It Makes Sense that Start-Stop Engines Need a Higher Grade Oil

[AEHaas]

...After all, we have found that the oils do not get fully warmed up especially for trips to the grocery store. Fuel in the oil will not get burned off.

Oil will get more fuel dilution as starting up engines will use extra fuel.

Fuel dilution and loss of grade would likely be more common. To maintain a safe grade for that particular engine one would need to start with a thicker one.

Dilution not only results in loss of viscosity but also the loss of the concentration of the additives in the oil.

Aside from all the other detrimental effects I feel these mandates are harmful to the engine and the environment overall.

ali

 

[joekingcorvette]

I always wondered about the long term effects on oil with the start and stop feature. If I had that enhancement on my vehicles I would disable it if possible. My mom's old 99 Buick with 90,000 miles had some sludge from her running such short trips all the time even though the oil was clean with no start and stop feature of course. Those short trips are not good for an engine.

 

[ls973800]

...After all, we have found that the oils do not get fully warmed up especially for trips to the grocery store. Fuel in the oil will not get burned off.

Oil will get more fuel dilution as starting up engines will use extra fuel.

Fuel dilution and loss of grade would likely be more common. To maintain a safe grade for that particular engine one would need to start with a thicker one.

Dilution not only results in loss of viscosity but also the loss of the concentration of the additives in the oil.

Aside from all the other detrimental effects I feel these mandates are harmful to the engine and the environment overall.

ali

My 2019 Honda Pilot with 38000 miles equipped with the Start/Stop feature does not allow that function to operate until the engine is up to normal temperature. Living in the north I see the SS feature begin to work within a few minutes of driving during the summer but could be 5-10 minutes before it starts working during the winter. I leave the feature on year round, do my own oil changes every 5000 miles, and have never noticed any fuel dilution or gasoline smell in the oil I drain out. Oil level is always right on the mark I filled it to during the last change so no fluid being added to the crankcase. YMMV

My oil of choice is any synthetic 0W20 which has included Valvoline Advanced, Mobil Extended, and even the Shell Rotella Gas Truck when it was being cleared out for $10.00 per 6 quart box. I still have 3 of those left for the next 3 changes.

 

[Cruzer4326]

I have a 2017 Chevy Cruze with the S/S "feature". I learned early in ownership how to bypass that stupid engineering mistake.
The car, with the auto S/S function turned off, still gets into the 40's mpg. AND guess what? My chances of being stalled out in the middle of traffic just decreased exponentially.
Also, I change oil every 5k mi, and there's always at least 25-35% estimated life left on the display.

 

[doitmyself]

Is there any data (UOA's) to support the OP's hypothesis?

 

[ls973800]

The oil life maintenance minder on my Pilot has always shown around 9000-10000 miles per 100% oil life. Usually about 1000 miles per 10% so changing at 5000 miles I have always been between 50%-60% oil life remaining according to the MM. Other owners have seen around 500 miles per 10% so it does vary per vehicle and conditions driven. I do about 70% city driving.

 

[racer12306]

My 2019 Honda Pilot with 38000 miles equipped with the Start/Stop feature does not allow that function to operate until the engine is up to normal temperature. Living in the north I see the SS feature begin to work within a few minutes of driving during the summer but could be 5-10 minutes before it starts working during the winter. I leave the feature on year round, do my own oil changes every 5000 miles, and have never noticed any fuel dilution or gasoline smell in the oil I drain out. Oil level is always right on the mark I filled it to during the last change so no fluid being added to the crankcase. YMMV

Same with our Pacifica.

There's a host of criteria that prevent the system from shutting the engine off.

I've personally seen engine too cold, actively cooling (A/C) and steering wheel being turned.

Just looked it up (obviously this covers a range of vehicles, not just the Pac

Stop/Start Ready – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Hood Open – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Battery Charging – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Trailer Tow/Haul Selected – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready 4WD/Low Range Selected – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Fuel Level Low – If Equipped - (mildly ironic eh?)
Stop/Start Not Ready Steep Incline – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Extreme Outside Temperature – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Engine Temperature Too High – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Engine Temperature Too Low – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Driver Seatbelt Unbuckled – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Driver Door Open – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Cabin Cooling Or Heating – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Not Ready Max Cooling Or Heating – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Max Cooling Or Heating Selected – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Front Defrost Selected – If Equipped
Stop/Start Not Ready Steering Wheel Turned – If Equipped
Stop/Start Autostop Active – If Equipped
Stop/Start To Restart Push Clutch Or Shift To Neutral – If Equipped
Stop/Start Req’d Fault Detected – If Equipped
Stop/Start Cannot Autostart Hood Open – If Equipped
Stop/Start Unavailable Service Battery – If Equipped
Stop/Start Unavailable Service Stop/Start System – If Equipped
Stop/Start To Restart Shift Out Of Park – If Equipped
Stop/Start Off – If Equipped (this would mean that someone pushed the manual deactivate button)

 

[ls973800]

Pretty much the same parameter's for the Honda Pilot also.

 

[CarbonSteel]

This is a non-issue given the programming that prevents start/stop from engaging until certain criteria is either met or if contradicting circumstances exist ergo, it does not make sense that start/stop systems need a higher grade oil.

Start/stop does not add to fuel dilution issues, with that said it does nothing to help it either.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

My Start/Stop stopped working and I asked the Dealer why.
I was told, "the battery has to be 75% charged, and mine was 67%".

I have a button to push to deactivate it, but at some 'long' red lights, it nice when the engine shuts off.

One thing I noticed was, the engine will turn back-on when I let off on the brake pedal.
So at a 'long' signal, I will apply more pressure to the brake, and it will shut engine off.
Doing this allows me to control the Start/Stop feature.
Apparently, I was using a very light foot to creep to a stop.

 

[Bailes1992]

Start/Stop has been around for what... 12-13 years now? I've never heard of any kind of engine failure caused by the start/stop feature.

I must admit, it's now 2nd nature that I start my car up and then turn off start/stop straight away. But I don't believe it effects the overall life of a vehicle in any way, certainly one that's well cared for.

 

[racer12306]

My Start/Stop stopped working and I asked the Dealer why.
I was told, "the battery has to be 75% charged, and mine was 67%".

I have a button to push to deactivate it, but at some 'long' red lights, it nice when the engine shuts off.

One thing I noticed was, the engine will turn back-on when I let off on the brake pedal.
So at a 'long' signal, I will apply more pressure to the brake, and it will shut engine off.
Doing this allows me to control the Start/Stop feature.
Apparently, I was using a very light foot to creep to a stop.

That's another point, how many people "bump" up to the line or the car in front of them at a stop light/sign, that immediately deactivates it because it won't do back to back shut off events.

I've definitely controlled the system by releasing brake pressure so much that it thinks I'm about to go but not enough to move the car.

Start/Stop has been around for what... 12-13 years now? I've never heard of any kind of engine failure caused by the start/stop feature.

I must admit, it's now 2nd nature that I start my car up and then turn off start/stop straight away. But I don't believe it effects the overall life of a vehicle in any way, certainly one that's well cared for.

Not sure how available it may be in the UK, but in the states there are many cars that have an aftermarket OBD widget that's available to do that automatically.

 

[honeeagle]

mine will not stop start until warmed up

 

[DriveHard]

My Start/Stop stopped working and I asked the Dealer why.
I was told, "the battery has to be 75% charged, and mine was 67%".

I have a button to push to deactivate it, but at some 'long' red lights, it nice when the engine shuts off.

One thing I noticed was, the engine will turn back-on when I let off on the brake pedal.
So at a 'long' signal, I will apply more pressure to the brake, and it will shut engine off.
Doing this allows me to control the Start/Stop feature.
Apparently, I was using a very light foot to creep to a stop.

In my Buick if my foot is light enough on the brake, and I am creeping to a stop, the AUTOSS will actually kill the engine before I am at a dead stop.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Start/Stop has been around for what... 12-13 years now? I've never heard of any kind of engine failure caused by the start/stop feature.

I must admit, it's now 2nd nature that I start my car up and then turn off start/stop straight away. But I don't believe it effects the overall life of a vehicle in any way, certainly one that's well cared for.

It has been around in Europe since the 90's and Toyota had a version of it in 1974. The first time I rented a car in the Netherlands I stopped at a red light several miles from the airport, it died and it took a minute to understand what was happening as I had never heard of it before (dating myself now).

 

[DavidJones]

I bought my 2016 2.7 F150 Ecoboost new in January 2017. It currently has 97,000 miles showing. I've been a member (and log on 3-4 times a week) of the 2 largest F150 sites since before that, as I researched my next truck. I have yet to read of a failure related to the stop start feature.
Higher grade of oil?
If one uses an oil that meets Ford's spec and keeps it changed as per the manual, an oiling issue won't kill the engine.

 

[Rand]

...After all, we have found that the oils do not get fully warmed up especially for trips to the grocery store. Fuel in the oil will not get burned off.

Oil will get more fuel dilution as starting up engines will use extra fuel.

Fuel dilution and loss of grade would likely be more common. To maintain a safe grade for that particular engine one would need to start with a thicker one.

Dilution not only results in loss of viscosity but also the loss of the concentration of the additives in the oil.

Aside from all the other detrimental effects I feel these mandates are harmful to the engine and the environment overall.

ali

That's a big no. Try learning about Auto Start/Stop before making such incorrect statements.
Many other factors have considerably more impact than Auto Start/Stop

 

[Silver]

If the engine is richer in any amount during the restart as is typical with a 'normal' start, then theoretically there would be more opportunity for fuel dilution in a vehicle that has at least some mathematical amount of dilution to begin with, correct? I'm not saying it's concerning, but that theoretically it should be the case?

Also, if a vehicle spends less time idling, and so less time running at a higher temp, then this could more closely simulate a short trip scenario with less time to allow for fuel burnoff? Again, not that it's of a concern, but theoretically.

 

[demarpaint]

Disable it, then there is nothing to worry about, discuss, debate, or fight over.

 

[RooflessVW]

lol