Pub discussion, engines last longer if driven hard

[c5 swh]

Bit of weird one really, whilst at the pub a group of friends got onto a discussion about what would last longer a 1*2 thats driven carefully or one thats thrashed.

Now i know if yoy drive a car slowly and carefully it should last longer as less pressure on mechanical parts. But im sure ive read somewhere that engines do need to be taken tgrough the rev ranges to keep tip top.

Obviously a clio driven hard round a track may get issues compared to soneone just taking it easy as theres less pressure going onto certain parts.

I know this is a really odd question but what do you rekon??

 

[182Trophy]

Some think that an engine thrashed from new is a good one later on, but I doubt thrashing the nuts off it all the time would be better than not. My old landlord had a civic type r mugen and never took it into vtec because 'it scared him'. I think that would cause more problems in the long run as the engine wouldn't be able to sort itself out from time to time.

 

[H182]

Bit of a mixture is probably best.

 

[Advikaz]

As above,

thrashing for all it's life isn't going to do it much good.

But opening it up now and then won't harm it.

 

[ADS_V6]

ive been told the sports need tobe driven hard from time to time,but caning them all the time cant be good ?

 

[Martin.]

Start it. Drive normally until it's fully warmed up. Thrash it. Drive normally until it's cooled down a fair bit. Turn it off.

Last for ages that way, unless you get an unfortunate failure.

 

[Nobafett]

All the second hand cars I've owned have always felt better after several months in my ownership. They get driven hard now and again and used to their full potential. I'm positive that engines don't appreciate being driven slowly all the time and not revved over 3k.
I had an old 2.3 Prelude that had a real obvious flat spot at about 5k but over a few months that gradually went altogether and became much smoother. Seemed much quicker too.
Same with my 182. Had it a year and it definitely pulls harder than when I got it.

 

[Goodj]

I'm sure there's a degree of truth in the OP's question for older designs of engines.
But with modern vehicles, I very much doubt it, they're all optimised to give total efficiency at all possible times, so redline it all you like, but the ECU will prevent you doing any damage, you'll just be burning fuel and making chavvy noise.

 

[bozothenutter]

more revs mean more wear, But I do like an 'italian tuneup' now and then

 

[Ep82jm]

I don't think it's particularly relevant aslong as they're looked after,serviced properly with quality stuff and not bounced off the limiter all the time.

 

[Goodj]

bounced off the limiter all the time.

part-throttle limit-bouncing = big boomz

 

[c5 swh]

If run a engine at say 2k revs and one at 6k would they last the same amount time as they both within there tolerances?

I know theres alot of what ifs, just found it quite intresting .

 

[craigy2703]

I think run them in when new for a few thousand then a mixture I've seen cars driven by normal middle aged people with engines that's let go after a few years where some thrashed St on over a 100k running sweet its luck down to anything

 

[celicaturbolly]

If run a engine at say 2k revs and one at 6k would they last the same amount time as they both within there tolerances?

I know theres alot of what ifs, just found it quite intresting .

That is an interesting point, you would think more wear and tear on internal bearings at higher speed etc maybe. I think with modern engine's (and modern oils) there would be less difference than you would think. Iirc Ford when developing a new engine run it at max revs the equivalent of something like 100,000miles :anguished:

 

[TimR26]

My 172 and R26 are proof that engines don't last longer if driven hard.

 

[Bluebeard]

Start it. Drive normally until it's fully warmed up. Thrash it. Drive normally until it's cooled down a fair bit. Turn it off.

Last for ages that way, unless you get an unfortunate failure.

This is how I treat all of my cars. Best way!

 

[jackaleks]

One of the big killers of the RX8 Renesis was owners babying them and never taking them to their peak power band. Carbon would build up in the engine, create hot spots or damage the apex seals and kill it.

There was a similar issue with new Minis (another female popular car, see a pattern?) misfiring after carbon building up on the valve stems, again from never getting hot enough.

 

[bozothenutter]

One of the big killers of the RX8 Renesis was owners babying them and never taking them to their peak power band. Carbon would build up in the engine, create hot spots or damage the apex seals and kill it.

There was a similar issue with new Minis (another female popular car, see a pattern?) misfiring after carbon building up on the valve stems, again from never getting hot enough.

That is why you do an italian tuneup.
I do this with the wifes car every month....drive to work so it is nice and warm, and the cane it! [emoji48]

 

[Cupman29]

Too much of anything is never good. As said from others, a bit of a mixture will help with not overstressing all the time but getting it hot enough now sand then to keep the internals clean.

As long as the oil is up to temp it shouldn't be detrimental to the engine. The more you thrash a car, the more heat the oil is exposed to and the quicker it will deteriorate and so will need changed accordingly.

 

[leew88]

Imo its more a case of short trips and not getting the oil upto temp will degrade/perish valve seals alot quicker leading to a low milage failure

 

[AlexW]

This is simialr to the dicsussion on how to run an engine in, either careful, no full throttle, low rpm, OR load the engine up, giving it lots of full throttle, but also lots of off throttle.

I have the view of the latter, which probably comes from when a family friend asked me to run hin a tractor for him by lugging some bloody heavy trailer around his farm when I was a lot younger.