle. I do that 1/month when I drive it. When I'm not in the truck and the wife drives it, I think it sees it often as I've been behind her at a light when she didn't know it. Also seeing the mileage results shows that it OFTEN sees some full throttle runs. She's a very impatient and probably just over road rage line kind of driver.

 

[outdoorsman310]

all the time. all you need is 1st gear and reverse!

 

[JetStar]

I can't say that I go all the way to the redline very frequently, but I do wind them up near the redline at least once during my commute. Not so much on the Tacoma, but the GTI and the Mustang, yes.

 

[rationull]

Not enough, lately.

I didn't redline my 07 Civic (NOT an Si) much because it didn't feel all that great to. But my WRX spins up nice and smooth and sounds good doing it. I try to take the opportunity when I can. Redline in 2nd gear comes just up to 60 mph so it's usually not too hard to work it out.

Although I more often take it up to 5500 or so rather than redline (6500) most of the time.

Same story on my wife's Mazda3 I think.

I think it's good to keep the engine working and enjoy cars that are tuned to feel good while doing that. Never before it's good and warmed up though, of course.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
I think there's a big difference in reliability redlining an antiqued OHV engine vs a modern OHC one.


Yeah... the new ones blow up easier.

Seriously though, redline is and was redline. Its the maximum SAFE RPM for a given engine design, old or new. And overhead valves have even less to do with it- connecting rod bolts are the weak point at speeds above redline.

 

[Errtt]

Generally don't do it often, but today spent most of the day running around in the mountains and had several uphill steep grades where I'd punch it WOT and held it there till I either topped the grade, few cases traffic, or Ka radar (highway patrol) kept me from doing it. Had to fill the tank a couple times.
I thought it would make a difference on the Huyndai 2.4L DI after all that but it didn't that I can tell. Seems to run the same. Oil level after all that didn't move off the full (checked 2 hours after home sitting).
Otherwise it gets redline maybe a couple times a month.
Found it will shift (either in auto or sport shift) right at the redline, so it won't go up into the redline area.

 

[sl1driver]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
How many stars are in the sky?

They all see it. The truck not as often, it has few times towing.
The Trans Am. LOL.
The modified Supercharged Buick. LOL.
The Equinox, Only when I drive it, but it does see it once a week.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, and I'll start a new one if y'all want me to, but I have a question for you, Mike. How does your Equinox do on Mobil? I have an '05 EQ LS AWD with 136k. I have the opportunity to pick up some SM Mobil 1 EP for cheap from a friend of mine. The EQ doesn't use but perhaps 1/2 qt of its current oil (PP) in 7500 miles. I've always wanted to try M1 EP but my other vehicle, a Saturn, is not a good candidate for long drains, so I'm thinking of giving it a go in the EQ.