Does Revving in Neutral Gear Damage the Car?
3 Answers
Revving in neutral gear does not damage the car, because in neutral state, the engine load is small and natural wear is minimal. However, revving in neutral consumes a lot of fuel, typically about 6 milliliters per rev, with engine speed reaching 4,000 to 5,000 RPM or even higher, equivalent to driving hundreds of meters at 160 km/h. Here is a brief introduction about neutral gear: Neutral gear refers to the state where the vehicle's gear lever is not engaged in any forward or reverse gear, and the transmission is completely separated from the engine. For manual transmissions, neutral is in the middle position, while for automatic transmissions, it is marked with an "N".
As an experienced driver with over a decade behind the wheel, I believe short-term neutral gear revving won't harm the car, but frequent long-term operation increases engine strain. When engine RPM surges, cylinder wear accelerates because without wheel load, high-pressure fuel-air mixture may burn incompletely, leading to increased carbon buildup. Over time, common issues include soaring fuel consumption and excessive exhaust emissions, even affecting spark plug lifespan. From a maintenance perspective, I've seen many vehicles requiring premature piston ring replacements due to this. To protect your car, it's best to briefly rev in neutral only when necessary—like warming up the engine during cold starts or cleaning the throttle body—avoid unnecessary RPM play.
I think many people may not realize that revving the engine in neutral mainly wastes fuel and poses risks. My car is a manual transmission, and I used to rev the engine at red lights out of boredom, which caused my fuel consumption to jump from 8 liters per 100 km to 12 liters. Automotive experts have said that when the engine runs at high RPMs in neutral, it operates less efficiently, converting excess energy into noise and heat. This not only accelerates oil degradation but can also overheat the exhaust pipe. From an environmental perspective, this unnecessarily emits large amounts of CO2. I recommend developing good habits—shift into gear and drive directly after starting the engine, saving fuel and ensuring peace of mind.
