I never said it was effective, although that was what we believed. I only said that’s where the old adage came from. I also said that it’s an old, obsolete idea.
Truth is, I think in some cases it did help, but the Italian Tuneup was clearly better. I thing we’re quibbling details now. Sort of like “how high is up”.
Nomatter, I doubt if her hubby will change his ways based on our thread anyway.
I think we have avoided another real problem…safety. Irrational and erratic driving on our streets has no place. If you followed this guy as a cop and he did this every so often, you would be amiss not pulling him over. I 'm probably assuming he does it more then he does. But, to the casual observer, especially if they were a pedestrian or bicycle rider, it would certainly make them nervous even if he did it only once next to them on the side of the road. Even an under powered Optima can be driven irrationally.
Ask your self this. If a teen driver did this while taking his road test and you were the road test officer in the seat next to him, would you say…“nice job blowing the carbon, seating the rings…or what ever” or “what the &:$-.’ are you trying to do ? See you again in 6 months when you’ve had a chance to grow up.”
Story alert!!! TUNE OUT, TUNE OUT!!! When I spent three days driving on base with the 35 or 15 MPH zones and then went to town, there was this big hill. My 76 Chevies, I had two Impalas/ Caprices, would start pinging while going uphill. I would floor the pedal and downshift. This great black cloud would appear behind me and the pinging would stop unless I did a few days driving on base. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I grew up once. It’s overrated.
I’m not advocating erratic driving. Only positing a theory for why the OP’s husband’s dad taight him that flooring it occasionally was good for the engine. Dag, can you suggest another origin for the adage that the OP’s husband’s dad taught him?
Same…“can you suggest anther origin for the adage…”
Sure, OP’s dad’s dad taught him from his experience kicking the horse he rode. I feel people think cars are animate objects, need to be trained and conditioned to do things…like accelerate. Though there is some slight truth during break in, it’s way over rated and an excuse to drive a car irrationally, forgetting with whom they share the road. It’s cheaper, they think, then going to the county fair and jumping on a ride. Nothing wrong… they just need to find outlets other then public highways.
In the days of the carburetor, some engines had a tendency to accumulate carbon. My dad had a 1954 Buick Special V-8 with a manual transmission that I later bought from him. When the car would develop pre-ignition (spark knock), he would pour a can of Casite Motor Tuneup in the gas tank and then take the car on the highway and accelerate it up to 60 miles per hour in second gear. The black smoke would spew out of the exhaust pipe for a minute or so. He would then shift to high gear and all would be fine. After I bought the car, it developed a spark knock. I was talking to a mechanic at the Buick dealer and he suggested the same treatment that my dad used. Much later, I had a similar situation with my 1978 Oldsmobile. I put the Casite Motor Tune-up in the tank and would accelerate it up in the 2nd gear range. It didn’t seem effective until I was on the interstate and the car I was passing sped up. I dropped back into line and he slowed down. Again, as I tried to pass, he sped up, so I dropped back in line. The third time it happened, I floored the accelerator and the Oldsmobile kicked down into second. My son happened to look out the back window and said “Dad, you are really pouring out the black smoke”. After the smoke dissipated, I let up on the accelerator and the pre-ignition problem was gone.
Fortunately, on today’s fuel injected cars, this treatment isn’t needed. My wife, however, believes it is good to get a car out on the road. She prefers riding in our 2003 Toyota 4Runner over our 2011 Toyota Sienna, so often we take the 4Runner on a 700 mile round trip when we go to visit my son. I don’t know that it makes any difference in the engine, but I find the 4Runner seats very supportive. I am less tired after 350 miles in the 4Runner than the Sienna.
Does the engine in that car even climb that high in RPMs in 10 feet?
Your husband gets enjoyment from his quick accelerations. You’ll never be able to notice or measure any extra wear-n-tear in the car.
Live is too short. Let your husband be happy.