What's causes more wear on an engine?
- Thread starter agw_01
- Start date
Why does turning the engine on and not going anywhere for a while (just idling basically) damage the engine? Also, when you say allow the car to warm up is that just until the temperature guage is at its normal point or should it sit there for a bit before the ragging begins?
As long as the engine is at proper temperature there will be negligable difference in terms of wear. Flooring from standstill though will take its toll on your clutch eventually.agw_01 said:
Because just idling the car takes longer to warm it up than driving around does. Hence you are prolonging the damage, needlessly. Also idling will not warm up the gearbox.Che said:
Once the car is at temperature then you should be fine. I don't like "ragging" my car unless I've been driving it for a good 20 minutes at least beforehand, especially in the winter.
My last 2 oil changes have been 6 months apart.
By that time, the oil is nasty and black but still nice and runny. Better to be safe than sorry I say
I don't boot it on the way to work. Keep at around 3000rpm, and that's for around 10-15 minutes on the motorway. Same on the drive home. It's only if I go out in the evenings for a prolonged period do I give it some beans.
Che, the engine doesn't heat up as quick if it's idling, hence the oil stays thicker for longer and thus can't get around the engine as fast as it should.
The temp gauge on your dash is normally for your water temperature. After that gauge reads its normal temp, wait about 5-10 more minutes before increasing the revs
By that time, the oil is nasty and black but still nice and runny. Better to be safe than sorry I say
I don't boot it on the way to work. Keep at around 3000rpm, and that's for around 10-15 minutes on the motorway. Same on the drive home. It's only if I go out in the evenings for a prolonged period do I give it some beans.
Che, the engine doesn't heat up as quick if it's idling, hence the oil stays thicker for longer and thus can't get around the engine as fast as it should.
The temp gauge on your dash is normally for your water temperature. After that gauge reads its normal temp, wait about 5-10 more minutes before increasing the revs
Last edited:
I keep mine below 3k when warming up, but then again boost kicks in at 2k anyway 
I tend to keep it in 3rd gear at 30mph to get it to warm up a tad quicker (normally use 5th), and just keep it like that for a mile. There's a 1.5 mile 30mph road I have to travel down as soon as I leave my house every morning which is perfect for getting the oil moving. Particularly as it straight and you rarely have to slow down for anything.
I tend to keep it in 3rd gear at 30mph to get it to warm up a tad quicker (normally use 5th), and just keep it like that for a mile. There's a 1.5 mile 30mph road I have to travel down as soon as I leave my house every morning which is perfect for getting the oil moving. Particularly as it straight and you rarely have to slow down for anything.
Boost will only kick in if you have ya foot down.NickXX said:I keep mine below 3k when warming up, but then again boost kicks in at 2k anyway
I tend to keep it in 3rd gear at 30mph to get it to warm up a tad quicker (normally use 5th), and just keep it like that for a mile. There's a 1.5 mile 30mph road I have to travel down as soon as I leave my house every morning which is perfect for getting the oil moving. Particularly as it straight and you rarely have to slow down for anything.
I was under the impression that extended periods at high revs were worse for the engine than taking it up to the redline hard then shifting straight away?
Not that I worry about it anyway, i've now put 27k on my car, about 20 to 23k of which has been serious abuse and it hasn't missed a beat so I take that as meaning I can't be going too far wrong
Also when its oil change time the oil is suprisingly clear considering the treatment it gets 
Not that I worry about it anyway, i've now put 27k on my car, about 20 to 23k of which has been serious abuse and it hasn't missed a beat so I take that as meaning I can't be going too far wrong
Also when its oil change time the oil is suprisingly clear considering the treatment it gets lordrobs said:Not that I worry about it anyway, i've now put 27k on my car, about 20 to 23k of which has been serious abuse and it hasn't missed a beat so I take that as meaning I can't be going too far wrong
Hmm, that's true - I broke the Turbo on my car after 10k miles. Everyone ignore my advice above
Its probably because even at full whack the imense 75BHP my engine puts out isn't really going to put much strain on its componentsNickXX said:Hmm, that's true - I broke the Turbo on my car after 10k miles. Everyone ignore my advice above
I had a 96 civic vtec with a perfect engine. When first bought you could turn it on and it would be silent, beautiful whine at high-revs as they do. What slowly destroyed it was holding it at high revs constantly while driving. Around the 5k mark most of the time. Didnt matter how warm the engine was. I dont think keeping it screamin for too long is a good idea.