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car damage

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
i just drove home in 4th gear on the motorway. i was probably on motorway for about 15 minutes.

it was an honest mistake. i normally drive in 5th gear. i thought i was in 5th gear!

anyway, ive noticed that ive used ALOT of petrol getting home.

will i have damaged my engine/gearbox/clutch at all though?

the engine sounded fine when i got back and drove fine. there were no smells either.

another thing im worried about is that i stall quite a bit. i mean, it doesn't happen LOADS, a couple of times a week maybe. its due to nerves if anything as its ALWAYS when im starting on a hill (which i hate) or when someone i know is around. will this be damaging the clutch?

im really worried im wrecking my car. its a lovely little thing :(
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Should be fine. You would have used more petrol because 4th is not as efficient as 5th, but unless you were really caning it down the motorway 4th would have coped with it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well, i was going 70mph at some points :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nah, you won't hurt it. :)

    Use the handbrake when starting on a hill...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    4th is fine to go most speeds unless its a tiny engine car fully loaded doing about 80 uphill - then it will have problems.

    Constantly stalling it will not do the clutch a lot of good but it is designed to take a stalling every now and then!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have no idea, i've got an auto :p

    lol sorry! *hugs*
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No ...youwill have done no damage.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    well, i was going 70mph at some points :(

    Unless you were driving a very small old engine doubt youd have done any damage.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i do have a small engine though. its only a 1 litre. its only a baby!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i do have a small engine though. its only a 1 litre. its only a baby!

    Stop worrying ...it'll be fine.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i do have a small engine though. its only a 1 litre. its only a baby!

    Aye, me too. Mine is 955cc, but it's happy doing 100mph in second...

    So long as your car has the correct level of oil, and it hasn't deteriorated hugely over time(i.e, it's serviced in accordance with the manufacturers guidelines), then the engine doesn't care whether it's holding 4000rpm in 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th. So long as is has adequate lubrication, and airflow for cooling... you won't have hurt anything.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    blah this is such a funny post :p you cant do any damage just by driving in the wrong gear! or if you can it'd be totally minimal.

    when i was having my driving lessons my driving instructor only introduced going into 5th gear in the very last few lessons, before my test, so i wasnt used to going in it at all, i still have to remind myself to go in it these days too :]
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    defo be fine! ive a wee 106 that has taken absolute hell and still goes tight as a nut :)
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    blah this is such a funny post :p you cant do any damage just by driving in the wrong gear!

    You can damage an engine by running it at speeds it wasn't designed to run at. Most cars have rev meters to help you know when your reaching the maximun safe speed for your engine to run at it's the red line, and many cars have rev limiters to stop you going beyond that. It's different with every vehicle and depends on the size, type and material of your engine.

    High revs equal higher friction and therefore high wear - makes sense. Running up to the red line before changing gear isn't too bad, infact often helps clear out any shit deposits but running for extended periods on the red line is not healthy. It's especially bad if your car hasn't properly warmed up yet.

    You shouldn't be redlining it all the time if you want to be effcient anyway.


    In this case no damage would have been done unless she was drving some ancient car. 70 in 4th is fine for almost all standard modern cars.
    Weekender Offender 
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Aye, me too. Mine is 955cc, but it's happy doing 100mph in second...

    But that's on a bike. Shorter stroke allows higher revs.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doesn't make any odds what the stroke to bore ratio is in this instance - if the engine is adequately cooled, and lubricated, then it's difficult to harm. It won't have been bouncing off the redline in 4th gear...

    If anything, it could arguably be better, and the oill will be running nearer it's optimum temperature. But in the real world it won't make any odds, other than to hurt fuel consumption somewhat. :)

    Higher revs != higher friction. The only friction is from the upper piston rings, and for the most part are suitably hardened and lubricated to give a long life, pretty much regardless of use these days. The higher fuel consumption comes from running an engine outside of its more efficient operating speed.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_fuel_consumption_(shaft_engine)

    That'll bore you... ;)

    Typically, an engine is most economical on the shoulder leading to, and at, peak-torque. Using the highest gear, within this area will be more fuel efficient than above or beyond that engine speed.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Doesn't make any odds what the stroke to bore ratio is in this instance - if the engine is adequately cooled, and lubricated, then it's difficult to harm. It won't have been bouncing off the redline in 4th gear...

    My comment about stroke was in reference to your comment that your engine does 100 in 2nd. I just wanted to point ou that was misleading because you have a bike. I doubt very many people on this board have any cars that would 'happily run' at 100 in second. If anybody wants to try it get up to 100 and then shift down into second - see what happens.

    Higher revs != higher friction. The only friction is from the upper piston rings, and for the most part are suitably hardened and lubricated to give a long life, pretty much regardless of use these days.

    I agree that there's probably a lot more things in an egines life which are going to effect it more but, it's still preferable not to thrash your motor. All other things being equal running an engine at maximum revs all the time is not going to positively affect the life of your engine.
    And running the engine at high revs cold is definately not good.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    65mm stroke on my bike
    48mm stroke on a VFR - less power than the above
    86.9mm stroke on a 2000 Polo 1.2
    88mm stroke on a 205 1.9
    86mm stroke on an Impreza 2.0
    102mm stroke on a Jaguar 3.6 i6
    74.8mm stroke on a Jaguar 2.9 i6
    86mm stroke on an Astra GTE 2.0 16v

    The stroke isn't so relevant. It's the ratio between the bore and stroke that determines how revvy an engine will be, whereabouts peak power will be produced, and how much low-down grunt it has. The bike has high speeds in each gear because it's designed to have fairly tall gearing in comparison to a car, which is possible because of the lighter weight. Such tall gearing on a car would be largely useless in everyday use, and hugely inefficient because of the amount of time it would take to accelerate to an appropriate speed.

    Lamborghini Diablo has an 80mm stroke, and will do 92mph in 2nd gear...
    Mclaren F1 has an 86mm stroke, and will do 95mph in 2nd gear...

    I guess my comment is misleading, as I'd not like to leave the bike in 2nd gear at 100mph all-day. But I'd leave it in 3rd at that speed and not bat an eyelid, despite 6th being more suitable in every way. I simply meant that whilst it isn't ideal in any way, the vehicle doesn't have to be held in top gear to maintain a speed. So long as the engine is cooled sufficiently, and can be adequately lubricated, then no harm will take place.

    Running any engine at any speed when cold is bad. 1st mile/99.9% wear and all that... :)

    Wasn't trying to cause an argument with you, chief. :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No ...you won't have done it any harm:)
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