Flooring It: bad for the car?

ccb_22

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Jan 12, 2009
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This may be a stupid question, but is pushing the gas all the way down when the car is stopped bad for the car in any way? Or should you wait until the car has some speed before putting the pedal all the way down? If the tires spin enough, I'm sure that's not good for them, but what about the engine or anything else? BTW, the car in question is an automatic, if that makes a difference. Thanks.
 
Of course it's not too good for all the components from the crankshaft to the tires when they don't get an "smooth" acceleration but a sudden kick. This kind of sudden load always produces more wear. Especially the "Hardy Disc" (don't know if that is the correct English expression. It's a buffer disc between the transmission shaft and cardan axle. With many hard/abrupt start that wears a lot more...

Of course every car can take such an "abuse" for quiet a time. But some major maintenance will come earlier...
 
I can't imagine that it would be too good for the car, but ultimately, I don't think doing it once in a while would harm the engine/transmission. I think the problem would come if it is constantly done. I think it would harm the transmission more than the engine.
 
This may be a stupid question, but is pushing the gas all the way down when the car is stopped bad for the car in any way?
Depends. Does your car have "GT-R" in the name?
</joke>

It's not bad, per se, but it's going to shorten the lives of the big metal things a little bit and get you worse gas mileage. Cars were designed to be pushed up to the limits you take them under wide-open throttle... otherwise, they wouldn't be designed as such :p.
 
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Sadly, no GT-R. '07 Mazda 3 is more like it. Thanks for the replies. I just bought the car and I'm torn between testing its limits and making it last as long as possible.
 
Flooring it everywhere it just going to test the limits of your wallet, because you'll get appalling gas mileage.
 
It is hard on the whole drive train, though the transmission is generally the first to feel the pain.
 
Not to mention the annoyance to fellow drivers/passengers/pedestrians, the bills for your tires, the safety issues, and your car
 
Instead of doing that, hold the brakes and get the engines revs up until it wants to move the car. Then remove the brakes and smoothly go full throttle. Best launch for an auto.
 
But only for automatic transmissions...
 
As others have said, doing it once in a while is not too bad. In fact, it might even be good for the car. I've heard many stories of people buying old cars from retired people who hardly drove the car and never drove it hard, but the first time the new owner floored it, the engine would let go. It's almost like the car's components become accustomed to your driving habits. Of course, that doesn't mean driving hard and flooring it everywhere will make the car last longer, just the opposite.
 
As others have said, doing it once in a while is not too bad. In fact, it might even be good for the car. I've heard many stories of people buying old cars from retired people who hardly drove the car and never drove it hard, but the first time the new owner floored it, the engine would let go. It's almost like the car's components become accustomed to your driving habits. Of course, that doesn't mean driving hard and flooring it everywhere will make the car last longer, just the opposite.

In other words the engine needs to stretch its legs or will become a cripple. :mrgreen:
 
It's an 07..... you'll be fine flooring it for a few years before things start needing more maintenance.
 
Instead of doing that, hold the brakes and get the engines revs up until it wants to move the car. Then remove the brakes and smoothly go full throttle. Best launch for an auto.

Well it might be the best launch, but, not the best for the car. That would produce more stress on the car if you are reving the engine while holding the brakes. Also most car have an throttle shut off if they feel you are pressing both brake and throttle. For my GTI with its DSG I can activate its LC which allows me to get up to ~3k while holding the brakes down.

Flooring it once in a while is ok, dont do it stop light to stop light. Also make sure to get the car fully warmed up to proper oil temp.
 
As long as you let the engine warm up first, flooring it isn't necessarily bad. Engines need a good workout to keep the carbon buildup out of the the cylinders. My brother used to have a 97 Dodge Avenger that he got with 60k miles on it. He drove it *hard* for the next 70k miles and it still ran like a champ when we sold it. That motor was probably red lined once per day for 5 and a half years and it still ran perfectly.
 
Well it might be the best launch, but, not the best for the car. That would produce more stress on the car if you are reving the engine while holding the brakes. Also most car have an throttle shut off if they feel you are pressing both brake and throttle. For my GTI with its DSG I can activate its LC which allows me to get up to ~3k while holding the brakes down.

Flooring it once in a while is ok, dont do it stop light to stop light. Also make sure to get the car fully warmed up to proper oil temp.

You are putting the stress on the torque converter, which is a fluid coupling. Do you know how much abuse a torque converter can take??

Back to the original topic, there is an old saying in the rotary community: "A redline a day keeps the carbon away" so its actually ADVISED to rev the piss out of the engine every so often. But always make sure the engine is at full operating temp.
 
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You are putting the stress on the torque converter, which is a fluid coupling. Do you know how much abuse a torque converter can take??

Back to the original topic, there is an old saying in the rotary community: "A redline a day keeps the carbon away" so its actually ADVISED to rev the piss out of the engine every so often. But always make sure the engine is at full operating temp.

DSG has no torque converter.
 
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