Question: Why should I run my engine at full throttle when it is working?
Answer: It is necessary to run an air cooled engine at its highest rpm for the following few reasons.
A) The engine's cooling and lubrication systems are designed to operate best when the throttle control is in the highest position. Running the engine at a lower speed will decrease the flow of cooling air and the volume of oil circulated. These two factors will shorten engine life. Air cooled engines already run at higher temperatures than water cooled engines so max cooling is absolutely essential.
B) The engine's carburetor is adjusted so that the engine operates most cleanly and efficiently at full throttle. Operating outside or below the optimum speed range for the engine and carburetor produces less power.
C) Everything driven by the engine (example: cutting blades) is/are designed to turn at the speed maintained by the engine's governor when the throttle is at full throttle. Running the engine at a lower speed will result in lesser performance and excess vibration.
D) Engine models equipped with DC electric starters and battery systems, or any engines that recharge a battery while they run, need to run at full throttle or it may result in a poor battery recharge rate. These engines have stators (self contained alternators) that produce recharge electrical current to the battery circuit only when properly tuned and operated at full RPM. Most frequently the report of poor battery recharging can be traced to customers that do not keep the throttle at full. Typically, with these types of charging systems (to a certain point), the faster the engine runs, the faster the battery charges. Typically the charging system doesn't activate until the engine reaches a certain RPM.
E. If you do not run your engine at full throttle your engine's life expectancy will be shortened because of the following:
- Most engines have the most power at full throttle. So if the engine does not run at full throttle, the engine does not have full power and will "lug" and place undue stress on the entire engine.
- When an engine "lugs" it uses more fuel as well. Thus, you may be using the same amount or fuel as you would have by running the engine at full throttle (or possibly even more). When your engine uses more fuel, you risk the fact that the fuel could be "washing" the oil off the cylinder walls and thus shortening the life of the cylinder, piston, and rings. This will also result in increased oil consumption.
- Air cooled engines need all the cooling available to them. Engines that are not running at full throttle are not getting the maximum cooling affect. If an engine does not get the proper and adequate cooling affect, then they will get too hot. When an engine gets too hot, then the oil will break down, and when the oil breaks down, it does not lubricate as it should. Once again, this results in premature engine failure.
On tractors, and other self-propelled units, the engine should be kept at full throttle whenever possible and the ground speed should be regulated by shifting into a lower gear or using the ground speed control. Do not use the engine throttle to regulate ground speed.
**Note: It is important to NOT run your chain saw at full throttle when it is not actually cutting or is about to start cutting. Running your chain saw at "no load" full throttle for more than 5-10 seconds can cause severe damage to the internal engine components and cause the engine to no longer start.
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