Idling Idiots

Semple said:
It takes ages for the engine to get warm from idling though. You'd have been better off driving it around the block.
Click to expand...
plus, it is a lot of additional wear.

can we extend this thread to encompass un-necessary scraping sounds, neighbour whilst not idling, was scraping this am for 10 minutes ... bar covid, would have offered a bowl of tepid water - sub 30s splash and go
 
An neighbour of mine before we moved used to idle for 15-20 mins in his old Japanese car before setting off for work. It had a droning aftermarket exhaust and he'd set the idle to over 1000rpm because he thought it made the car sound cool. We could hear the din on the other side of our flat.

We used to call him "Car startin' Martin".
 
I have to let my mom's Yaris idle for a good 10 mins, damn thing has a leak (i think its the screen) and it mists up so you need a bit of heat before you drive off otherwise you wont see a thing.

Im another PHEV driver, and the 330e is lovely this time of year. That said, even if i dont pre condition, it only takes 2 mins to warm up with the ICE.
 
Conscript said:
I was always taught that idling a cold engine was bad for it (low oil pressure), so I now only leave the car using for as long as it takes me to get out and clear the frost with some warm water, then drive off. Probably over thinking it.
Click to expand...

Oil pressure isn't really an issue, cold oil is when your oil pressure is the highest in fact.
 
not low oil pressure OK , but the more viscose cold/warm oil is not coating and re-coating the internal engine components effectively
 
Tinders said:
I have to let my mom's Yaris idle for a good 10 mins, damn thing has a leak (i think its the screen) and it mists up so you need a bit of heat before you drive off otherwise you wont see a thing.

Im another PHEV driver, and the 330e is lovely this time of year. That said, even if i dont pre condition, it only takes 2 mins to warm up with the ICE.
Click to expand...

It warms up quick because the HVAC is entirely electric, the ICE has nothing to do with it really.

Edit. Looks like I'm wrong actually it does have a conventional heater, and the electric heater heats the water supplying the normal heater matrix. With a cold engine it's still the electric heater giving the warmth though.
 
Last edited:
Clarkey said:
It warms up quick because the HVAC is entirely electric, the ICE has nothing to do with it really.

Edit. Looks like I'm wrong actually it does have a conventional heater, and the electric heater heats the water supplying the normal heater matrix. With a cold engine it's still the electric heater giving the warmth though.
Click to expand...

Indeed, exit of the Cabin heater straight into the HVAC is much warmer rather than having to heat water and a block.
 
Always wondered why it took approx 1 min for hot air to start, didn't know there was a water to air aspect to it.

Seems like that system could be used as a block heater too when the car is in auto edrive mode but it isn't, the engine is always cold when it gets called into action. I feel like long term that will hurt the engine, but the engineers weren't born yesterday I'm sure they thought of that.
 
Dyson said:
Motor bikes are the worst in my experience - just ride it!!!!
Click to expand...

I've got neighbour that spends more time revving the engine of his motorbike than riding it. Most evenings he will go to his garage and spend an hour or two with the engine running and just revving it up and down. I've lived here 8 years and can probably count on one hand the number of times I've actually seen him go out on it :mad:
 
batfink said:
I've got neighbour that spends more time revving the engine of his motorbike than riding it. Most evenings he will go to his garage and spend an hour or two with the engine running and just revving it up and down. I've lived here 8 years and can probably count on one hand the number of times I've actually seen him go out on it :mad:
Click to expand...

Sounds like the **** who lives across the road from me. Chavved up Ford SportKa which looks and sounds like it's been driven through Halfords a few times. throughout the summer he'd be out there every evening, revving it for 30-40 minutes. At one point he started doing it at 6am as well before he went to work, until we had a word (to be fair he's toned it down significantly since then). Got woken up this morning at 6am by him idling it for about 20 mins though.

Don't understand why you'd do that to such a **** car though, especially living in a quiet residential area. Could understand if it was a nice V8 or something, but it's a 94hp hairdresser's car... not like the guy is a young teen who doesn't know any better either, he's in his late 40s :D
 
A neighbour idled their focus ST for about 20 minutes this morning, then immediately got stuck in the snow when he finaly drove off.
 
i think those guys with funny hats in the cars with yellow and blue on the side and lights on top are the worst. they should be banned for sure.
 
dLockers said:
Illegal in the UK unless it is electric...I have no idea how Jag turn a blind eye to this but I am missing it in my E43 compared to my XE :(
Click to expand...

Since when? VW offered diesel parking heaters on the Touareg and Alltrack diesels, Porsche on the Cayenne - loads of cars have diesel parking heaters as options. Webasto sell hundreds of kits a year in the UK.
 
WJA96 said:
Since when? VW offered diesel parking heaters on the Touareg and Alltrack diesels, Porsche on the Cayenne - loads of cars have diesel parking heaters as options. Webasto sell hundreds of kits a year in the UK.
Click to expand...
Or separate dedicated heater. If you knew that and I clearly missed it, why not add to my point? So much salt. :p
 
dLockers said:
Or separate dedicated heater. If you knew that and I clearly missed it, why not add to my point? So much salt. :p
Click to expand...

What salt? You made a comment that didn't match my personal experience. I queried it, supported by things I am aware of. But as I haven't bought a car with an diesel powered parking heater since 2016 the regulations may well have changed and I didn't know about it. No salt intended from my side.

There does seem to be a lot of perceived negativity on the boards these days. Too much lockdown maybe?

Please read my post again. No offence was intended, and if I caused any, I apologise unreservedly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom