Is lugging hard on your car?
06-22-2012, 09:34 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: WA
Posts: 255
Is lugging hard on your car?
Just wondering if lugging is hard on you engine/transmission and if so why? I'm not talking about 5th gear going 20 but more like 3rd gear cruising at about 20-25.
Thanks for the info in advance
Thanks for the info in advance
06-24-2012, 10:11 PM
#4
Because you're forcing the engine to work harder than it needs to
When lugging, you're also putting the engine under high stress loads, while at the same time it's running at low RPM and potentially producing less than maximum oil pressure. This can be hard on things like bearings.
When lugging, you're also putting the engine under high stress loads, while at the same time it's running at low RPM and potentially producing less than maximum oil pressure. This can be hard on things like bearings.
06-25-2012, 11:37 PM
#6
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 347
When you're in say 3rd gear doing 15-20, your engine is going to want to try to get up to speed. To do this in a higher gear from lower RPM, you're going to use alot of fuel, especially if you tromp it. My 94 BMW 530i has an MPG gauge, and when I put it in 3rd at low speed because I'm feeling lazy or something that thing DROPS. It's also bad on your clutch. It's bad on alot of things.
06-26-2012, 05:07 PM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7
When you lug an engine, the normal combustion process occurs, but since the piston is not moving away from the head (creating extra 'space' above the piston) as fast as it should be, combustion pressure increases. Sometimes it dramatically increases, enough to damage the bottom end (crank, bearings, rods), the piston dome, and / or the head gasket.
06-27-2012, 08:19 AM
#9
I yelled at my gf for doing it in my mustang, she said she does it to save the brakes. I told her that the brakes are a lot easier to replace then a clutch or having to fix the motor from her doing that. she would do it as a way to slow that car down because she would do it all the time in her truck, after letting her know why not to do it she hasn't done it again.