Hey,
I got 2012 model Suzuki SX4 FWD MT 1.6 NA engine in it. We are the first owners of the car. Now it is 85.000 km (53.000 miles) on it. I drive my car like 3-4,5k rpm regularly (4,5k rpm only if overtaking sbd, generally 3-4k rpm). Everyone saying it will destroy the engine. So far, I checked the exhaust, it is very clean. I changed the spark plugs with the iridium ones like the original one. It wasn't burned carbon on the plug. I couldn't upload the picture though.
Thank you!
I drive my car like 3-4,5k rpm regularly
why?
A tiny engine like that won't take it for very long.
@imperator Could be the way it's geared. At one time it was common for cars with small engines to be running those kind of RPMs at freeway speeds in top gear, though admittedly I would not expect that with a modern vehicle.
Could be the way it's geared
the impression I got from the question is that OP is doing this intentionally. Every unnecessary RPM is just going one revolution closer to the scrap heap.
@imperator yes I was driving intentionally, in city traffic 3k max 4k rpm because it feel better to listen the engine and well, car responds quickly that is why I was driving that way. But thanks for the advice. I will consider it 🙂
it feel better to listen the engine a
it shouldn't. That's the sound over-revving engine crying for you to stop. Not to mention guzzling up your fuel.
As long as you are below redline it should be OK. (Since you've had it for something like a dozen years now if driving like that would damage the engine it would have happened already.)
It depends on the engine, namely the displacement and number of cylinders in the engine. A 1.6L Formula 1 engine that's a V6 has a much higher revv limit than a big-block V8. The power and torque bands are completely different from each other.
You're taking a wrecking ball to your gas mileage if you're riding at 3k+ RPMs in top gear, though. In top gear, most engines operate most efficiently somewhere in the neighborhood of 2k RPMs. 4k RPMs in top gear is going to double your kinetic energy, and your fuel consumption is going to be 4x greater than it will be at 2k RPMs.
My suggestion is, take it easier on the gas. It won't necessarily destroy the engine, but it will wear out prematurely.
@justin-shepherd It's standard 1.6 NA I4 engine that produces 120hp with 156Nm torque. It's got 5 speed MT and generally I am using in max 4th gear, only using 5th gear for long runs like highway etc. Yeah worse gas mileage but it is using 37MPG on city traffic. Thanks for the advice I'll consider it
It's standard 1.6 NA I4 engine that produces 120hp with 156Nm torque. It's got 5 speed MT and generally I am using in max 4th gear, only using 5th gear for long runs like highway etc.
3.5k-4k RPMs means you're going too fast for 4th gear. Upshift to 5th. I would be very surprised if the arrow that comes on, in your dashboard when it's time to shift doesn't come on. When my mom drove a Ford Escort and I was a teenager, she'd upshift to 5th if she was going 45 MPH or faster in city driving. Up to you, I guess. You'll save wear on the engine (the engine will wear out prematurely due to excess revving, mileage isn't the only issue here). The engine has a set number of revolutions before departing from its tolerance factors. That can be 600k miles or 50k miles, over-revving (the kind you are doing) will wear the engine out faster.
@justin-shepherd My car is kinda too simple, there is no arrow for downshift or upshift time on the dashboard :D. But yes it is like max 55mph for 4th gear 3-3,5k rpm (it is kinda speed limiter for me because it reminds me I shouldn't go faster in order to not getting a speed ticket :D) thank you for your help 🙂
My mom's car was a 1991 Ford Escort station wagon, it had and arrow for upshifting, and she had a 1994 Cavalier with a manual transmission. It had an arrow for upshifting as well. Control your right foot. I have a 300 horsepower Mustang with an automatic, and I don't speed.
@justin-shepherd A very long time ago I used to own a 1971 Datsun 510. As I recall at 70 miles per hour the engine RPMs were nearly 4000 rpm. (I just checked a period review that called it 3800 rpm at 70 mph.) That was pretty typical at the time for small imports. Some were even worse - a Fiat 128 hatchback would be spinning just shy of 5000 rpm at that speed. Despite the relatively high rpms the Datsun was quite reliable. (The Fiat - wasn't.)
That car likely didn't have overdrive, though. This car does, haha.
No, I have been using for 2 years like that, and since this is a non-turbocharged engine, I feel better about performance about these rpms. (Btw it is tiny engine for US but now in EU 1.0 turbocharged engines are pretty trend. What can we do about 🙂
Some of my friends said too, why the manufacturer put redline from 6,5k rpm if below would harmful to the engine? But anyway it is better to ask sbd knows well 🙂