not sure how everyone is driving but 2-4th gear, pretty consistently I shift around redline.

And pushing the rev to redline doesn't necessarily mean you're driving fast.

nebo

 

Ahhh, the old "Italian tune-up" myth. And it is a myth.

Engine deposits are an inevitable by-product of combustionl. Hard driving will neither prevent or "blow out" these deposits. And low RPM will not increase the accumulation. The will accumulate at a pretty steady rate, no matter what.

So, no, low RPM driving will not harm your engine in any way...its just boring as hell.

 

That's good to know, but do you think it hurts the engine?
Not much over 4 rpms? Even if you're just casually cruising on the highway, don't you ever pass anybody?
I've always heard it's good to get on it fairly often. You know, hit the highway and blow the carbon out and all.

 

So.............say you putt around and never go above 4 rpm's.
What happens when you get on it hard? I would think it may harm the engine.

 

low rpm driving is perfectly fine so long as you don't lug the engine.

driving like grandma for 15 years and then one day you decide to sell the car and the new owner drives like a maniac..... i bet the new owner will be having problems soon.

A nice mix of grandma-like daily driving with some spirited driving and an occasional all out declaration of war is the way I roll.

 

LoL- I certainly don't have this kind of problem with my Z

:P

 

Good answer.

bill

 

That's very depressing. What's the point of having a Z if you're not going to run it hard?

 

Actually, as long as you keep the oil and filter changed, and keep the cooling system functional, its pretty damn hard to hurt any modern engine.

 

I always street cruise around 2500 -3000 never under 2500. Dont be scared rev that bad boy up. I am boosting 12psi and around 75 1/4 passes, you daily drivers fear not, all is good. Rev - it!

 

Good point.
Along these lines........I just read an article in Popular Mechanics about car myths. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to warm your engine before driving even when extremely cold due to the efficiency of modern engines and modern oils.

 

Im an ex RSX owner, and I guess I havent goton used to the Z's engine either. I was going to ask the same question, but I was afraid of the "search" police in here. Now I know I can drive this puppy a lil more agressive.

 

That's why there is a red line on the tach. Go for it!

 

^+1
Carbon deposits are bad!

 

I don't think it'd do anything bad to the engine.. Maybe what you heard about is Hondas. What I heard is that if you never let the VTec kicks in, it'd go bad. So once a while, you're supposed to rev to like 4500+ to let it in a bit. It could be a rumor. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

All engines (piston and especially rotary) retain carbon deposits. The occasional spirited drive (hitting red) will reduce the amount of deposits that collect within your engine overtime.

Cheers,

R350z

 

I'd pay good money to watch someone drive there Z at 4rpm's or below. I'm willing to bet it can't be done.

 

Joe,

Read your initial post and the rest of your thread, and I would like to respond. I doubt that keeping the engine within a reasonable and safe rpm range will cause any damage. In fact that is probably the best way to get maximum life from your engine. I believe it comes down to this. Every time the engine rotates, there is some wear. If you operate at high rpm’s all the time, the engine wears faster. Of course, driving with an engine turning highly also puts more wear on the clutch, breaks, and tires. So generally, running up the rpm’s hurts your economy.

With that said, there is no way I can resist running this baby up. That’s why I drive a high performance sport car. I don’t “hot-dog” at lights or anything like that. Here is where I really love the Z and its great torque. You’re in the merge lane and entering into the traffic flow, and some idiot wants to keep in front of you no matter what. It is often indecision on their part or just poor driving. So they speed up to cut you off. I love this scenario. Usually I let them come up beside me. And when they get just a little past me, I go to the appropriate gear for the speed (usually 3rd or 4th on the expressway), double-clutch to match road speed to engine speed, release that clutch, run her up to the red line, and let the Z’s incredible torque take me past the offending idiot in a second or two. Make another quick up-shift, and I am way past them and clear for a clean merge. I love it. What’s really cool here is the great sound coming from the exhaust and watching the idiot in my rear view mirror. If the carbon thing other people mention is correct (personally I believe this is a myth), I am cleaning the pipes a couple of times a week with this maneuver. And, I am having some real fun! Hopefully the idiot I pass up learns a lesson.

As “roast” and others state, it is really bad to “lug” the engine. That puts an excessive strain on the valve train. I know from your posting that is something you do not do, but I wanted to second the vital point that “roast” makes.

--Spike

 

I wont be declaring war for another 3 months

Damn snow tires!

 

Everyone should have for the first 1200 miles.