Is Redline Good For Your Car's Engine? Italian Tune Up

[mosaud1998]

I just stumbled upon this video. He basically explains what an "Italian tune-up" is and he also said redlining your car can either create more carbon deposits or burn them off out through the exhaust.

Depends on your engine and how often you redline it I guess. If you track the car often, you'll probably burn off more carbon deposits. But, if you redline it once or twice a month, you'll probably create more carbon deposits. That's what I understood.

I found the video very interesting.

Here's the link:

 

[atikovi]

Depends on your engine and how often you redline it I guess.

I thought this was going to be about Redline oil. Anyway, if you redline often, you will find that your engine will fit loosely in a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[buster]

I find when driving your average economy car, with hp that ranges say between 140-190, I'm always bring rpms up near redline. At least 2x a day. I think sustained high rpm driving is where the difference is.

 

[OdysseyTypeR]

That's a fun way of saying that Atikovi . IMO it's a balance, ripping up to redline on every onramp isn't great, but neither is just tooling around town at 1100 rpm all the time. Maybe once a week while driving, once my motor is up to temp I make sure to rev it high enough to get into the VTEC profile a few times. That plus an occasional bottle of fuel system cleaner and I've never worried about carbon deposits.

 

[gfh77665]

There was an excellent post on here a few months ago regarding RAM trucks being "granny cycled" by some drivers. Interestingly, constantly babying the vehicle was detrimental. The bottom line was it is healthy to reach WOT or close to it on occasion. Beating on it daily was not necessary.

 

[gregk24]

Balance, just like most things in life.

 

[OdysseyTypeR]

Balance, just like most things in life.

Indeed.

 

[atikovi]

That's a fun way of saying that Atikovi . IMO it's a balance, ripping up to redline on every onramp isn't great, but neither is just tooling around town at 1100 rpm all the time. Maybe once a week while driving, once my motor is up to temp I make sure to rev it high enough to get into the VTEC profile a few times. That plus an occasional bottle of fuel system cleaner and I've never worried about carbon deposits.

FWIW, it's not rpm as much as load that will blow out carbon. Floor it from 2000 to 4000 rpm will be more effective than 4000 to 6000 and less likely to blow up your engine.

 

[supton]

FWIW, it's not rpm as much as load that will blow out carbon. Floor it from 2000 to 4000 rpm will be more effective than 4000 to 6000 and less likely to blow up your engine.

Used to love doing that in my prior car. After having it mod'd it'd pull to almost 4,400 rpm -- before that it would fall flat on its face at by 4k. Loved going WOT on that car.

But not your typical BITOG fare, not as a turbo-diesel. Forget if redline was 5k or not, but power dropped off so fast I never felt a need to find redline.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Same here..... enjoy turbo torque and pushing the engine almost daily..... never because someone says it has to be done.... just because I wanted to pull onto the highway during normal suicidal 80mph in a 55mph area. And, it will run out of steam by 5000 making the 6500rpm redline all but useless. All it needs a warm 'er up run to cook off everything, whether daily/weekly/monthly is not relevant, especially if you use quality fuel and acceptable maintenance intervals. I don't believe anyone has documented carbon build up amount vs burn off amount via an acceptable interval to keep it clean. Quit driving like a hypermiler and enjoy your commute... step on that gas pedal once in a while.

 

[OdysseyTypeR]

FWIW, it's not rpm as much as load that will blow out carbon. Floor it from 2000 to 4000 rpm will be more effective than 4000 to 6000 and less likely to blow up your engine.

Exactly. Maybe I should have been more clear - what I do is roll onto it from cruise (≈1800-2000rpm) up to about 4500rpm, not bounce it off the rev limiter. VTEC comes on between 3500-4300rpm iirc, and I want to make sure that circuit receives oil pressure and actuates regularly to keep it healthy. Short merges and rural roads are perfect for that !

 

[clinebarger]

If you redline often, you will find that your engine will fit loosely in a 5 gallon bucket.

Engines handle it better than you think if you don't grossly exceed redline (Maximum recommended RPM), Most modern engines have a Rev Limiter.

I've beat the snot out of many of my own engines & never had stuff exit the engine block. Back in 2000 I bought a LS1 out of a '97 Corvette that was totaled in a fire, Had to chisel what was left of the plastic intake out of the Intake ports. I just replaced all the external gaskets & installed it........
Ran it for about 20-30,000 miles & relined it every chance I got. Then I installed a Supercharger & put another 30-40,000 abusive miles on it.
The charger had to be rebuilt twice as it didn't like the smaller pulley I installed.
The Engine started using oil right before I sold the truck, But was still in one piece.

 

[wpod]

A couple time a week I do a pedal to the metal in sport mode and get up to a 100 mph in my Ford F150 with the 2.7 just because it is fun to have a tiny engine run so well.

 

[aquariuscsm]

People I knew that went around doing that all the time destroyed their cars.

 

[wings&wheels]

I find it is good for the driver

 

[Benzadmiral]

A couple time a week I do a pedal to the metal in sport mode and get up to a 100 mph in my Ford F150 with the 2.7 just because it is fun to have a tiny engine run so well.

I'm not sure where I could do that around here, unless I drove quite a few miles away from what is laughingly called "civilization." When I lived in CO, I did that a few times with both vintage Mercedes, and they ran like new the entire time I had them. But there were open roads around Denver then (ca. 1997-2000).

 

[wpod]

People I knew that went around doing that all the time destroyed their cars.

Then you buy another car.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Then you buy another car.

I guess that’s one way of looking at it.

 

[edyvw]

People I knew that went around doing that all the time destroyed their cars.

Drove few days ago 20min between 5,500 and 6,500 rpms to check how new oil cooler functions in my BMW. Did not destroy the engine.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Drove few days ago 20min between 5,500 and 6,500 rpms to check how new oil cooler functions in my BMW. Did not destroy the engine.

Well of course not. That’s not what I was inferring. I’m taking about these people who beat on their cars everywhere they go.