| bigpecs1 |
Hi,
We have a 3-month old baby and we have been travelling in the X for a few days. Whenever she is hungry, we pull over so my wife can take her out of the car seat and nurse her. We always keep the engine running/idling for 20 minutes or so. Is that alright? Will this practice lead to so-called "sludge" in the engine? Thanks! |
|
|
| csmeance |
| idling is fine for the motor, but bad for you pocket and the enviorment. It wastes a ton of fuel therefore costing you money and then the enviorment. |
|
|
| Hodog16 |
Congrats on the new baby.
Think about the idling as driving 20 minutes while getting 0 MPG because that's what is happening.
You use less gas restarting the engine than idling for 1 minute. |
|
|
| hammermdx |
| Why do you need to keep the car running....is it to keep the a/c on? |
|
|
| bigpecs1 |
quote:
Originally posted by hammermdx
Why do you need to keep the car running....is it to keep the a/c on?
yup, for the A/C because our temps here is still in the lower 90's. Too hot for the baby. |
|
|
| G. COLTON |
While what the referenced link says about "engine damage" is technically true, it is not in my opinion a significant issue, unless the idling the engine amounts to a significant amount of the run time. Of course, you are using less fuel while idling than while driving at higher rpm.
The author's main purpose for the article seems to be grinding his environmental axe.
G |
|
|
| bimmerguy288 |
quote:
Originally posted by bigpecs1
yup, for the A/C because our temps here is still in the lower 90's. Too hot for the baby.
If it's that hot, what else can you do if you don't keep it running to keep your family cool? I guess idling for 20 minutes is like driving for 20 minutes except that you don't go anywhere. |
|
|
| midnightMDX |
| Nothing wrong with idling. :4: |
|
|
| adr5 |
quote:
Originally posted by bimmerguy288
If it's that hot, what else can you do if you don't keep it running to keep your family cool? I guess idling for 20 minutes is like driving for 20 minutes except that you don't go anywhere.
Park in a shaded area. Babies are born and do well in areas where the temps get much hotter. |
|
|
| bimmerguy288 |
quote:
Originally posted by adr5
Park in a shaded area. Babies are born and do well in areas where the temps get much hotter.
I don't care how shady the place is. No A/C for 20 minutes in 90 + degrees inside a car? Will you do that to your baby? I know "Babies are born and do well in areas where the temps get much hotter", but it's different from being inside a hot car. I guess we are spoiled. I grew up without A/C in our apartment and the temp. could go up to 100 with 90% humidity. |
|
|
| AOE_ROR |
quote:
Originally posted by adr5
Park in a shaded area. Babies are born and do well in areas where the temps get much hotter.
+1. Absolutely agree with adr5. Park under a tree or shaded area with open windows & sunroof will infact benefit from better air quality than inside a/c cycling through your personal endless CO2.
Regards,
Tom |
|
|
| adr5 |
quote:
Originally posted by bimmerguy288
I don't care how shady the place is. No A/C for 20 minutes in 90 + degrees inside a car? Will you do that to your baby? I know "Babies are born and do well in areas where the temps get much hotter", but it's different from being inside a hot car. I guess we are spoiled. I grew up without A/C in our apartment and the temp. could go up to 100 with 90% humidity.
If you open the windows and sunroof, the temps in the car won't get higher than those outside. If it is still hot, open the hatch, that will allow even more air flow. Yes, I would do this with my child, no longer a baby. This is no different than walking around outside with you child in a stroller when the temps are 90. |
|
|
| jhue |
| Buy a Toyota Hybrid. They can run the A/C without the motor running (electric compressor runs off traction battery). Given a typical level of 70% SOC when you shut the engine off, and 90 degree temps, you'll get maybe 10-15 minutes of A/C before you're down to 40% SOC and the engine starts to recharge the battery. It'll depend a lot on how much solar gain you get through the windows, and whether you're parked in the sun or shade. |
|
|
| pianoman41 |
Idling used to be a primary cause of fouling up plugs, etc, but today's engines can idle for hours without any undue wear and tear. I personally have had my TL idling for six hours at a time without issue and I work in an industry where idling vehicles are the rule, not the exception.
Other than the impact to your fuel economy and the environment, it's a non-issue. |
|
|
| brydon |
quote:
Originally posted by pianoman41
Idling used to be a primary cause of fouling up plugs, etc, but today's engines can idle for hours without any undue wear and tear. I personally have had my TL idling for six hours at a time without issue and I work in an industry where idling vehicles are the rule, not the exception.
Other than the impact to your fuel economy and the environment, it's a non-issue.
yup! idling isn't going to hurt a modern engine at all. The worst things for significant wear in the long haul, cold starts and heavy acceleration while cold. |
|
|
| Ceenit |
KEEP MOMMY AND BABY HAPPY, KEEP THE CAR RUNNING WITH THE A/C ON!!!!
Wives don't understand any of the technical stuff or gas saving concepts we men try to rationalize. Trying to even explain it to most wives just makes them angry.
Idling won't hurt the engine, and as far as your wallet goes.....keep mommy happy now and it saves you bigger $$ than trying to make her happy later. |
|
|
|
