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I have an 04 EM2 EX AT, and I decided to go run an errand about a half hour ago, and got sucked in to driving my car. I was really just yearning for the sound of my engine revving, so I drove down a couple streets, but I don't do over 31mph in town so I decided to pull off onto one of the emptier highways and let it loose. I gave it a bit of gas and dropped it into 2nd (at maybe around 50% throttle) and enjoyed the symphony. When I hit about 6500RPM, I upshifted back into 4th, I did about the same thing 2 more times. This is actually the first time I've ever done anything like that with my car in the 14 months I've owned it. I assume this is okay to do to a Honda that's up to temp as long as you don't hold it in the redline for a length of time right? As soon as it got close to redline I downshifted.

And this got me thinking; what's an acceptable RPM range to drive one of these cars on a regular basis? I tend to find myself taking it up to about 4k from stoplight to stoplight when I'm in a hurry, and sometimes when I'm not. Any thoughts on this? I guess my mindset is that Honda 4-bangers (Ones with VTEC in particular) are built to rev, right?

I guess I'm just wondering if I'm doing any significant damage to my car by jumping off the line at a stoplight and taking it to 4k a lot of the time.

 
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Wow. You don't want to ride with me. I bounce off the rev limiter ALL the time. If there are no metering lights on the on-ramp and my lane is clear, it's 7K through third, then I skip to fifth. That's the norm on my daily half-hour commute, for the past 10 years. Cars are meant to be DRIVEN, not pampered. I've had no catastophic failures, except for Master and Slave Cylinders. Haha. Thankfully, those are external. Engine is as strong as ever, just maintain it well.

 
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^hahaha that's prob why you have had so much trouble with ur clutch you hooligan!!!

 
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I quite positive yOu meant to say "up shift" because the car won't let you downshift at or near redline (cuz you'd blow ur engine)

As for driving hard, the general rule of thumb is this: the more stress you put on your engine, the faster it wears out. That is a guarantee and finite fact.

But I completely agree with max. Your car (or any of you possessions/toys) are there to be used and used as yOu wish.

 
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It can't hurt to open it up once in a while. I shift at low rpms most of the time (cuz gas is expensive) but once in a while I'll open it up a bit. Funny thing is-you don't go a ton faster. It just seems like it because the engine gets so much noisier.

 
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I normally switch gears at 4k, sometimes ill upshift at 3k but then ill have my bad boy moments and redline it. I do enjoy rippin it once in a while and like max said, cars are meant to be driven, so drive it!

 
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I don't think there is an "acceptable range" to drive this car at. My acceptable range is wherever you don't puke the motor. Has worked for me with my em2 and my old Jeep. When it comes to wear and tear, you always will have a car wear out quicker with higher RPMs (regardless of how often you drive it). If you push your car hard like I do, which is practically every day when I feel like it, then you're going to have more engine wear than someone who drives it a more sane and civil manner. Just pushing your RPMs up once will give it more wear and tear than keeping it at a lower level, but that's only because you ultimately have metal pistons, and metal block, metal this and that... see where I'm going here?

These cars are made to rev much higher, but that's mainly because of compression, and all that fun stuff that the tech savvy nerds say to confuse the hell out of me. Your engine block, transmission, master and slave cylinders, clutch, brakes, tires, struts... you get my point; will ultimately wear out. Nothing is made to last forever. How hard you drive your car will just limit the time it lasts you more so. I'm not going to say you'll need a new engine in a month. But every time you turn on your car, you're ultimately wearing out the internals. See what I mean?

The way I look at it: My rev limiter is roughly around 7k, so I'll push it as hard as I want until the computer cuts me off. I'm driving the car, my name is on the title, and I'll pay for the parts when the time comes. The car is there for me to drive, not to baby the hell out of it. If this car was made to be pampered, no one would buy it. And you definitely wouldn't see it on the road. I say, drive it however you want... long as you don't cut in front of me going 20mph slower than myself. I'll have to flip you off

 
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Haha. Guilty as charged.

 
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Lol. I guess I'm the conservative one here. 3 grand is typical for me. 3 and a half if I'm feeling froggy. I do redline her every once in a while though just to hear that VTAC.

 
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I usually shift at around 3500 RPM because gas is expensive and I'm cheap lol it's actually recommended that you rip it sometimes.

 
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Not to make anyone think I'm crazy, but think of your engine like a Porsche engine (again, don't think I'm crazy). Porsche engines are meant to be run hard, and if you don't push those engines hard, you have problems. Kind of the same thing with our engines, but definitely not to that extreme.

Our engines are made to withstand the higher RPMs. If you consistently drive your little civic motor at only 3,000 RPMs, you probably will have some problems down the road. I can't say this is a fact, but I do recommend pushing your engine every now and then. You don't have to race the hell out of it, but don't always drive around like the typical grandma with her head plastered to the windscreen.

I think a mix of both hard and soft driving (mostly soft driving) is going to be the best. BUT... it's all opinion

 
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i dont run my engine that hard either. i usually take my time getting up to speed and shift around 2500-3000.

but i do have my hoonage times with i ping my engine.

 
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our engines are not made to be banging at redline. i have no idea where you are getting that crazy (and false) idea, but there is nothing wrong with running your engine softly...any engine for that matter.


and besides, we drive a civic. there is NOTHING performance about our d17. it was NEVER made for performance, its made to sip on fuel and be efficient. our freaking Vtec isnt even a real vtec (like the ivtec in K20s)... its a evtec for economy sake at high rpms.


but you COULD be trolling as well, and that would mean you totally got me

 
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i have 150k miles on my civic and i drive it gently most the time. never had any problems with it...

running your engine hard and at higher RPMs will quickly wear out your headgasket (among other things) and thats not a cheap fix.

as i said before, the harder you run the engine, the faster it wears out. its simple physics that is GUARANTEED (why do u think race cars get their engine REBUILT after EVERY race?)

 
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I didn't say our engines are made for performance, AND I never said it was bad to run your engine softly. I said things that indicate an opinion... NOT fact. In an essence, I kind of trolled you without the intention lol. Everything I said was an opinion.

You missed my point too haha. I didn't say to race our engines around, and I didn't say anything about performance. I made the statement that our engines are made to withstand the higher RPMs, indicating that if you push your engine to 5000 RPMS, it won't kill your motor. Will it hurt if you drive like that all the time? Yes. But, I unless you don't know how to drive your car properly (or you race the hell out of it), you won't be driving in high RPMs much anyways.

Re-read what I said... I'm thinking you kind of trolled yourself here

 
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it wont kill you motor, but its killing your motor faster than if u drove it normally. yes it CAN withstand redline, but doesnt mean its good for it

now, how much damage it does it variable. but i am saying for the sake clarifying that any time u push ur engine it will wear it out quicker than if u were NOT to push it and drive (lets say) under 3k rpm.

 
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and one more think since im trolling you and picking on you tonight cuz i like you (i still like you too shari, but u dont troll as much as this one )

yes porsche engines are able to be ran hard...but how is not running it hard (like driving it normally) bad for the engine? please enlighten me with the dynamics of your assertion

 
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Lol, I suspected such.

As far as running a Porsche at normal RPMs... that's just what I've heard from those who've owned these cars. My dad used to have one, and a couple friends of mine have owned one at some point or another. As far as a civic, I don't think it would cause a real issue. But, it could since our engines are able to withstand the higher RPMs. Just a minor hunch based on knowledge I have on other cars.

You're such a dork

 
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some models are optimized for running in higher revs, so expect higher carbonization, for example (much improved after the advent of fuel injection, but still some items are just... physical restrictions )

 
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Physical restrictions?... Please, tell me more...

 
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i meant that as how the metal parts are designed (combustion chamber design, compression - does not matter too much in this case-, etc...), so they might work well in high recs but not as much in lower revs, but it's hardware, so not easily changed

 
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You killed my joke... you a buzz kill too? Lol

 
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ah, if that's it, then i am asian too :P:P:P

 
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It's no fun anymore. You killed it :P

 
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Haven't had much free time lately, but I have been keeping up with this thread. I've actually changed my driving habits because of some of the stuff that was said. Now, instead of letting the RPMs get up to 4k+, I let off the gas, let it shift at ~3k, then get back on it just enough so it doesn't downshift. Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated.

 
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Just for arguments sake put the Porsche in the super car class. All those "exotics" are tuned to run. When I say run I mean RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN. They get extreme carbonization sitting in rush hour traffic, and sometimes even in normal traffic. Google "Italian tuneup".

The power band for the D17 is roughly 3000-5000rpm. If you're not too extreme with the rpm it'll take it. I consistently shift at 4000 and run 3400rpm on the highway every day. Almost 200K miles and running strong. Still get 33mpg at 75mph with the A/C on.

 
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I normally shift between 4000-5000rpm (unless there's a decent amount of traffic), and when I run on the freeway my cruising RPM is ~3700. I run a bit harder than some, but our cars are made to withstand it all. I've had no serious problems with any other car driving as hard as I do.

 
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A little red line for a good time.

 
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A lot of redline for a hot time.