Few topics are as controversial on the Internet as the idling of a car engine. Over the years this question has been the subject of many assumptions, conjectures, versions and theories. Some even claim that idling is incredibly harmful for the power unit. Thus ” car experts ” at once have a question: what to do with idling when driving in a city, where it is used more often.
Is idling bad for a car engine? The answer to this question in the first approximation is simple: yes, idling is definitely harmful. But an absolutely different question is whether such mode of operation of the power unit is dangerous for the car? It is possible to say one thing precisely: idling does not wear out the engine faster, than the work of the unit in a normal mode during driving. The more so, there is no way to refuse from idling. A motorist is forced to use it anyway, especially when driving in a city.
All sorts of stories about that “idling” is especially dangerous in winter are not without common sense, but only to the extent that the work of the engine in severe frost is an a priori extreme mode of operation. Again there is nothing to be done. Unless you decide to refuse your favorite “swallow” in favor of a public transport. However, it is not always a bad idea if it is a question of trips on small distances.
Engine idling can indeed become the cause of all sorts of negative manifestations, depending on the generation and model of the power plant. Idle speed can disrupt normal operation of the lubrication system, power supply, become the cause of vibration, unstable combustion of the mixture, and also be the reason for the engine to go beyond environmental parameters. However, the degree of negative impact of all the above on the engine life is actually very difficult to assess.
What suffers in an internal combustion engine at idle is oil. It is because of it that the engine suffers in the end. Due to the reduction of engine rpm, the lubricant goes out of order faster, getting clogged with slags and all kinds of sediments. However, this problem can be easily “cured” by regular replacement of the lubricant in the car. Practice shows that it is better to change the engine oil somewhat more frequently than specified in technical regulations.