Famed Engineer YouTuber Explains if Redlining is Good For Your Car's Engine

They say an Italian tune-up a day will keep the mechanic away but is it true? Watch as Jason Fenske explains the intricacies of this automotive classic.
Shelby Rogers

Redlining or the Italian tune-up is explained by famed engineer YouTuber Jason Fenske in this special clip, as well as its impact on your car's engine. Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or a novice car lover, you are about to become a redline expert!

"An engine's redline is the highest speed it can safely operate. At this engine speed, you'll generally be at higher loads, and the stress and strain on the engine is high. Cylinder temperatures increase with the production of more power, and this heat can have effects on the engine internals," says the video's description.

And a popular theory with automotive fans is that "a redline a day keeps the mechanics away." Simply put, pushing an engine to the highest speed it can safely operate could successfully remove carbon build up from the engine.

But is the Italian Tune Up really that simple? Does it work? Lucky for us, the team at Engineering Explained did some digging to answer those questions and more.

There were three separate questions to answer about redlining: 

1) What temperatures do carbon deposits form?

2) Can carbon deposits be removed from excessive heat?

3) Can engines get hot enough to remove carbon deposits?

Using existing research (and doing so while driving a very stylish Italian Maserati Quattroporte GTS Gran Sport), host Fenske also explained the history of the Italian tune-up. There, now you are a redline specialist!