I drive my Crown vic daily on a 2 mile drive to my work. It hardly gets to 125* coolant temperature in this weather (16*) before I shut it off. Today Im about tired of the cold being I halfway work outside. So I went out and started it with a second key about a half hour before lunch and locked it. Drove home and its idling right now over my lunch. My question is, is it worse running for 10minutes to a peak temp of 125 or idle for 2 hours at 190*? Six in one half a dozen the other?
Whats worse?
- Thread starter Colt45ws
- Start date
- Status
I would think the idling is much worse.
You do use some premium lubricants there, so minimizing fuel dilution should add to the life of the oil and the engine.
You do use some premium lubricants there, so minimizing fuel dilution should add to the life of the oil and the engine.
My concern is that it's dumping too much fuel into the combustion chambers, and that some of it is finding its way into the oil.
Idling is bad and not needed.
When you have a lot of short operating cycles, the only thing to do is change the oil to get out all the water and byproducts.
Idling is just putting MORE garbage into the sump.
Bill
When you have a lot of short operating cycles, the only thing to do is change the oil to get out all the water and byproducts.
Idling is just putting MORE garbage into the sump.
Bill
Hey, no worry's my Mom has the same car and it spends most of its life idling and its doing just find at 135,000 miles on it. In fact it spend pretty much all last summer idling in 90+ heat on a summer long road trip with the AC on the whole time.
why not get one of those added on heated seat inserts that plugs into the cigarette lighter?
I wouldn't worry the car is doing its duty.
Well I have to think that running at 190* even idling will vaporize SOME fuel. I have 1400mi on the oil right now. Just added 3oz ARx.
Its been really cold here lately, even colder than normal. I work in a shop and while we do have heaters, opening the bay doors to pull cars in/out etc dumps out alot of heat, sometimes we have to help a customer outside, etc. I wont do this every day, but it sure is nice to be able to walk my cold butt out and get in a nice warm car at the end of shift..
Its been really cold here lately, even colder than normal. I work in a shop and while we do have heaters, opening the bay doors to pull cars in/out etc dumps out alot of heat, sometimes we have to help a customer outside, etc. I wont do this every day, but it sure is nice to be able to walk my cold butt out and get in a nice warm car at the end of shift..
I can't argue with creature comfort. I know that feeling well.
Idling supposedly kills cars, but I've never seen any compelling evidence to convince me of such. If it's cold outside, I see absolutely nothing wrong with idling your car to operating temps before you get in it. It's much better than getting in and running the guts out of it to get it up to temp IMO.
I would make sure it gets good & warmed up once a week or so, the PCV system will evaporate the fuel & moisture out of the oil.
Best plan considering your commute is to idle it to warm before driving it home... so the added heat & changing vacuum of actually driving will finish the job.
Best plan considering your commute is to idle it to warm before driving it home... so the added heat & changing vacuum of actually driving will finish the job.
Originally Posted By: kingrob
Idling supposedly kills cars, but I've never seen any compelling evidence to convince me of such. If it's cold outside, I see absolutely nothing wrong with idling your car to operating temps before you get in it. It's much better than getting in and running the guts out of it to get it up to temp IMO.
Last year my Daughter did a project for her science fair.
Subject? Idling vs driving for warm up.
Using a scan gauge and 3 different cars (2002 Silverado V8, 2007 Outback H4 and 2005 Toyota Corolla I4) she sat with stop watch, outside temps the same and the scan guage and recorded that idling for 10 mins the coolant temp got up to (the data was the same in all cars, but I'll use the Subaru here) 135 degrees. Drive the car for 5 mins and the temps were up to 160 degrees. After 10 mins of PRODUCTIVE fuel usage the coolant temp was up to 192 degrees. Took over 17 mins to get up to 170 degrees when Idling (ie NON productive fuel usage)
After 20 mins the coolant temp still was not 192 degrees with idling. After 20 mins I stopped the test.
Same with the Toyota and Truck. The truck took longer to heat up and the toyota was in the middle. Subaru was the quickest.
Not to say what all the fuel in the system will do.
Lets put it another way, 3 1/2 mins after starting and driving the coolant temp was the same as 10 mins of idling. So if you want heat, operating it easy is much quicker than idling.
Take care, Bill
Idling supposedly kills cars, but I've never seen any compelling evidence to convince me of such. If it's cold outside, I see absolutely nothing wrong with idling your car to operating temps before you get in it. It's much better than getting in and running the guts out of it to get it up to temp IMO.
Last year my Daughter did a project for her science fair.
Subject? Idling vs driving for warm up.
Using a scan gauge and 3 different cars (2002 Silverado V8, 2007 Outback H4 and 2005 Toyota Corolla I4) she sat with stop watch, outside temps the same and the scan guage and recorded that idling for 10 mins the coolant temp got up to (the data was the same in all cars, but I'll use the Subaru here) 135 degrees. Drive the car for 5 mins and the temps were up to 160 degrees. After 10 mins of PRODUCTIVE fuel usage the coolant temp was up to 192 degrees. Took over 17 mins to get up to 170 degrees when Idling (ie NON productive fuel usage)
After 20 mins the coolant temp still was not 192 degrees with idling. After 20 mins I stopped the test.
Same with the Toyota and Truck. The truck took longer to heat up and the toyota was in the middle. Subaru was the quickest.
Not to say what all the fuel in the system will do.
Lets put it another way, 3 1/2 mins after starting and driving the coolant temp was the same as 10 mins of idling. So if you want heat, operating it easy is much quicker than idling.
Take care, Bill
State police Idle there cars around here on the highways then gun it when they see a speeder. But they sit in the wide open so everyone just slows down. They sit there for long amounts of time.
Those modular motor get 200,000+ miles while in police use, and then what ever they get when there sold after that. So it idleing cant be to bad.
Those modular motor get 200,000+ miles while in police use, and then what ever they get when there sold after that. So it idleing cant be to bad.
My normal procedure previous to this cold weather was to start it and put it in drive once it idled down to under 1000rpm. Usually this takes 20-45seconds. Doing this, in this weather like I said I would hit maybe, 130F tops on my drive home.
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
State police Idle there cars around here on the highways then gun it when they see a speeder. But they sit in the wide open so everyone just slows down. They sit there for long amounts of time.
Those modular motor get 200,000+ miles while in police use, and then what ever they get when there sold after that. So it idleing cant be to bad.
Ok. And they use BULK conventional oil. And lowest bid oil filters.
And they get their oil changed MAYBE every 7k...
So guess there is no need for you running anything else.
Correct?
Bill
State police Idle there cars around here on the highways then gun it when they see a speeder. But they sit in the wide open so everyone just slows down. They sit there for long amounts of time.
Those modular motor get 200,000+ miles while in police use, and then what ever they get when there sold after that. So it idleing cant be to bad.
Ok. And they use BULK conventional oil. And lowest bid oil filters.
And they get their oil changed MAYBE every 7k...
So guess there is no need for you running anything else.
Correct?
Bill
It burns about .35GPH idling according to the scangauge.
The other day i ran my truck for 1.5 hours at idle just to charge my cell phone. This was the first time i did this in 6.5 years. If i had to do this everyday...just at idle speed i would change the oil more often.
Colton, why drive a gas guzzler 2 miles to work every day? Why waste gas idling it? It seems there are more questions raised by your post then answered.
- Status
Similar threads
