If you are an auto-engineering enthusiast, especially in the auto-sport field, then you might have come across the term, revving an engine.
The engine rev is the sound that comes off when you sharply accelerate the engine speed. It is mainly associated with showmanship in the sporting field, though it has many purposes, as we will later see.
For anyone interested in how to rev an engine, you need first to know the purpose behind this action. The good thing is that this piece will cover everything you need to know about revving an engine and how to be a pro.
What is Revving an Engine?
Revving engine is a normal operation. It simply means using the accelerator (gas pedal) to raise the RPM level of the engine.
It’s done when a vehicle is sitting still, which means it has to be out of gear. Revving is often done to warm up the engine, to check the engine’s performance, or sometimes for auditory enjoyment from the sound of a high-revving engine.
Revving can help diagnose engine problems, such as:
- Squealing belts. When a belt within the engine is worn or poorly aligned, it may make excessive noise.
- Misfiring, which means the spark plugs and fuel injectors aren’t functioning properly.
- Stalling; which can be the result of several issues.
Revving an Engine While Driving
How to Rev a Manual Car
Revving a manual car follows a similar process to revving an automatic car, but with the added step of engaging the clutch to disengage the engine from the transmission. Here’s how to rev a manual car properly:
- Start the Car: Begin with warming up your car again.
- Depress the Clutch: Press down on the clutch pedal with your left foot. This action disengages the engine from the transmission, allowing the engine to rev freely without affecting the wheels’ movement.
- Shift to Neutral: Move the gear lever into the neutral position (N). This ensures that the engine is not connected to the wheels and can rev without any resistance from the drivetrain.
- Press the Accelerator: With the clutch depressed and the car in neutral, gently press down on the accelerator pedal with your right foot. This action will increase the engine’s RPM, as indicated by the tachometer on the dashboard.
- Release the Accelerator Gradually: After revving your engine to the desired RPM, slowly release the accelerator pedal to return the engine to idle speed. Be sure to do this gradually to avoid any sudden movements or stress on the engine components.
- Release the Clutch: Once you’ve finished revving the engine, release the clutch pedal slowly and smoothly to reengage the engine with the transmission.
- Monitor Engine Temperature: Keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge, especially if you’re revving the engine for an extended period. Ensure that the engine does not overheat.
Remember, revving a manual car should be done with care and purpose, whether it’s to warm up the engine, check its responsiveness, or simply enjoy the sound of the engine.
How to Rev an Automatic Car
Manual and automatic vehicles have the same basic engines but the transmissions are different. So if you’re wondering can you rev an automatic car, the answer is yes!
Revving an automatic car is a straightforward process but should be done with care to avoid unnecessary strain on the engine. Here’s how to do it properly:
- Start the Car: Begin by starting your car and letting the engine idle for a few minutes to warm up, especially if it’s cold outside. This helps ensure the oil is sufficiently fluid to lubricate the engine.
- Shift to Park or Neutral: Make sure your car is either in “Park” (P) or “Neutral” (N). In most automatic cars, revving is safest and most effective in these settings to prevent accidental movement.
- Press the Accelerator: Gently press down on the accelerator pedal with your foot. You’ll notice the engine’s RPM increase as you apply more pressure. The tachometer on your dashboard will show the RPM level rising.
- Release the Accelerator Gradually: After a short rev, carefully release the accelerator pedal to allow the RPM to decrease back to idle speed. It’s important to avoid sudden releases or prolonged high RPMs to prevent engine stress.
- Monitor Engine Temperature: If you’re revving the engine for an extended period, such as when warming it up in cold weather, keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge. Ensure the engine does not overheat.
Revving an Engine When Parked
You can also rev your car engine when parked, which is how many people learn about it. The following are the steps to follow when revving up a parked car.
Step 1: Start the Car
Just like in the previous model of revving the engine, you have to turn it on and leave it in the state for up to 30 seconds. As earlier hinted, this allows oil to circulate.
Step 2: Put the Car in Park Mode
You then adjust the stick shift to parking mode to prevent the forward or backward movement of the car. This is a critical step in exercising care; otherwise, the car may move and cause an accident. To be on the safe side, engage the emergency brake.
If you are a pro, you can try revving when the car is on neutral.
Step 3: Step on the Gas Pedal
You can then have some fun revving the car by pressing steadily on the gas pedal. Keep your eyes on the tachometer, making sure the needle does not reach the redline. Press it more times, then release the accelerator.
How to rev your engine in a manual
You can also rev your manual car when driving, the same way sports car drivers show their appreciation of speed and power.
On how to rev a manual car, you start by stepping on the clutch to have the transmission system free. You then gradually step on the gas pedal, being careful not to redline. You can now shift the gears.
What are the Advantages of Revving a Car Engine?
Why would you rev your car engine? Revving your car has many advantages, which outweigh the drawbacks. Some of the key benefits include the following:
- Increases Power and Speed
This is why racers rev their cars before the wheels start spinning. They need that high power and speed for better acceleration when they finally release the clutch pedal.
By making your engine spin faster, you get more power from it for speeding off than when you accelerate it normally.
- Increases Oil Circulation
Revving an engine pressurizes the fluid, making it circulate through the engine block faster. That causes better lubrication.
However, you should only rev an engine after reaching its operating temperature. Forcing a cold engine to spin at a higher RPM can result in damage because most parts are yet to be lubricated by the engine oil.
- Removes Fuel Vapor and Fills Carburetor with Fuel
Fuel vapors and air bubbles can find their way into the fuel system. Revving the engine burns off these vapors, including residual fuel.
The other part of this point applies to cars with carburetors. Revving your car engine just before shutting down fills the carburetor with fuel, making it easier to start the next time.
Overall, revving the engine just before shutting it down makes it easier to start next time, especially during cold weather.
- Increases Engine Response
This pint is purely for fun. Some people rev their engines to produce noise and smoke, which they love to see or hear when driving on the streets.
It, however, depends on how you view it. It can be a drawback, as we will see later.
What are the disadvantages of Revving a Car Engine?
Revving your engine is not all beneficial. It comes with some concerns that you should address, including the following:
- Loud Noise and Increased Emission
Revving your engine means making it run at a higher RPM than usual. That translates to a louder noise and more emissions as exhaust gasses rush out the tailpipe.
Also, you should expect a drop in fuel economy. The engine burns more fuel during revving, which is not used to move the car forward.
- Possible Engine Damage
An engine running at a higher RPM generates more heat and causes more stress on its parts. The components will wear out much earlier, leading to premature failure.
Only rev the engine is ready to handle these consequences, and never let the engine’s RPM exceed the red line.
Also, revving the engine more often or keeping the gas pedal down for a long time can throw the connecting rod. That will cause the piston to jam the cylinder head or destroy the engine head.
- Premature Failure of Clutch and Flywheel
The clutch is the component that absorbs all the straining forces when you rev your manual car. It disconnects and connects the engine to the transmission.
Clutch plates and other components have a definite lifespan. Frequent revving adds to their workload, resulting in premature failure.
Do You Need to Rev the Engine Today?
Some people still believe that they need to rev the engine to fill up the carburetor. Despite that, most of them drive cars with fuel injection systems.
This means that their cars’ engines do not even have carburetors anymore. Their “reason” for revving the engine is already moot.
However, the carburetor argument was debunked even back in the day. The first reason is the function of the float chamber of the carburetor.
This feature will fill up regardless of whether the engine is running on high RPM or idling.
Second, the moment the ignition is on, it also causes the fuel pump to work. This means it does not need to fill up the carburetor in the first place.
So, even back in the day of carbureted engines, it was already unnecessary to rev up the engine before turning it off. It also only wasted fuel.
Why You Should Not Rev Your Engine
Although it has its benefits, you should not rev your engine when unnecessary. This is especially true when cars have complicated and highly efficient fuel injection systems.
Here are some of the reasons why you should not rev the engine of your car:
#1. Puts Unnecessary Stress on the Engine.
Many people think that revving their engines whenever possible is beneficial to their car, but the opposite is true.
In theory, it seems to make sense that revving the engine will make it warm up faster. It could also make the oil circulate faster, especially during cold mornings.
Revving a Cold Engine Causes Damage
However, the truth is that revving the engine while it is still cold does more damage than good. The biggest reason is that it will cause the temperature to rise too quickly.
Shift in Temperature Will Put a Lot of Strain on Engine’s Components
This sudden shift in temperature will put a lot of strain on small engine components. This will then result in them failing long before they should.
If you do rev the engine, which is sometimes irresistible, always do it when the engine has warmed up.
#2. Forces the Valves to Stay Open Too Long.
Serious Damage to the Valve Train
When you rev your engine, the rising temperature is just one problem you have to deal with. If you hold the rev too long and do it too often, it will seriously damage the valve train.
Cause a Mechanical Problem Called Valve Float
If your valve is open too long, it will eventually cause a mechanical problem called valve float. This is when the valve gets stuck between the closed and open positions.
Compression Loss and Engine Misfire
The result would be a loss in compression and a misfiring engine. This means that your engine is not producing nearly as much power as it should.
Valve Spring Replacement
Although fixing this problem is relatively easy. Your mechanic will need to replace the valve springs. However, if you don’t notice that your engine is misfiring early, it will cause serious engine damage later.
If you are unfamiliar with how your engine should sound, you might not notice misfiring cylinders.
#3. May Throw the Connecting Rod.
Connects the Crankshaft to the piston
The connecting rod has a vital role in your engine. It is what connects the crankshaft to the piston. Throwing a rod means that the connecting rod breaks as the piston goes up or down.
Effect of Broken Rod
When the rod is broken, either one of two things will happen. When the rod throws while the piston goes up, the piston will continue on its course.
It will permanently jam itself in the head of the cylinder. If the rod throws while the piston goes down, the broken rod will be traveling with force.
This would be of great force that it will rip through the solid billet aluminum engine block.
Engine Replacement
Whichever one happens, you can be sure that you are in for costly repairs. In most cases, throwing a connector rod means replacing the engine entirely.
#4. May Cause Severe Damage to the Clutch and Flywheel.
Clutch Connects and Disconnects the Engine from the Wheels
You may be thinking that the gas pedal is the one that makes your car move forward. No, it is the clutch. The clutch connects and disconnects the engine from the wheels. The car will not move forward with a disengaged clutch even when you step on the gas.
Extreme Heat Will Cause Damage
The extreme heat will still cause damage over time by revving your engine too often, even with a disengaged clutch. Plus, it could damage the flywheel and deteriorate the clutch lining. There is also a chance for the hydraulic cylinders to control the clutch break.
Whatever scenario happens, one thing is sure; it will result in a sidelined car. This means you will need to spend quite a lot of money to fix the issue.
#5. It Wastes a Lot of Gas.
With gas prices the way they are now, you should not just waste fuel unnecessarily revving your engine. Whenever you rev the engine to the upper RPM limits, especially when redlining it, you draw a lot of gas.
Engine Burns More Fuel by Running on Higher RPMs
Your car’s engine burns more fuel by running on higher RPMs than usual. This would be regardless of whether the car is moving or not. You might justify yourself by saying that you don’t do it often. However, the amount of wasted fuel adds up eventually.
Misfiring Cylinder Still Burns Fuel
In addition, as mentioned earlier, revving the engine might cause the engine to misfire. A misfiring cylinder is still burning fuel. However, it does not deliver as much power as it used to, which means it is wasting fuel.
Common Mistakes When Revving a Car
1. Not allowing the engine to warm up: Before revving a car, it is important to allow the engine to warm up for a few minutes. This helps ensure that all of the components are properly lubricated and functioning correctly.
2. Revving too high: It is important not to rev the engine too high as this can cause damage to internal components such as pistons and valves.
3. Not using proper gear selection: When revving a car, it is important to select the correct gear for maximum performance and efficiency. For example, if you are driving in first gear, you should not be revving beyond 4500 RPMs, or else you risk damaging your transmission or other components of your vehicle’s drivetrain system.
4. Not paying attention to temperature gauges: It is essential that drivers pay attention to their vehicle’s temperature gauges when they are revving their cars as this will help them avoid overheating their engines which can lead to costly repairs or even complete engine failure in some cases.
5. Ignoring warning lights: If any warning lights appear on your dashboard while you are revving your car, it is important that you stop immediately and investigate what may be causing them before continuing with any further acceleration or speed tests on your vehicle’s engine.
What to Consider When Revving a Car Engine?
Engine revving seems straightforward, but it should be done correctly. Any missed step can significantly affect your ride or the engine.
Consider the following before or when revving your car’s engine:
- Only rev your engine if the car is in good condition and you are confident in your skills. The oil level should be above the recommended minimum to safely rev the engine.
- Do it at an appropriate place and time. You don’t want to wake up your neighbor with the roaring sound from your engine.
- Be gentle on the gas pedal as you slowly bring the engine to the desired RPM. Ensure you never cross the red line. Also, do not press the gas pedal hard to avoid overshooting the RPM.
- Allow the engine to achieve its operating temperature before revving. Let it run at idle speed for at least 30 seconds.
- Always engage an emergency brake and/or foot brake if revving the engine when the car is stationary.
- Rev-matching is a good idea when downshifting or revving a manual car.
FAQs.
Q: Is It Bad To Rev Your Engine?
Revving your engine once in a while is not bad, especially when you consider its various benefits, such as promoting lubricant circulation and warming of the cabin.
However, you should not redline when revving, which is reaching the red line in the tachometer. It may damage the car engine.
Q: How Do I Rev My Engine While Driving?
When driving, you can rev your engine by pressing the brake and then placing the gear shift to neutral. Then steadily step on the accelerator and watch the needle go up a higher limit on the tachometer dial. This is for automatic cars.
On how to rev-match manual cars, you focus on bringing the engine speed to that of the transmission, resulting in a smooth transition to the preferred gear. You press the clutch and step on the gas pedal to rev up the vehicle.
Q: Do You Rev The Engine In Park Or Neutral?
When revving an automatic vehicle when not moving, it is advisable to put it in park mode. However, when driving, you can put it in neutral.
Q: Is Hitting The Rev Limiter Bad?
The red line on the tachometer indicates going overboard when accelerating your engine speed. When you hit the rev limiter, you are going past the acceptable revolution limit; hence, you can cause engine damage.
Q: Should I rev match?
Rev matching is acceptable as you adjust the engine speed to be on the same page with the transmission rate. It is suitable for the engine as it strains less. Get lessons on how to rev match to pull it off correctly.
Final Word
Revving your car engine is one of the coolest things to do, especially if you have auto-sport leanings. This article digs deeper into the whole revving concept, looking at what it is, its benefits, and how to rev a vehicle engine.
Follow the guidelines for both the parked and driving modes and for automatic and manual transmissions to pull it safely.