Winter !

[5lab]

because it warms up slower thus its running without oil doing its job properly for longer

[Lowe]

Can't say I'd agree with that. IMHO iding RPMs don't put wear on the engine if you're running decent oil even from cold. Chuck £2.99 oil in and yeah I'd agree but with decent oil.. nah.

Higher RPM putting load on an engine from cold would surely do more wear. Can't really be proven one way or the other tho. :/

[Rave]

I've got Mobil 1 in my MR2 (although it could probably do with a change). When it's cold it idles at 2500RPM. I tend to drive off asap because I can generally drive about with the engine running at <2000rpm if I short shift. Still, they all do that, and mine's done 117,000 miles so I guess it's not that bad for them.

Good post zak, it's common sense but it sure helps to be reminded!

Rich :¬)

[Lowe]

Just been reading up on idling. The only reason I could find for not idling, is that it wastes petrol. Supposedly you're supposed to let it idle for 30 seconds to get oil to the engine, then drive away. Half and half then.

I know I can't do that though, engine will cut out. Gotta love carbs.

[[GSV]Trig]

Originally posted by 5lab
you should drive a car normally as soon as you start a cold engine - leaving it to idle or ragging straight from cold is baaaad

That doesnt sound rite to me, driving it normally and raggin it are the same thing in my book

[Zak33]

GONNA NAIL THIS ONE DOWN TOO

The reason it USED to be bad to let a car run on its own was CARBURETTORS !!!!

Cos it starts to over fuel and the excess petrol would ruin the oil by running down the bores, AND it would choke up the plugs....PLUS it DOES use more petrol....a litle bit more.

HOWEVER....fuel injection changed all that. It can be trusted to sort fueling out and there is NO REASON NOT TO LET your car get warm.....

and in my eyes WARM IS GOOD, because you can SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING!

There is NOTHING worse than seeing people constantly de misting the inside of their screen, or worse, defrosting it, WHILE DRIVING.

If you think the extra fuel use is bad for the environment while you leave 100 cars ticking over.....THINK WHAT REBUILDING AND RE PAINTING 2 OF THEM WILL COST, if you hit your neighbour!!!

So 5labs got an older Volvo and prob has a choke....for him, one its safe to see, he's off....

Moby has a device desgined to help COOL A HOT TURBO down, whereby you hit the button and then you can take your key out and the engine will run for 10 minutes while you lock up and go indoors.......if anyone fiddles with the car, the engine shuts down....it stops you shafting your red hot turbo...

Moby, being smart, uses it in the MORNING to warm the beast up.

Be aware....leaving an unattended car RUNNING is an offense...not that anyone cares

[5lab]

ah right - didnt realise you were allowed to leave an injection going - mine is a carb/manual choke (which after nearly 6 months i still aint got the hang of) and it definatly says in the book to not idle when cold. unfortunatly i normally have to boot it to get out of my street (busy road at the bottem) which is bad cos its always cold then...

incidentally, i need to re-adjust my carb when ive got time cos i tuned the idleing speed right down, figuring it would save petrol, but forgot that i had do it when hot. now if i leave it to idle when cold it'll just stall, until its been driven for 2 mins or so. basically this means i have to leave me foot on the gas a tiny bit while sat at lights etc

[Zak33]

the CHOKE....when you pull it out, moves a FAST IDLE metal bar...it pushes the tickover up faster.........you need to adjust THAT screw.

So its like a rounded metal plate, and when the chock moves it PUSHES the tickover faster.

Go find it...

[5lab]

nope, the choke just adjusts teh mixture, not the idle speed. the idle speed (iirc) is set by a stopper screw that adjusts how 'high' the gas pedal can go (more or less)

[Zak33]

Seriously........I'd be quite convinced that WHEN the choke is out, the idel speed needs to be automatically higher.

I'm not pretending, and I will admit to being wrong if you are SURE,......but as I'm gonna try to help, I'll stick with my theory for a while longer.

When you pull the choke out, a large flap (like the throttle butterfly) CLOSES on the carb, restricting air flow, to make it RICHER......

Maybe on the otherside of the carb, or out of view, there is probably another lever that pulls the throttle open a bit when the choke it out.

If I'm wrong, sorry........but it must be hard to keep it running without.

It might even be aninternal non adjustable thing.

Last but not least.......tickover on an old car can be happily set at 1000 rpm or even a bit above.....the chances of an old engine and worn carburettor running at an optimum 700rpm (my guess at your aimed target) is SLIM SLIM SLIM.

[5lab]

i dont have a rev counter :|

the butterfly things are there - but i *think* its the only thing that changes. if i pull the choke out when the cars idleing and warm it'll cut the engine out.

i just tuned the idle speed to be the lowest 'smooth' running, ie before the engine seems to start running in a slow 'choppy' mannor. it might be because theres been a different carb fitted at some stage - i've got a feeling one of the recipts that came with the car suggested it had been replaced with one, possably off the 1.7 model, but im not sure

[Tumble]

it cuts out when you choke it warm, because that's exactly what it does- it chokes it. Too much fuel and the thing floods and drowns.

[sdp]

What carb do you have 5lab? On mine the choke moves the jet assembly down to richen the mixture, and there's fast idle and slow idle adjustment screws. When the choke is pulled out I think it pushes against the fast idle screw to open the throttle a little.

[Richie]

Leaving your car idling at cold for long periods (5 mins plus etc) CAN allow fouling of the CAT's to begin due to the high carbon content being pushed thru with the extra fuelling provided even on injected cars.

Driving the car means its around 1500-2000RPM stopping the CAT's from being affected as much.

[sdp]

Back to winter driving;

If you have an older car I reckon it'd make sense to sort out any minor rust while there's still the odd sunny day left, even if you just bodge it with wet n dry and a bit of primer - I think that'd be better than leaving it over winter.

Under the bonnet don't forget to check your brake/clutch fluid levels, give your dizzy a spray with wd40, check the plug leads are fitted tightly and in good condition, have a look at the lt leads as well.

Get your spark plugs out and check they're the right colour.

Make sure your hoses are all secure and that none are cracking. Flush your radiator if it aint been done for a couple of years and refill it.

Check your door, window and boot seals for waterproofness and replace as necessary. While you've got the boot open make sure you've got a good basic tool kit, a torch that works, a bottle of water, and a small bottle of engine oil in there.

Make sure your battery is good and give the terminals a clean.

Check the fan belt is correctly tensioned.

Keep washing your car every week.

[Zak33]

Good stuff there mate

Nice work