Remote Start

Jonnycoupe · 29 Nov 2010 at 17:40

Durzel said:
Regards "engine damage by idling" - why wouldn't manufacturers have an auto kill-switch in the ECU if the engine is left running whilst stationary for too long, if it was as big a problem as some people make out?

Extra oil useage outside the warrenty is not an issue for an OEM, however it is for an owner.

Jonnycoupe · 29 Nov 2010 at 17:43

Lucero said:
Hold on wut?

It doesn't require airflow, yet it provides heat by drawing air through its core. That would be airflow then. A heater matrix also takes natural airflow whilst a car is moving. Hence, older cars will supply heat to the cabin if set to hot regardless of whether the blower is on or not. If you're not moving and your blower is off, there is no airflow. If you're not moving and your blower is on and your engine is cold you are pulling any heat from the engine immediately into the cabin and it will remain cool / warm until the engine properly warms up.

My point was that you dont need to have a moving car which it read like when I read your post, the heater matrix will warm up regardless. Thats what the blower is for. Im pretty familiar with how a typical HVAC system works.

The main thing here is driving off is a perfectly reasonable thing to do straight away... unless you cant see through your screen properly. Getting the engine running with AC on is often the only way to sort the condensation on the screen or what before its safe to move off.

Django x2 · 29 Nov 2010 at 17:49

Exactly. I'm sorry if I've made myself completely unclear. What I've been trying to say is, at idle trying to warm your car up will take longer because, as and when heat from the coolant is supplied to the matrix, with your blower, it draws the heat from the engine straight away. This means it takes longer for the engine to warm up. Therefore, expecting to get in the car 2 minutes after turning it on and maxing the blower on hot will be a dissappointment. Get in, drive, then blower on after a minute = toasty

Gav · 29 Nov 2010 at 17:52

Durzel said:
Regards "engine damage by idling" - why wouldn't manufacturers have an auto kill-switch in the ECU if the engine is left running whilst stationary for too long, if it was as big a problem as some people make out?

your wasting your time even trying to get your logic through.

Just another typical thread in the Motor's forum. Everyone an expert except those that are actually trained and qualified in the field.

Matt82 · 29 Nov 2010 at 17:56

Will Gill said:
ah is that why when I hit 'auto' in my car it turns off the fans?

penny just dropped for me too :eek:

Jonnycoupe · 29 Nov 2010 at 18:05

Gav said:
your wasting your time even trying to get your logic through.

Just another typical thread in the Motor's forum. Everyone an expert except those that are actually trained and qualified in the field.

Which field?

Engine powertrain package and implementation? OEM engine tests with oil from various suppliers such as Castrol with a variety of load cases?

Is that what you do?

Hawk Tuah · 29 Nov 2010 at 19:33

MikeHiow said:
I'd be surprised if anything remotely recent did that. I mean, if whatever kind of heat-exchanger this system used was to fail, the heater would literally be sucking exhaust gasses into the car!

Pretty much anything aircooled. There are still a few about.

So many blanket statements in this thread. Every engines different. Thats why its best read the owners manual and do what that suggests.

Either way, if I can't see through my windscreen, I'm leaving the car to warm up until I move off. Screw any minute difference in wear and tear on the engine.

Simon · 29 Nov 2010 at 19:43

Warming up an engine by idling it is worse than warming it up by driving.

Zddp doesn't work until 80C, engines are designed to operate at temperature and oils are the correct viscosity when warm.

The sooner you can warm it up the better

Lethagized · 5 Dec 2010 at 22:30

Lucero said:
Your heater matrix requires airflow around the engine bay to push the warmed air into the cabin.

DRZ said:
From the engine? What? Engine heat transferred to the heater matrix via the coolant, or just warm air blown through the engine bay?

Lucero said:
Of course the former. How could I mean any different. Of course though, on a hot day, without aircon, all you'll get is warm air

You sounded like you contradicted yourself there Lucero.

Durzel said:
Any properly installed remote start system won't activate unless the car is in a state where it can't possibly be in gear. On mine for example I have to leave the car with the engine running and close all doors (so impossible for the car to be in gear), if I open a door again it won't activate. The only way my car could be in gear when the remote start activates is if I locked someone in the car who put it in gear after I'd left it.

And how does the remote start know that the car is in gear? What happens if you leave it in gear the night before, and try to remote start it from inside the house the next morning?

Will Gill · 5 Dec 2010 at 22:44

RobRX-7 said:
And how does the remote start know that the car is in gear? What happens if you leave it in gear the night before, and try to remote start it from inside the house the next morning?

mine had two microswitches on the gearstick to prevent you being able to do that

Simon · 5 Dec 2010 at 22:44

It won't remote start if you've unlocked and locked the car since parking it with the engine running.

EvilDreams · 5 Dec 2010 at 23:40

My Camaro has no choke so I have to let it warm up while sitting stationary as otherwise it will be spluttering down the road holding everyone up.

I take it that is also bad for the engine? It's an old carbed engine.

Hades · 6 Dec 2010 at 00:20

While this doesn't answer the OP's question, a cheaper solution is to buy an aftermarket heated seat kit (if you don't have one). My (factory heated) seats warm up much faster than my heater. A cold cabin doesn't bother me if my bum and back are nice and toasty

Durzel · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:21

RobRX-7 said:
And how does the remote start know that the car is in gear? What happens if you leave it in gear the night before, and try to remote start it from inside the house the next morning?

You activate it on the keyfob, take the keys out of the ignition (engine still running at this point), get out of the car and close the door at which point the engine switches off and you lock the car as normal.

This means that the only way you could activate it with it being in gear would be if you got out of the car with the car in motion and somehow managed to close the door as the car was driving itself along. In other words, you'd have to intentionally set out to do it, you could never do it accidentally.

If you unlock the car and open a door the ability to remote start deactivates until you re-activate it again. It's pretty foolproof really.

Will Gill · 6 Dec 2010 at 13:43

yeah good point, I used my remote start as a turbo timer too, so whilst the gear lever micro switches prevented an in-gear start it's almost impossible to leave it in gear given it purred away for 2 minutes before shutting off

Lethagized · 6 Dec 2010 at 15:50

Durzel said:
You activate it on the keyfob, take the keys out of the ignition (engine still running at this point), get out of the car and close the door at which point the engine switches off and you lock the car as normal.

This means that the only way you could activate it with it being in gear would be if you got out of the car with the car in motion and somehow managed to close the door as the car was driving itself along. In other words, you'd have to intentionally set out to do it, you could never do it accidentally.

If you unlock the car and open a door the ability to remote start deactivates until you re-activate it again. It's pretty foolproof really.

Got ya. Understood