How often do you rev your engine high (4000+rpm)?

Accelerating from a stop? I think you need a different car.

 

I agree, I think you are near red line pushing it to 4,000 rpm? I never go above 3,000 rpm, and most of the time I am below 2,000 rpm.

 

Every day.
Many times a day.
Each time I get on the interstate.....or I need to break out of a gaggle at a stop light....or I'm in a hurry......or bored.

When I got my (company) 2010 G3, I went through a hypermiling phase, trying to get 60-MPG for every 550-600 mile tank.
I used every hypermiling trick in this forum except for grill blocking, and drafting....and I usually tickled 60-MPG.
I'm on the interstate a lot, and frankly.....I got over it and now I drive it like most people who get to drive cars that they don't have to pay for.
I get 47-MPG (last 3 tanks.)
The point is that I use the accelerator like an on-off switch and since most of my trips are on the interstate, I can still get excellent mileage without being a rolling menace to traffic.
My car still runs pretty much like new and it uses no measurable oil at 85,000 miles.
I'm not going to lie and say that I check the dipstick every time I fill up but I certainly do so at least once every 1000 miles.

Use the accelerator if you want to, as you want to and don't worry about the engine.
You're not going to hurt it. The rev limiter won't let you.
You can put the car in ready mode, throw a brick on the accelerator pedal and go and have dinner and it will not impact your car's longevity in the least because the motor only revs as much as the 'computer' tells it to.
I'm just guessing here, but I'm thinking that if the VSS says that the vehicle isn't moving, and the throttle position sensor says that the operator is requesting maximum warp, then you're not going to get much enthusiasm from the engine room.
99.999 percent of people out there either trade their cars out in less than 100,000 miles and thus never see much wear in the motor, or they significantly damage their motors much more than operating it within design limits by not maintaining oil or coolant volume.

How much oil is in your car right now?
How often do you check?

I promise.
If you do a WOT (wide open throttle) start with your car once a day?

You're not hurting it.
Not even if you have a really wild day and do it twice.


Good Luck!

 

Redline is more like 5200 RPM. With some of the mountain grades I travel, 4000+ is needed to keep up with traffic on the uphill, and to control speed on the downhill in B mode.

My old 2.5 liter, 165 horsepower 1997 Subaru needed to spin more than 3000 RPM just to go the speed limit on rural interstates. It didn't need the power, that was just how 4-banger cars of that era were geared. A downshift for passing or steep hill climbing pushed the rpm much higher.

 

Never...

 

The same engine as an Otto cycle engine has a 6,000 RPM redline. You are not stressing it at 4,000 RPM.

 

I routinely operate my 20 year old vehicle at 6000 rpm when I need power to pass, etc. It has 268,000 miles on it and in my mind should be fully capable of this kind of operation. I'll let everyone know if/when it fails.

 

How would one know? The Prius doesn't have a tach.

 

You can use a Scangauge.

To the OP's question: the only time I think I'd hit 4000 rpm is on a steep hill climb. I drive conservatively.

 

Many of us have added OBDII/CAN-port engine monitors with tachs. ScanGauge, Torque, Ultragauge, etc.

 

I'm pegging the accelerator on some of the hills I travel, at least a half dozen or more times per day. Once in a while I may flog my prius to pass someone, which may be once or so each week.

I have to believe this is well within the designed capability of the vehicle.

 

In my Prius v, cruise control set to 61 MPH, I slow to a stop at a stop sign and when I am at 24 MPH I set Cruise control back on, so it gains speed back to 61 MPH. At 59 MPH I am at 4000 RPM, even in Cruise Control, gently speeding up on level ground.

It is a normal thing, even when I am not choosing to pass.

 

I redline at least once a week, to prevent carbon deposit from forming or when I have fuel cleaner in the tank I drive hard for that entire tank.

I drive a lot on the highway so my engine my engine sees 4000+ Rpm quite frequent.

 

As an owner of 4 Subaru's over the years, 3000 rpm is normal for the 2.5 boxer engine at hwy speeds and is one of the reasons it is not frugle with gas. But you can not compare the Prius motor to a boxer motor, redline in a boxer motor is 7400 rpm. Prius is no where near as high, which means at 4000 rpm you are pushing this motor to work hard, and over time will show internal wear, and more likely to use oil.

 

I thought the engine in the Prius was impossible to stress due to all the electronics. Why would 5200rpm be possible continually if it was very stressful?

 

If you maintain it use good oil, filters and fuel engine will run what ever rpm you want w/o stress damage, as long you operate within it limitations.

 

Rarely over 3000 rpm