'Thrashing' your car

[Mr De Angelo]

Hey guys, i was just wondering what the recommended RPM for the Aurion is, as in what is the limit i should go to without damaging the engine? My engine has only done about 1800kms so far so im still cautious with it, however i read in the manual to take it easy for the first 1000. In the first 1000kms my engine hardly saw anything past 3000rpm but lately ive been itching to press harder and harder down. Sometimes at traffic lights ill put my foot down quite a bit, usually to around 4000-4500rpm, now its common sense this probably isnt too good for my car anyway, but what is the safe limit i should keep the revs under? And also is 1000km enough to run the car in?

Thanks!

[DJKOR]

Ignore all that stuff you read about having to 'run in' the engine. The engines have usually had a run in process done after they are built so you don't really need to worry in that respect. Some people still like to take it easy in the first 1000km, and that is acceptable.

There is no single 'recommended' safe RPM for the engine. As long as it is below redline, you will be fine. That's why they put a rev limiter in just in case you try to exceed the red line. The engine can quite easily handle any RPM within it's operating range as long as you aren't overloading it on too high of a gear... but it's an auto so that is taken car of.

You can take the RPM up to redline if you really have the need or urge to and not have to worry about it. You can plant your foot down and just let the car go up to your desired speed. With your foot down in auto, you go to just below redline before the transmission will upshift, so there is no need to worry about hitting the limiter.

Just remember though, by driving your car to the limit can make things wear out quicker. Proper care is a requirement if you ALWAYS run it as such. However, giving it a hard push every now and again (like most people) will be a-okay.

I reckon there is a good difference between thrashing a car and driving it hard. If you push it to it's limits without respect for the car and the engine that's doing the work, then you are thrashing your engine. However, if you push your car hard but give it appropriate maintenance and checks, then it will live a happy life.

I nearly always give my Aurion a good hard run (hence the last set of tires lasting under 20,000kms). I always make sure to use a good quality oil, and give the car a good check up on the weekends. I usually hit redline like 10 times a day, once even managing something like 20 times, but with proper care, the car is still running like new.

Edit: Make sure you try it out some time eh. The Aurion's makes the most power at 6200RPM, so it doesn't mind going up there.

[lateralus]

as DJKOr mentioned, if you intend on driving your car hard, then maintain it well, ensuring you change the oil frequently. because its a new engine, everything is being run-in, and will be for the next few thousand kms. the majority of new engine wear happens within the first couple of thousand kms, so changing the oil will keep it clean, and any metal particles drained away from the engine to prevent clogging, etc.

by all means give it a bit of stick every now and again, but within reason.

[Mr De Angelo]

That's a relief, every time i put my foot down im worried of damaging my engine. How often should the oil be changed? The oil only gets changed if Toyota does it when i service my car, otherwise i dont do it myself. What other parts could be damaged by driving it hard? And are there any other measures to prevent it from happening apart from the obvious.

[corhijas]

gday mate-do you have the owners manual-if you do all is explained in there.

toyota says they dont need an elaborate running in time,just says to avoid heavy braking for first 300 km's,dont over rev engine excessively mainly for fuel consumption etc,do not tow for 800 or 1000km's/

with yr oil toyota says 15000,is really up to you if you wanna pay more and get it done more often,this amount of km's is the normal thing these days,as they say each to their own on this subject.

cheers corey

[eviltwin]

i diassagree with you guys completley but im happily gonig to take a seat and be happy :)

[DJKOR]

i diassagree with you guys completley but im happily gonig to take a seat and be happy :)

Sharing is caring mate. Would like to hear your opinion on the subject as well. Everyone has their own thoughts so yours are welcome as well.

[Mr De Angelo]

i diassagree with you guys completley but im happily gonig to take a seat and be happy :)

what's your take on things?

[ELEGNT]

i would have no worries taking my car to redline occasionally once i reach 1000 km

in most cases when u buy a largeish boat they get water tested to check the propellor is correct before the boat is even given to the buyer. doing this they take the motor to redline to see if the propellor size is correct with WOT. they say this is fine to take your motor there for very short bursts in the running in stages.

high performance motorbikes get started, idled for a minute, free reved to redline a few time then thats there run in.

some people say go soft till 5000, some people say drive normal some people say drive hard so there is mixed opinions.

for me i would drive soft (not above 3k) for the 1st 500 then then after 500 give it one punch to take it close to redline, then till 1500 not above 4.5k, then after 1500 punch it all you like.

we brought a WRX not long back. being a fast car and just released (09 model), every tom, d|ck and harry wanted to go shotgun in it on the 1st day. it was on full boost a number of times (taken within 1k of redline) before it hit 100km. then driven NORMALLY (up it now and then) till now 3000km.....and weve had no problems with the run it. it goes like a train

uve been babying it to long mate go take it out now and burry your foot mate, no harm will be done if u leave it in drive.

i hit redline about 2-5 times a day normally. some days not at all some days ( organised highway cruises ) maybe 25+ times in a night

Edited July 19, 2009 by ELEGNT

[DJKOR]

And if anyone's Aurion was to show signs of excessive wear and tear due to driving it hard, I think I can safely say that I would be the first to report it (out of those of us on the forum here). The Brissy guys know how I drive, and can contest to the fact that I like to push my Aurion quite hard. I also drive quite a bit in 'S' mode, so if there are any gearbox issues, my car would be the one to show them. Currently just past 71,000km and everything runs just like the day I got it.

At the end of the day, it is YOUR car. If you believe that driving it like a granny all the time will make the car last, then drive it that way. Otherwise, if you feel that you can take good care of it and drive it hard as a result, then feel free to do so.

[prometheus]

This may be worth a read ..... If anything , its interesting.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I think one of the keys to running in an engine and in the longer term making an effort to keep it running well is to only push the engine when it is properly warmed up .... so at least 15 - 20 min after starting the engine.

Second is proper servicing and oil / oil filter changes ; either based on Klms done or the time passed for those that don't do many Klms in a year (at least every six months).

I think companies have stretched out servicing intervals to 15 000 klms to keep running costs from not being too high and thus a deterrent to potential buyers.

I think changing the oil at 10 000 klms is a good idea if the car is driven fairly normally , and possibly even more frequent changes if the car is pushed hard on a regular basis and used for things like towing and so on.

Anyway , thats my 5 cents worth.

[eviltwin]

my opinion only , i respect what everyone else has said , my beliefs are that the general motorist or "car buyer" will read the manual and follow the guidelines set out by the manufacturer. Things like 15k service intervals are an excellent way to eventually see an engine or part of it fail and thus force the consumer to spend money to repair or "it's broken we must get a new one" type of action. My dad's got a 2000 econovan and the dealer told him 20k intervals were fine as it was a light commercial vehicle and that meant for some ungodly reason it could last forever on oil and filters. it's been looked after and serviced every 10k , kept extremely well yet it still has issues that it really should not have.

Now i have in a couple of motors and as per the guidelines in my owners manual i was to drive the car 1000km's at no more than 100km/h and rev the motor no harder than 4k. i did this accordingly , took it in and had the head bolts re tensioned and after 3k was able to drive it under any condition / circumstance etc. Now not owning a modern modern car i would have to assume times have changed and many things they used to do are no longer. I service my cars every 5k at maximum , oil , filter plugs every 10 depending on the type of course and other elements. I drove this motor resonably hard so i serviced it accordingly , usually the time frame of 3 months was out before 5ks were reached but usually 3ks was the interval i used and in that i never saw any issues and always had nice clean oil and a fantastic running motor etc.

As far as actually thrashing the car , i don;t like "thrashing" cars , i like driving with spirit which i think is totally different , you must still consider things like your clutch , box and where your revving the motor to , i hate people who sit cars on the rev limiter , thats obviously not doing the engine any favors, but in turn revving it high and knowing how to smoothly and efficiently change gears and get the most out of what you have is the best way to have it.

i have always followed very simple rules , cold start , drive like someones pushing you down the street in winter with your underpants on and it's cold , get to running temp and your right to at least not to damage to cold engine components etc.

hopefully this bible makes sense and i would like to say a little more but my missus is clenching her fists

[struan]

making sure the engine is at operating temp is the key. Most engine wear (for normally driven cars) occurs at start-up, exacerbated if it's given a hard time before temps have normalised. That said, a typical toyota engine is over-engineered...as are most of their transmissions. You could bounce it off the limiter all day and not have any worries, as a couple of members have attested to.

Showing my age here now, but i vividly recall a toyota crown with a 2m (2.3 litre single OHC- inline 6 cylinder) which was already 15 years old when i got it...valve bouncing at about 7000 rpm!!.....turbocharged a twin-cam 5m in another crown....i never blew it up but a mate did in his track car.

I've bounced the aurion off the limiter a few times....LOL...not with the wife on board tho...a couple of times not concentrating, using 's' mode a accidently held a gear for too long. There's a really good reason why the aurion has the limiter on it....so you can't blow it up!!

My advice!!...don't do nuttin' stoopid til it's all warmed up .... then hammer it!

[MartysAurion]

I usually hit redline like 10 times a day, once even managing something like 20 times, but with proper care, the car is still running like new.

LOL Serial Hoon :P

[DJKOR]

LOL Serial Hoon :P

You're telling me. My car and I just love to drive hard.

[tekkyy]

if anyone is worried about these things

just get extended warranty (if you are keeping it the car for that long) and unworry

let he car pay for itself

happy thrashing

[Guni]

if anyone is worried about these things

just get extended warranty (if you are keeping it the car for that long) and unworry

let he car pay for itself

happy thrashing

i like how you think.

Will do that for my next car .....

[lateralus]

hahah...oh i cant tell you how wrong that is with warranties

warranties cover component failure due to factory faults, not thrashing. i work at an insurance company that administers warranties for various car manufacturers (one of them being holden), and its fairly common for a claim to be declined due to the car being thrashed beyond beleif.

so just a warning to not consider warranties as a "i can abuse my car and get it replaced" sort of thing

[SecaBoy]

hahah...oh i cant tell you how wrong that is with warranties

warranties cover component failure due to factory faults, not thrashing. i work at an insurance company that administers warranties for various car manufacturers (one of them being holden), and its fairly common for a claim to be declined due to the car being thrashed beyond beleif.

so just a warning to not consider warranties as a "i can abuse my car and get it replaced" sort of thing

i agree with what you've said, and i've always seen it the same way... but i'm curious to know exactly how you deem the car to be "thrashed"...

[lateralus]

not many car need a new drivetrain after 4000km when the rear tyres were 60% worn :P

i dont work in the warranty department so i cant tell how its all assessed, but i have heard a few stories

[MartysAurion]

You're telling me. My car and I just love to drive hard.

I'm with you there buddy. My Aurion just doesn't sound happy unless she's redlining.

[DJKOR]

Was just browsing YouTube then. On the topic of thrashing your Aurion.... just don't be a d*** and treat it like this:

Please wait a few seconds for Video to Load!

What a dumb f***

[prometheus]

From what I've heard , extended warranties are a waste of money.

I would be very carefull in reading the fine print before handing over the $'s for one.

[tekkyy]

we got the extended factory warranty for the Aurion

I hope its not as dodgy as the dealer extended warranty in the old days

I am fairly confident of the Aurion after driving a rental Aurion

[lateralus]

warrantys done through dealers are the dodgy ones as its their own money and quite simply just dont want to pay. if its done through the manufacturer directly or an independant third party (such as an insurer) then youre generally pretty safe in getting things repaired