Engine lugging can cause damage to your engines as it raises the engine temperature, make them run less efficiently and create issues with the engine's timing. Therefore, always coordinate your car's gearing with the speed at which it's running.

At what RPM are you lugging an engine?

Those of us who learned to drive in the Sixties or Seventies might remember cautions against “lugging” an engine. That means not working your engine hard when the revs are low—generally below 1500 rpm—lest you damage the bearings and cause a major engine failure.

What does lugging an engine mean?

Similarly, lugging the engine refers to trying to accelerate when you're in too high a gear. So put most simply, you're straining the engine. You're making it struggle. Imagine if you were on your 10-speed bike, and you got to a steep hill and tried to climb it in 10th gear.