Laboring the engine?

simonlo · 31-01-2006, 07:23

Was wondering this during the morning traffic.. if I let the clutch out fully in first gear and just let the car pull itself along would this be labouring the engine? I know of a few people that do it in their cars but I never really do it as I'm uptight about damaging any part of my car

And would the torque of the vrs make any difference?

Mil · 31-01-2006, 07:58

I don't think the engineers are silly enough to allow a car they made to pull itself along in 1st gear (or 2nd or 3rd for that matter) with no pedals down if it couldn't handle it.

Jon TDI · 31-01-2006, 08:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mil

I don't think the engineers are silly enough to allow a car they made to pull itself along in 1st gear (or 2nd or 3rd for that matter) with no pedals down if it couldn't handle it.

It's possible with the TDI's to go up thro' the gears with no "throttle" application (in slow moving traffic).

WW_VRS · 31-01-2006, 08:22

It's quite a handy feature sometimes, at other times it's a PITB as in 2nd gear it still kinda 'takes off' when the anti-stall kicks in

SteVRs · 31-01-2006, 08:57

I do it upto 3rd in slow traffic - as long as you don't try and accelerate hard from there it's fine.

simonlo · 31-01-2006, 09:12

This is good news then as I always used to apply a little gas which always makes me go too fast and I have to press the clutch in again. As long as it doesnt hurt my lovely engine

Goochie · 31-01-2006, 09:54

I used to do this in my Nova - using the choke as "cruise control"

Any modern car should handle it no problem.

Chris GB · 31-01-2006, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonlo

Was wondering this during the morning traffic.. if I let the clutch out fully in first gear and just let the car pull itself along would this be labouring the engine? I know of a few people that do it in their cars but I never really do it as I'm uptight about damaging any part of my car

And would the torque of the vrs make any difference?

Hi

Labouring the engine is the term for putting excessive load on it at too low RPM. Just trickling along in traffic with no gas applied will do it no harm at all.

Chris

ChrisRs · 31-01-2006, 10:20

Your not labouring it. Its designed to work like this

MikeW · 31-01-2006, 14:13

No probs as far as i can see

devonutopia · 31-01-2006, 14:28

Had mine up to 4th gear, on the flat, just merging in the gears gently with no throttle. Its a little hairy at less than 20mph in 4th, but it does it.

5th and 6th is pushing it a little though.

simonlo · 31-01-2006, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris GB

Hi

Labouring the engine is the term for putting excessive load on it at too low RPM. Just trickling along in traffic with no gas applied will do it no harm at all.

Chris

Learn something new everyday

Speaking of which I do this every now and then, pressing quite hard at only 1.5kish revs so I'll cut that down!

Chris GB · 31-01-2006, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonlo

Learn something new everyday

Speaking of which I do this every now and then, pressing quite hard at only 1.5kish revs so I'll cut that down!

Hi

I dont think the1500rpm limit is so relevant as the coditions in which you do it. Say you are on a level road at 1500rpm in 6th (in the Fabia vRS) and you floor it, the car will accelerate reasonably well up to around 1750 rpm and then climb onto the peak torque and take off well. This is just using the gas.

If you are going up a steep hill at 1500rpm in 6th and you are using lots of gas to maintain the speed, then you would be labouring the engine. A downchange is obviously needed.

Chris

simonlo · 01-02-2006, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris GB

Hi

I dont think the1500rpm limit is so relevant as the coditions in which you do it. Say you are on a level road at 1500rpm in 6th (in the Fabia vRS) and you floor it, the car will accelerate reasonably well up to around 1750 rpm and then climb onto the peak torque and take off well. This is just using the gas.

If you are going up a steep hill at 1500rpm in 6th and you are using lots of gas to maintain the speed, then you would be labouring the engine. A downchange is obviously needed.

Chris

I'm not that bad dont worry!

I usually just try and keep it at least 2k when making progress and then maybe 1.5 when just maitaining speed on level roads.

Another question though.. what if on the first day I collected the car I was to drive it to around and slightly over 100mph i.e over 75% of the max speed on the motorway for short bursts? Obviously none of the engine or components would be bedded in so would this cause any long term damage?

WW_VRS · 01-02-2006, 07:35

It wouldn't really do any damage but definitely make sure it's warmed up before you do it - not gonna comment on the NSL

- personally though I went for a 'warm it up, drive it sensibly for 50 miles, then drive it a touch harder, using the gears & rev range etc' approach. Then at each 500 miles 'done' I would rev it up another 500 rpm regularly (up to the point where it was doing 4000 rpm).

You'll find the first 500 miles done pretty quickly if you're like me in feeling well-chuffed with your new car & basically just driving it about

simonlo · 01-02-2006, 07:47

Engine was well warmed up as it was a 250 mile trip back down south and I had been on the road for about half an hour anyway

Glad to hear it wont have been damaged though.. I'm just paranoid

Anyway thats in the past now, its done well over 9000 miles now (in just 4 months

) and its getting better and better. Creaky seat sorted under warranty (only added lube and its done the job!), and the rattly gearbox has disappeared. Fantastic car

WW_VRS · 01-02-2006, 08:07

The car seems to settle after the first service, whether it's due to the service or not I dunno, but generally the brakes feel good, gearbox etc behave themselves, and the small niggles have been sorted (in our case the little plastic insert on the passenger side where on the driver side you have the mirror controls fell out, twice). It's been good as gold since.

New set of front tyres at 24k in my case, having the feeling it may not last so long this time around as remap etc are underway, and 30k on the clocks already without as much as the equivalent of a misfire

(yep I know, it's a diesel

)

simonlo · 01-02-2006, 08:25

Shh, dont mention remap! Too tempting as it is

Looking forward to my first service - although its hard to imagine it getting better!

b1ackb1rd · 01-02-2006, 14:15

Try this in a multi-storey car park, change into 2nd just as you go up the ramp to the next level ... Houston, we have lift off

MikeW · 01-02-2006, 14:18

I won't LABOUR my engine, i don't vote for them! For that matter i won't conservative or liberal them either! BOOM BOOM!

31-01-2006, 07:23	#1
simonlo Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South UK Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Laboring the engine? Was wondering this during the morning traffic.. if I let the clutch out fully in first gear and just let the car pull itself along would this be labouring the engine? I know of a few people that do it in their cars but I never really do it as I'm uptight about damaging any part of my car And would the torque of the vrs make any difference?

31-01-2006, 07:58	#2
Mil Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: United Arab Emirates Posts: 3,801 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? I don't think the engineers are silly enough to allow a car they made to pull itself along in 1st gear (or 2nd or 3rd for that matter) with no pedals down if it couldn't handle it. __________________ Milton Kyvernitis Private Government

31-01-2006, 08:22	#4
WW_VRS Escorted Estate Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oxfordshire/Berkshire Posts: 9,742 Thanks: 44 Thanked 70 Times in 61 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? It's quite a handy feature sometimes, at other times it's a PITB as in 2nd gear it still kinda 'takes off' when the anti-stall kicks in __________________ WW --->> Project Journal (pic links in first post there) Lummox'/Ross thread on Unit18 Automotive progress on my car: here

31-01-2006, 08:57	#5
SteVRs Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 3,063 Thanks: 4 Thanked 19 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? I do it upto 3rd in slow traffic - as long as you don't try and accelerate hard from there it's fine. __________________ Bike with engine coming soon...

31-01-2006, 09:12	#6
simonlo Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South UK Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? This is good news then as I always used to apply a little gas which always makes me go too fast and I have to press the clutch in again. As long as it doesnt hurt my lovely engine

31-01-2006, 09:54	#7
Goochie Briskodian Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Up a tree. Posts: 12,376 Thanks: 7 Thanked 28 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? I used to do this in my Nova - using the choke as "cruise control" Any modern car should handle it no problem.

31-01-2006, 10:20	#9
ChrisRs Skonda Fabic Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4,979 Thanks: 17 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? Your not labouring it. Its designed to work like this

31-01-2006, 14:13	#10
MikeW Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 1,505 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? No probs as far as i can see

31-01-2006, 14:28	#11
devonutopia Mongreller Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ooo-ar, Oi be from Devonshire Posts: 29,506 Thanks: 60 Thanked 308 Times in 253 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? Had mine up to 4th gear, on the flat, just merging in the gears gently with no throttle. Its a little hairy at less than 20mph in 4th, but it does it. 5th and 6th is pushing it a little though. __________________ Jason - Mongrel owner! WOOOOF! Grrrrr Custom Fabia Bonnet Lifter Kits - £45! Click Me. See the mongrel's 260bhp Dyno Video!

01-02-2006, 07:35	#15
WW_VRS Escorted Estate Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oxfordshire/Berkshire Posts: 9,742 Thanks: 44 Thanked 70 Times in 61 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? It wouldn't really do any damage but definitely make sure it's warmed up before you do it - not gonna comment on the NSL - personally though I went for a 'warm it up, drive it sensibly for 50 miles, then drive it a touch harder, using the gears & rev range etc' approach. Then at each 500 miles 'done' I would rev it up another 500 rpm regularly (up to the point where it was doing 4000 rpm). You'll find the first 500 miles done pretty quickly if you're like me in feeling well-chuffed with your new car & basically just driving it about __________________ WW --->> Project Journal (pic links in first post there) Lummox'/Ross thread on Unit18 Automotive progress on my car: here

01-02-2006, 07:47	#16
simonlo Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South UK Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? Engine was well warmed up as it was a 250 mile trip back down south and I had been on the road for about half an hour anyway Glad to hear it wont have been damaged though.. I'm just paranoid Anyway thats in the past now, its done well over 9000 miles now (in just 4 months ) and its getting better and better. Creaky seat sorted under warranty (only added lube and its done the job!), and the rattly gearbox has disappeared. Fantastic car

01-02-2006, 08:07	#17
WW_VRS Escorted Estate Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oxfordshire/Berkshire Posts: 9,742 Thanks: 44 Thanked 70 Times in 61 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? The car seems to settle after the first service, whether it's due to the service or not I dunno, but generally the brakes feel good, gearbox etc behave themselves, and the small niggles have been sorted (in our case the little plastic insert on the passenger side where on the driver side you have the mirror controls fell out, twice). It's been good as gold since. New set of front tyres at 24k in my case, having the feeling it may not last so long this time around as remap etc are underway, and 30k on the clocks already without as much as the equivalent of a misfire (yep I know, it's a diesel ) __________________ WW --->> Project Journal (pic links in first post there) Lummox'/Ross thread on Unit18 Automotive progress on my car: here

01-02-2006, 08:25	#18
simonlo Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South UK Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? Shh, dont mention remap! Too tempting as it is Looking forward to my first service - although its hard to imagine it getting better!

01-02-2006, 14:15	#19
b1ackb1rd Briskodian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Midlands Posts: 302 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? Try this in a multi-storey car park, change into 2nd just as you go up the ramp to the next level ... Houston, we have lift off

01-02-2006, 14:18	#20
MikeW Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 1,505 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Laboring the engine? I won't LABOUR my engine, i don't vote for them! For that matter i won't conservative or liberal them either! BOOM BOOM!

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