Was driving late last night, angrily tried to overtake someone. Did an overly aggressive super sloopy downshift and ended up 2 gears down, obviously meant for 1. Engine didn't blow up or anything, drove the speed limit home and let it idle for a few moments..perfectly smooth, everything seems fine. Will there be any lasting damage from my moment of stupidity? As I said, the engine seems perfectly smooth, no ill noises, etc...

 

I think we've all done that by mistake at one point or another. If your engine is still running smoothly now, I'm sure you're fine.

 

Happens to everyone, your okay!

 

If you didn't throw a code right away my guess is that you're fine. My SWAG would be that as long as you didn't zing it over 8k you'd be ok.

 

Turn on some nice tunes to chill to while motoring along. Life's to short to get angry with folks in your way. I do understand your anger though.

If you hurt your car it would have happened then. It drives OK so all is well.

 

7200 rpm is not out of the safe range so all should be good.

 

Good thing you weren't driving American iron... I had a friend do that in an older Dodge Challenger... When the engine over-revved began singing like a soprano, it collapsed all the hydraulic lifters... No bueno...

 

I've done that with the paddle shifters, alittle scary but no problems

 

Brief over-revving is usually fine. It's continuously peaking that becomes a problem. Only NASCAR or Formula One engines can take the continuous beating of really high RPMs.

Like Achilless said, everyone's done it at one point.

 

Sounds like you got lucky.

 

i was under the impression the engine (especially the auto box) won't let you "over rev". i don't know how the manual box could stop you from doing it in downshifting though?

 

it can't

 

if you're reving up though it can kill power delivery though right?

 

A rev limiter does not "kill" the engine. It simply limits spark to the engine, causing it to hover at the maximum programmed RPM redline. You can commonly hear this when someone revs their sport bike to the max. Unless you are at a drag strip, killing the engine's power unexpectedly is dangerous and against NHTSA regulations.

 

That must be what I felt when my foot got away from me and I took it into the red the other day. I felt sooooo bad....poor mini.

 

Some of us twice.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKs7k0vMMTI

at least this isnt you

 

With the red lne @6500 you are in no real danger at 7200, but I wouldn't do it regularly, at 8000 you might regret it, but I have hunch it will stay together until 8500, but don't ask me to prove it.

 

I'll admit to it happening to me also.

IT actually chirped the tires as it slowed so fast...poor tranny.

Not sure what RPM it bounced to, as I was looking around to see if anyone saw me do it.

NO problems with engine or tranny since.

 

Wow, i didn't think you could get the kind of compression braking in a MINI! Of course, I hadn't really tried that hard! I did screw up a few downshifts trying to play Mario Andretti but I don't think I exceeded 6100 RPM.

BTW , Great stripe and one sharp looking car!

 

In the S2000 world, they Call that Money Shifting.

 

...OR THIS, as seen in this long and painful clip: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...&v=UCc3SOcNGxY

 

The only car I ever overrevved was a Dodge Neon. I was passing someone in second gear and was so "into it", I forgot to shift. It did not effect the engine.

 

Just a good way to make sure the rings are properly seated, no harm, no foul. You'll be OK. By the by, life is too short, don't let incompetent drivers ruin your day, swear at them in your mind, and then let it go. Good luck.

 

I can't add any informed opinion about engine damage; just you're in a MINI, relax and enjoy