Will redlining your engine or revving it to max speed damage it? | Torque (2024)

Is redlining your engine good for your car?

Petrolheads say this practice is actually good for engines, whereas normal drivers might probably say that revving the engine so hard will only harm it.

So, which camp is right? But before we get into that, let’s define redlining first.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Redlining means letting your engine rev until it hits the limiter.

An internal combustion engine needs to rev to a certain point in order to produce its maximum power. That’s why you see technical specifications that say “200hp at 6000rpm”.

According to mechanical engineer Shreejit Changaroth, engines are designed to spin to redline whenever maximum power is required. In the above example, 200hp is produced at 6000rpm.

And in fact, most engine redlines are set a little higher than where maximum power is developed.

HOW IS THIS BENEFICIAL?

Redlining your engine every now and then has several advantages.

It helps keep moving parts in good running order, while bringing out any deficiencies that may not be obvious at lower running speeds.

These issues include partly clogged fuel injector nozzles and worn spark plugs, which would cause (among other things) rough and/or hesitant power delivery.

WILL IT DAMAGE YOUR ENGINE?

Most drivers may not want to rev the engine so hard because they think it will damage it. After all, when redlined, an engine can sound like it’s about to blow.

However, there’s no need to worry. Redlining will not damage an engine or cause it to explode, no matter how cruelly you treat it.

Therefore, revving the engine to its maximum speed several times a week is not a problem. Just remember never to do this while the engine is still cold!

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Will redlining your engine or revving it to max speed damage it? | Torque (2024)

FAQs

Will redlining your engine or revving it to max speed damage it? | Torque? ›

Most drivers may not want to rev the engine so hard because they think it will damage it. After all, when redlined, an engine can sound like it's about to blow. However, there's no need to worry. Redlining will not damage an engine or cause it to explode, no matter how cruelly you treat it.

Is it bad to Rev your engine to redline? ›

No. Engines are designed in such a way that they can perform at redline without breaking down or taking damage at those RPMs. This doesn't mean that you should redline your engine often. Working at peak performance be it an engine or anything else will take its toll and cause wear and tear.

Can revving your engine damage it? ›

Revving Can Kill Your Connection Rod

When revving a car's engine, this can knock the connection rod out of place. If that happens, your engine will be thrown off and will make your car impossible to drive. It's important to avoid wear and tear before it does this type of damage to the connection rod and engine itself.

Is it bad to Rev your engine to high RPM? ›

Results of Over-Revving. Over-revving can cause serious harm to your engine, even in the few seconds it takes to realize that you meant to shift to fourth gear but wound up in second instead. The good and bad news is that if you seriously damage something you'll know it almost instantly.

Does hitting the rev limiter hurt the engine? ›

No. That's what the rev limiter is for, to prevent you from hurting the engine by over revving.

How long can I redline my car? ›

How long could an engine stay revving at redline before failing? As long as you can feed it gas and oil and manage the heat it is producing. Engines have rev limiters. the rev limiters are set well below the theoretical and probably well below the actual limits of the engine in most cases.

How often should you redline your car? ›

It is good to redline the engine every once in a while provided the car is in sound working condition. Also more importantly you should look for an empty patch of road to redline it and this should be done only once the engine is warm, never in a cold engine.

Is it better to rev in park or neutral? ›

Professional drivers can rev the car in neutral mode, however, if you are new to driving it is a safe option to put the vehicle in parking mode. The car can otherwise move forward or backwards resulting in an accident.

How do you rev an engine safely? ›

To rev your engine without moving, turn on your car and put it in park or neutral, then press on the gas. If you're revving while in neutral, engage the e-brake so your car doesn't roll forward or backward. To rev your engine while driving, shift into neutral and press the gas while your car coasts.

What is the difference between a rev limiter and a redline? ›

Rev limiters are pre-set by the engine manufacturer. There are also aftermarket units where a separate controller is installed using a custom RPM setting. A limiter prevents a vehicle's engine from being pushed beyond the manufacturer's limit, known as the redline (literally the red line marked on the tachometer).

Is 4000 RPM at 70 mph bad? ›

If the vehicle is stock, healthy, and in the appropriate gear, you shouldn't be at “too high” of an RPM from the vehicle's perspective at normal highway speeds. Many vehicles are geared to run in the 3–4K RPM range at 70–80 MPH, which is fine. Others will cruise at under 2K RPM at those speeds, which is fine too.

Is 3000 RPM at 70 mph bad? ›

In general, it is best to stay between 2500-3000 RPM when driving a car at 70 mph.

Is it bad to max RPM? ›

It is generally not recommended to run a car engine at its maximum rpm for extended periods of time. This can put unnecessary strain on the engine and its components, potentially leading to premature wear and tear. Additionally, running an engine at high rpm can also result in increased fuel consumption and emissions.

Why shouldn't I rev my engine? ›

Simply, it's the maximum speed in your RPMs that your engine can run safely without causing damage to itself). In that situation, this action will make your engine wear out faster because the oil won't have enough time to reach its optimal operating temperature before you add much pressure to the metal of the engine.

What limits how high an engine can rev? ›

Valve float (springs can't keep the valves closed when they are supposed to) will sometimes limit the ability of an engine to rev. Diesel engines are limited by the speed of combustion. An engine's revs will naturally be limited by its ability control the valves in the combustion chamber, if it is a four stroke.

Are hard cut limiters bad? ›

Hard limiters that cut ignition and fuel have this tendency to cause the engine to rapidly vary their RPM close to the limit - in powerful vehicles this manifests as jerky movement as you get rapid oscillation of acceleration and deceleration - this is actually dangerous, since the limit is like a wall - you hit it ...

What happens if RPM goes into red? ›

It will lead to a rough and very noticeable engine braking, and likely engine damage. This is often known as a "money shift" because of the likelihood of engine damage and the expense of fixing the engine.

How much RPM is safe? ›

What is the normal RPM range for cars? The normal RPM range for cars on highways is generally between 1500 rpm and 2000 rpm. The idle rotation ranges between 600 rpm and 1000 rpm.

Is 3000 RPM too high? ›

There is no single RPM that is considered “normal” when cruising on a highway. To reduce wear and tear to the engine and ensure you get maximum fuel efficiency, it's best to stay in the 2000-3000 RPM range when driving on a highway at 60-70 mph.

Is it bad to floor a car? ›

In short, you are going to "wear through" everything faster. Some examples: Tires will burn up faster, and you will get less life out of them. Suspension and drivetrain components are getting a sudden "jolt" applied to them, which will reduce life.

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