What are the effects of revving the engine in neutral?
2 Answers
Revving the engine in neutral can cause significant damage to the car. In neutral, the engine has no load, and suddenly pressing the accelerator can subject some internal components to high inertial forces, which can shorten the engine's lifespan. Precautions for using a car engine are as follows: 1. Avoid driving in neutral: The engine itself has a fuel-cut function during deceleration, and driving in neutral is not conducive to fuel economy. 2. Pay attention to observations when using the vehicle: If oil is found on the ground, determine whether there is an engine oil leak and promptly communicate with the car's 4S store to eliminate potential safety hazards. 3. For cars equipped with turbochargers, do not turn off the engine immediately after high-speed driving or climbing a slope; let it idle for 10 minutes before shutting it down. Turbocharged cars accumulate carbon deposits several times faster than naturally aspirated cars. 4. If water is mixed into or absorbed by the brake fluid, or if impurities or sediments are found in the brake fluid, replace or carefully filter it promptly. Otherwise, it may lead to insufficient braking pressure, affecting braking performance.
Revving the engine in neutral is a fairly common practice, but it has potential issues. Having driven for twenty years, I believe the primary impact is engine wear, as running at high RPMs without load accelerates friction between components, potentially shortening the lifespan of pistons or bearings over time. It also increases fuel consumption, wasting gasoline unnecessarily and raising pollutant emissions, which is bad for the environment. It's worse for automatic transmission cars—high RPMs can strain the torque converter, leading to overheating or malfunctions. Safety-wise, if the gear is accidentally engaged, the car might lurch forward suddenly, risking injury or damage. I recall doing this once in traffic, and the car shook violently—costing a lot in repairs afterward. Now, I only recommend lightly pressing the accelerator when absolutely necessary.
