Redline

[Jay508]

So it happened today. I did not intentionally allow this to happen but I got a bit excited making a 90 degree turn from a dead stop. I redlined the transmission in first gear and felt the "cutoff" where the engine kind of shuts itself down to avoid doing any serious damage. Of course it scared me, Im humbled enough to admit Im still learning how to drive the WRX and am sure I am making some mistakes and being a bit hard on her. She is 2010.

Anyways, despite my one time mistake is there any damage to the motor that I should be worried about. Seems like reaching the redline and having the motor essentially shut down is a bit of a problem. Just want to know if anyone else has experienced this and suffered any real reprecussions. I know its bad and I didnt and will not do it intentionally again.

[SD_GR]

The car can protect itself if you redline while on the throttle. This means the motor won't over rev if you are standing on it. The only way to get the motor to over rev is if you are not on the throttle, but the car's energy is too high, that is, when you engage a gear that's too low. Then, even if the ignition is cut, the motor itself will still physically over rev.

This may make more sense later on as you become more familiar. In short, no, you didn't damage anything. Yet. Redlining isn't the best for the motor.

[Jay508]

Well thats a bit reassuring. I surely know that it is not a good thing and while I cant guarantee anything I will do everything that I can to avoid this from happening again. I am an inexperienced Subaru driver and am getting use to what seems to be an extremely short shift from first to second, especially at high RPMS. I do want to learn how to drive a bit agressively as that is where all the fun is. Hopefully there is no more redlining but I do appreciate Subaru's safety mechanism to shut down if a redline does occur. Just for knowledge though, does this only happen in low gears or also in any high gear?

[SD_GR]

The rev limiter kicks in depending on revs alone, so it will happen in any gear.

[BoostedBob]

Yeah, I havent hit rev limiter in the wagon yet but I hit it a few times in my rolla at the track when I was still learning the car. Just make sure when you downshift your not going to redline know what speed each gear will hold at the proper threshold so there will be less of a chance of over reving. The 2zz folk's(toyota vvtl-I) had to be caredfull with it to make sure they stayed in lift.

[Drews]

Yay technology!

[zax]

It done blowed up.

[Drews]

It done blowed up.

Not enough low.

[zax]

Not enough low.

It's a paradox:

to much low = not enough low

but there's never enough low

[Drews]

It's a paradox:

to much low = not enough low

but there's never enough low

It's a vicious cycle.

[Marioshiboi]

OP,

No worries. Redlining the car wont kill it. Subaru put that nifty fuel cutoff in there so you couldnt mess it up, from now on try to shift BEFORE your WRX pulls the plug on you. BTW where is that on these cars... I know redline shows at 6500 on my 11, is that were the fuel cutoff is?

Our S2000 shows redline at 8900 but fuel cutoff is 9200rpm and the redline flickers right before it cuts power.

[jesterking]

I've hit the rev limiter a few times already. Sometimes when I'm driving and I get on it in first, I can't pay attention to the tach and drive at the same time. So I have to guess. end up hitting the limiter. Not a big deal.

[teflon_jones]

I've hit the rev limiter a few times already. Sometimes when I'm driving and I get on it in first, I can't pay attention to the tach and drive at the same time. So I have to guess. end up hitting the limiter. Not a big deal.

You shouldn't need to pay attention to the tach. Get used to the sound of the engine and shift based on that, not the tach. Anybody that's been driving manuals for a while doesn't really use the tach. It's a good way to educate yourself on your car too since you pay attention to the motor and how it sounds, not a device controlled by a compouter.

[BANSwee]

You shouldn't need to pay attention to the tach. Get used to the sound of the engine and shift based on that, not the tach. Anybody that's been driving manuals for a while doesn't really use the tach. It's a good way to educate yourself on your car too since you pay attention to the motor and how it sounds, not a device controlled by a compouter.

That's how I was taught back then. I do sometimes kickdown twice because its how I believe appropriate especially entering a freeway.

anyways, rev limiter device on WRX. I have an '11 WRX but I don't know I have that.. I thought its was for the STI..

[Donkey]

anyways, rev limiter device on WRX. I have an '11 WRX but I don't know I have that.. I thought its was for the STI..

Uhhhhm.........every EFI car since the 1980's has had a rev limiter........