Is a high mileage engine more like to blow up if ridden hard?

[The motor guy]

Say you have a 200k plus engine, that's still been maintained. Should you go easy on it compared to a new engine? Or can you still hotrod a high mileage engine without blowing a head gasket or sending a rod through the side of the block?

 

[mr_boring]

Machines break. Metal fatigue is real. The older a gasket gets, well, the older it gets.

But - who knows? What do you really mean by hotrodding? I have never really changed my driving style to baby a vehicle as it gets older, but it's been about 17 years since I owned a vehicle that was really built to beat on. I kinda beat on my 2013 Mustang, and I know my son did but it only lived to see a bit over 30k mikes.

 

[ctechbob]

I'd say it depends. A Mazda BP engine in a Miata hammering around a racetrack at many hundred thousands of miles? Sure, send it. That motor is a beast when it comes to putting up with abuse.

The J Series in my Accord? When I drive it, or the 180k mile J35 in my Acura, sure I'll run them up to redline now and again without issues.

The 3.2 in my long gone Rodeo? Probably not. That thing seemed to be getting more fragile the older it got when I got rid of it.

 

[proveitwithdata]

Whats the intended outcome you are looking for?

You stress a machine, naturally its gonna wear out faster?

 

[Donald]

There will be more wobble of the piston in the cylinder as the cylinder and rings wear.

 

[bullwinkle]

A fairly well maintained SBC? Sure! A Hyundai Theta or Theta II 2.4? BOOM!! The LS 6.0 in the company’s fairly beat Express has 196K, it’s been handling it pretty well.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

On maintained vehicles, I don't think WOT is a big deal on a warmed up engine, but some engines are just more durable than others. I've had F150s with 100,000-300,000 miles on them. In the case of my '97 330,000 4.6, I was still using it to pull a car trailer 'till I sold it. With 224 hp it saw lots of prolonged WOT. Never had an issue. I'm sure there are some highly tuned forced induction engines that may run into issues, but I don't see where healthy more simple normally aspirated should ever have an issue. That being said the current truck is a 150,000 mile 2.7 F150 and every day as I get on the expressway home it's a WOT blast from 40-80 sometimes faster. For me there's no point in having a vehicle I can't floor when the need or want happens.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

A lot of variables, but I'll present a few of examples I witnessed.
- I had a 1999 Lexus GS300. At 365k miles the engine looked like a 50k mile engine under the valve covers. Worked well, until I let a young driver behind the wheel. That driver killed the transmission in 3 weeks. Engine still fine.
- Same driver had a 2003 Lexus IS300. 220k miles. He raced and drifted it at every "takeover" event in town. Engine held up just fine, but it did take 3 transmissions due to such abuse. Then he filled the engine with 0W20 oil... Drove it for couple thousand miles... And decided to do an engine flush by adding 1qt of Motor Medic flush... Needless to say that such a thin mixture provided zero protection to mating surfaces, so Cyl #6 spun a bearing and completely ate up the crank. Engine is currently rebuilt, back in business, and is getting turbocharged by the new owner, also a young guy.
- I had a 220k mile 2001 Honda CR-V 5MT and AWD. Redlined often, lots of offroading, and it all held up well. Until a rear main seal destroyed the clutch. With a new clutch the new owner is still rowing through gears with the sound of B20 screaming for life, but soldiering on somewhere in Kentucky.

With all that and many more other examples - mileage is just a number and precautionary measures need to exist based on intended usage. Planning to stay at higher RPMs often? Up the oil viscosity and go with better oil. Planning to drift or tow with that automatic? Pick a better ATF and install the biggest transmission fluid cooler that can fit in there, as well as get an ATF temp gauge and pay attention to it. Research bigger brake options for the vehicle in question. Stuff like that. Just use common sense and it will be fine.

 

[Slick3914]

Run it till she blows!

 

[BrendanC]

2002 silverado LQ4 cammed, heavy truck etc sees redline atleast once daily. 234k and counting.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

And then there is my buddy that wrecked his somewhat under 200K Silverado 4.8 just leaving the parking lot after work. A valve spring broke.

 

[daves87rs]

Gotta have some fun!

 

[M1Accord]

For a well maintained vehicles that are of known high reliability quality, can benefit from occasional Italian tune-up once the engine is warm up. ITU is not the same as WOT off the line though but rather prolong higher speed gradually to burn off contamination in motor oil. I do it with my Fit once a month with 90+ mph for 20-30 seconds on expressway (speed limit 70 but traffic flow is 85 mph and above).

 

[Oil Changer]

Age is just a number.

 

[SC Maintenance]

If were talking the occasional WOT, well maintained engine likely fine.

If were talking actual performance build, where it stays there for a while and regularly - its possible, but probably not. Too much piston slap, too many cycles on the valve springs aready, too much clearance in the rod bearings.

However you won't know till you do it. What engine and what use are we actually talking here?

 

[zzyzzx]

Is a high mileage engine more like to blow up if ridden hard?​

Probably.

 

[D60]

As others have hinted, if it's a gas tow rig or truck, there really aren't choices. My 6.2 F350 has gotta spin or be put down. It's no good to me or anyone if it can't hang out near redline for extended periods with a trailer behind it wheezing at low atmospheric pressure (6k-12k ft). It's not abuse, it's just intended use.

 

[dumkid]

I have to wind my engine up to 5k or it won't climb the hills and keep up with the horse trailers. (They like to go fast) It has 196k miles and still runs alright. Leaks oil and coolant and probably has a cracked exhaust manifold, but it still runs good and pulls hard.

When peak power (200hp) is at 5 grand and peak tq at 3600 you have to rev it if you want to go faster or uphill.

 

[dishdude]

Of course if it's old and you abuse it it's more likely to break than something new.

 

[RAVL]

You have to not only think of the engine but the entire driveline (transmission, differnetial(s), driveshaft, etc.) and supporting systems - cooling, electrical, power steering, etc.

The short answer is that driving your car hard (this is not building up gradually to higher speeds, that can be beneficial) will wear out a car faster and yes, as it ages, it will cause more mechanical failures. This is why buying a used car is a pig in a poke - it can be clean appearance wise and might have service records, but if the prior owner drove like a jack ass you will be picking up that tab in the 50k to 85k mileage range.