I do all my driving between 2000 and 3000 rpm, what am I missing?

It was designed to run at higher rpms. If you are not redlining each gear everytime you drive, I don’t see an issue. How would you shorten performance running the engine at higher rpms?

I love winding it out on the freeway ramps, cleans out the engine too.

 

Greater forces due to higher piston speeds and greater heat production are two that come to mind. Plus there are extra stresses placed on the entire drivetrain when engine output is high.

 

Sure, that is true. But I mean if you are not flooring it everytime you drive, I don’t see an issue.

I take it to redline once or twice a week to perform “Italian tuning”. Otherwise, I’m like OP and drive in the 2-3k rpm range about 80% of the time.

 

I pretty much baby my truck during daily driving. It gets stressed out enough off the road and when towing. If I wanted to drive fast on the street I would buy a sports car.

Also being a bicyclist, I find people who drive their vehicles like race cars highly annoying. Take it to the track.

 

I don’t disagree. I was just answering your question as stated.

 

The engineering explained youtube channel has a good video on the Italian tune up. The conclusions were mixed, but mostly suggested that it is myth.

 

Could be a myth yes. I actually watched that video a while ago.

I love EE videos, very knowledgeable dude.

 

Or motorcycle, put mostly yourself at risk if you want to speed and drive fast, theres always the possibility of pedestrians, T-bones etc...but most of the time the rider is screwed when deciding to Act a Fool and will make you think twice before twisting the throttle on busy roads.

 

Did they do carbureted engines? Seems like its an obsolete idea with carefully controlled fuel injected engines.

 

What's a matter with you people?

 

Everything…

 

I've gone all the way back to a desk phone. That's where it lives, on the desk. If it rings, I'll check on it. ;-)

 

I think the studies were on modern engines.

 

Smart man!

 

If I remember right, he didn’t find any studies of the Italian tune up specifically, but he did find some that looked at carbon build at different temperatures and some on what temperatures various parts on the engine range in. At the end the question was brought up whether any appreciable carbon could be removed by heat after the fact, especially given a very short time span.

 

those things happen, but it still doesn’t state you will reduce engine lifespan or lower performance.

Again, why worry about performance if you are not using it.

as far as the engine wearing out, again these engines are proven to be reliable. Is lifespan reduced, sure, maybe so now the mechanical components last only 50% longer then the rest of the truck, rather then 55%.

it really sounds like you want your way to be the best way and are throwing stuff at the wall to rationalize that

 

I feel like you aren’t understanding my post. I was not refuting any claims one way or the other. I was just answering the question about how higher rpm (and implicitly higher engine torque output) can wear out an engine faster. I’m sure a quick google will turn up basically the same thing but with more details.

 

On the Toyota website it states that the 3.5L V6 generates 278 hp @ 6000rpm. Does anybody run it at those rpm's?

 

I usually never ran my 2012 2.7L SR5 over 3000rpm, rarely up to 3500. Last month, at 182k miles, I came down with a blown head gasket, or warped head.