Short Commute (revisited)
01-04-2011, 08:55 PM
#16
Race Director
Ed, thanks for relaying that experience. That's exactly what I'm afraid of!
Thanks for all the input from everyone else too. Actually, I was thinking about a pan heater. I like the idea of the bulb-in-box since it can be stationary and I can drive over it without too much hassle. Cool.
I was also thinking about something more crazy too: an oil-water cracking system! Lol! I would just empty my oil once a month into this little honey of a contraption I have yet to design, let it run thru the oil to separate/boil-off all the water, then filler back up. Being an engineer, I like to make things as complicated as possible.
And what's wrong with letting your car idle for awhile? I've always heard that fleet vehicles that are idling more often than driving have more issues with their timing belts/chains. Why would this be? I always let my car idle until the primary (secondary??) air pump shuts off, as Macster does. This is of course not an issue, but what if it idled for 5 or 10 minutes or longer each morning? Bad? Why?
Thanks for all the input from everyone else too. Actually, I was thinking about a pan heater. I like the idea of the bulb-in-box since it can be stationary and I can drive over it without too much hassle. Cool.
I was also thinking about something more crazy too: an oil-water cracking system! Lol! I would just empty my oil once a month into this little honey of a contraption I have yet to design, let it run thru the oil to separate/boil-off all the water, then filler back up. Being an engineer, I like to make things as complicated as possible.
And what's wrong with letting your car idle for awhile? I've always heard that fleet vehicles that are idling more often than driving have more issues with their timing belts/chains. Why would this be? I always let my car idle until the primary (secondary??) air pump shuts off, as Macster does. This is of course not an issue, but what if it idled for 5 or 10 minutes or longer each morning? Bad? Why?
In fact based on my observation the engine controller goes closed loop about the time secondary air injection pump shuts off and this means the converters, and o2 sensors are hot enough to work and hot enough that the engine controller can rely upon the sensors for mixture control. This means more precise control.
Besides, I have the fuel mileage display of the on-board computer showing sometimes and idling that can drop tenths of a mile per gallon in just a few minutes of idling. And gas is now around $3.539/gallon where I buy gas (Shell).
The only time I'll let the engine idle longer is if I need to get the heater warm enough to defrost the windshield, and the built in defroster to clear the rear window and the heated mirrors to clear.
Otherwise, I go. Of course I still keep rpms below 4K and try to keep them below 3.5K until the engine has been at operating temperature for a while.
I checked a few data logs today and over the recent spate of cooler weather my Turbo starts out with the coolant around 45F and it some idling time (until the secondary air injection pump shuts off) followed by city driving then moderate driving on the freeway (under the 65mph limit) before the coolant gets up to around 180F or thereabouts.
Sincerely,
Macster.
01-04-2011, 09:22 PM
#17
FYI for the air cooled 911's you can get a neat system that pre-heats the oil by cycling it through a little furnace in the trunk.
You just hit the preheat button on a remote and wait 10 minutes before you crank the car, so it's close to ideal temp before you get in.
I imagine it could be done for the waterboxes too but I've never heard of it being done.
You just hit the preheat button on a remote and wait 10 minutes before you crank the car, so it's close to ideal temp before you get in.
I imagine it could be done for the waterboxes too but I've never heard of it being done.
01-04-2011, 09:50 PM
#18
Race Director
Might point out that of course you're in SD and temps down there are mild, milder than they are here in the bay area this time of year.
Thus your short commute is less of a problem cause the engine will warm up quicker.
While you I'm sure can come up with all kinds of 'solutions' to the short commute the easiest, the most fun solution is just to make time to drive the car once in a while.
Everybody has a different situation but I find it hard to understand how someone could buy such a fine automobile and then not drive it and to add insult to injury then fret and worry about how to keep the car in good condition from not driving it.
As I've mentioned more than once, Porsche engineers have spent countless hours coming up with an engine design and engine implementation to produce an engine that is made to run, and run a long time, with reasonable care and usage.
Why not get what you'd paid for? Drive the car.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Thus your short commute is less of a problem cause the engine will warm up quicker.
While you I'm sure can come up with all kinds of 'solutions' to the short commute the easiest, the most fun solution is just to make time to drive the car once in a while.
Everybody has a different situation but I find it hard to understand how someone could buy such a fine automobile and then not drive it and to add insult to injury then fret and worry about how to keep the car in good condition from not driving it.
As I've mentioned more than once, Porsche engineers have spent countless hours coming up with an engine design and engine implementation to produce an engine that is made to run, and run a long time, with reasonable care and usage.
Why not get what you'd paid for? Drive the car.
Sincerely,
Macster.
01-04-2011, 09:53 PM
#19
Race Director
Oh, I came across an extended idle in my Turbo -- car was at the dealer for an oil/filter service. The engine idled around 15 minutes from cool (this was in June of this year) to where it was hot enough for the oil check function to work. The Turbo oil check requires the engine be idling and the engine be warmed up before the oil level check will take place.
Yet, on similar days with me just letting the engine idle a bit and then with moderate driving the engine came up to temperature at well under half that 15 minute time.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Yet, on similar days with me just letting the engine idle a bit and then with moderate driving the engine came up to temperature at well under half that 15 minute time.
Sincerely,
Macster.
01-05-2011, 12:55 AM
#20
Pro
Thread Starter
I agree, Macster, driving the car further/longer is the ideal solution both technically and sensibly (why buy a Pcar and never drive it cause you're "babying" it! I whole heartedly agree).
I just want to know all the pros/cons to short commutes so I can be in charge of all the fact and do what I need to do to make sure the car is happy. I really like the oil pre-heater idea, even if I had a super long commute. Maybe I'll design one for the M96 and open up a store on Rennlist. Lol!
Good info everyone, thanks alot.
I just want to know all the pros/cons to short commutes so I can be in charge of all the fact and do what I need to do to make sure the car is happy. I really like the oil pre-heater idea, even if I had a super long commute. Maybe I'll design one for the M96 and open up a store on Rennlist. Lol!
Good info everyone, thanks alot.
