Do you guys redline?

[mallai]

Even though I have the IMS upgrade, I still get antsy around 5-5 1/2k RPM and find myself shifting..I always feel like I'm taking miles off the engine by getting closer to red but then again, maybe not taking advantage of the engines potential..Will red wear out the engine faster?

[J Tinsby]

In a word "yes" but that's true for any engine not just a Boxster.

On the other hand: Years ago when Alfa Romeos were being sold in the USA we'd sell a used one to new owner. The previous owner never red lined the engine at all, and the cylinders would get a ridge from where the compression ring stopped. The new guy revving the engine would make everything stretch and the ring would hit that ridge and break it. Sooner or later he'd be back complaining of high oil consumption!

In addition to selling Alfa's we also sold Fiats. We had a customer who'd redline his little Fiat 850 coupe ALL the time. That car's engine was very free and revved easily compared to others that came in. BUT when that little motor had 35k on it, it was shot and needed a rebuild.

My old BMW motorcycle manual said " If you run in the red on your tachometer, you will run in the red in your pocketbook too."

While I personally don't redline it ALL the time, I DO occasionally, it for the reason stated above, if no other. Plus if it's gonna fly apart I'd rather it do that under factory warranty!

It's yours, run it how you choose! HTH

[BoxsterSteve]

My 2000 S also got the IMSR update in early June at ~47,000 miles. I'm glad I had it done; the old bearing was f#cked. Swapped t/o bearing & RMS while it was apart.

When I picked it up from my indie, he told me to drive it like a race-car, because that's how the car was engineered. M96 engines that get pussified like your grandmother's Accord tend to blow up before cars that get driven hard.

Get your car up to operating temperature, and then hammer it if you want to. If you want to drive it like a Prius, you should buy a Prius.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't wind it to 7k in every gear, every time I shift.

The car doesn't run at the dragstrip or blow donuts. That would murder whe dual-mass flywheel. I don't abuse it or drive it to break stuff.

BUT, if there's an open country road or a chance to howl past someone loafing on the highway, pedal to the metal. The engine wouldn't have a 7000 rpm redline if you weren't ever allowed to use it. That howl the flat six makes is sweeter music than anything I can play on the stereo.

[san rensho]

Whats the point of redlining? Max hp drops off precipitously after 6.5k rpm and max torque is around 4.5k rpm, so shifting around 6k will keep you well within the power band.

Don't get me wrong, I'll get the revs past 6k when doing full throttle accelerations, but I haven't hit the rev limiter yet, don't see the need. I adjust the rpm to the amount of load on the engine, low load (part throttle), lower rpms. Full throttle, high rpms.

[DenverSteve]

Redline happens. Not something to worry about. It's where it is for a reason.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by san rensho

Whats the point of redlining? Max hp drops off precipitously after 6.5k rpm and max torque is around 4.5k rpm, so shifting around 6k will keep you well within the power band.

Don't get me wrong, I'll get the revs past 6k when doing full throttle accelerations, but I haven't hit the rev limiter yet, don't see the need. I adjust the rpm to the amount of load on the engine, low load (part throttle), lower rpms. Full throttle, high rpms.

Acceleration is a result of engine torque multiplied through gear ratios (including wheels). The torque at the road is nearly always higher at the lower gear and higher rpm then the next gear up for any given speed. This is why max acceleration comes when running to redline in every gear.

To the OP - redline exists to keep the engine from a catastrophic failure, with some margin. So there are no dangers of pistons hitting valves or anything like that. There are some wear mechanisms thar are accelerated with higher engine speed, some are accelerated from higher load at low engine speed. The low friction materials and excellent lubrication used in modern engines means engines driven to redline often will still last over 200,000 miles. This has been demonstrated on our engines many times as long as the ims holds out. The question is, are you preserving your car for the next guy or are you enjoying your toy?

[fivepointnine]

if you run it to redline, when you shift you will be in the meat of the power in the next gear....I hit the rev limiter yesterday in first....oops

[nnewell]

Interesting thread, years ago I had a '68 Fiat 124 Spyder with a 1438cc
engine. Slowing down on a highway one day I accidently shifted from
5th to 2nd at about 80 MPH. The red line was 6,800 RPM - the tach went
way past that 'till the needle hit the pin somewhere around 8K RPM.
The I hit the clutch and crossed my fingers. That engine was fine and lasted
over 100K miles - too bad the body didn't last as long.

~ Nick

[tonycarreon]

there's a rev limiter built in for a reason. the red line is not the "your engine will explode" line. i kiss it every so often. but usually shift just before i get to it, though i have a tip so going past the red line is next to impossible.

[Chuck W.]

I have not hit the red line since I bought the car new in 2001. No need to. High RPMs, yes.

[thstone]

Yes, I redline occasionally. Not a single worry in my mind. This engine loves to be revved. Cumulatively, my engine has spent 20+ hrs this year running betwnn 5K rpm and redline on the track and occasionally I bump it off the rev limiter. 98,000 miles with original IMS. Engine still runs like its brand new.

[sasha055]

I run my car to redline a couple of times every day. When there's space I push it to 60mph in 2nd. I don't think I hit the rev limiter yet, since I have no idea what rev limiter is, but I shift into 3rd when needle is at or very close to redline.

The car feels alive after I redline it.. or maybe its just me.

It's a 2k base with 80k miles on it, daily driver.. I hope it will last

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by sasha055

I run my car to redline a couple of times every day. When there's space I push it to 60mph in 2nd. I don't think I hit the rev limiter yet, since I have no idea what rev limiter is, but I shift into 3rd when needle is at or very close to redline.

The car feels alive after I redline it.. or maybe its just me.

It's a 2k base with 80k miles on it, daily driver.. I hope it will last

Totally agree, redline feels great! The revlimiter is "soft", fuel shuts off so it just feels like a loss of power when it kicks in. Nothing jarring or severe.

[DFW02S]

I'm with San Rensho, I don't see the benefit after 6,500. Shift and get the power flowing again. I try to stay above 4,500 on track and I've hit the limiter maybe twice on track.

[tuanle16]

i hit the red line all the time. but i also have occasionally hit the limiter too. scary feeling. it just drops! probably not recommended. but fun. hehe

[pothole]

I very rarely actually take my 2.5 to the redline (6.5k in a 2.5), but after it has carefully been warmed up, it's gets revved to 6k pretty much all the time.

Once your engine is warmed up, you're going to do very little damage revving it. I wouldn't have the car sitting near the red line at constant rpm. But in terms of reving up hard through the gears, I say go for it. My car gets nailed through first second, third and fourth pretty much every time I take it out. Currently has 95k on the clock.

[jsceash]

This may be a dumb question but My car hits the rev limiter at about 6800 and the redline looks like 7200, is this right? So I can't hit the red line.

[tuanle16]

are you driving an automatic?

[maj75]

Never on the street, but on track, yes. There are some corners where I am going to hit the rev limiter because of the gear ratios. Motor does not complain.

[jsceash]

Manual 5sp.