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Step 46Smooth Driving
To reduce the pollution that is caused from your vehicle, you should accelerate and decelerate smoothly. Anticipate stops and starts at traffic lights.
We all can't avoid being in traffic, but if you are in standstill traffic, turn your car off. This is better for the environment than idling, and it is also better for your gas mileage.
We all can't avoid being in traffic, but if you are in standstill traffic, turn your car off. This is better for the environment than idling, and it is also better for your gas mileage.
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imagine: here in the NL 1 Liter (yes, is really states Liter NOT Gallon) is around 1.70 Euro (!!!). saving some fuel is definately worth it!
2. Startup is the only period during which an engine wears.
3. The solenoid in the starter does wear out after awhile.
4. When a vehicle is shut off, heat builds up, and can cook carbon onto the inside of the combustion chamber. That excess carbon buildup causes an increase in the compression ratio over time, thereby increasing NOx emissions and the chances of premature engine failure.
Do not claim to be what you're not. You may be a shade tree mechanic, but I know you cut grass for a living.
Alright, so if you want to discuss specifics, we'll go there. A brand new car will only wear from the first revolution of the crank to the point that the oil pressure reaches the operating specification. This only happens in a properly maintained car. Inside an engine after oil pressure gets up, nothing contacts (if something contacts, the parts weld themselves together, causing things like spun bearings). The only thing that can cause wear after startup is contaminants in the oil and carbon buildup.
Oh, I forgot. Startup is an especially critical moment for flat-tappet cam engines because modern oils do not stick as well due to environmental regulations and the removal of zinc dithiophosphate.
So, leave your car running as long as you need it. This is another reason why 'highway' miles cause fewer problems than 'in-town' miles.
Another thing about shutting your car off:
Poor quality gasoline can cause buildup on injectors as it evaporates in post-shutdown residual heat. So, after awhile, the fuel doesn't atomize correctly and causes a drop in fuel economy. This isn't as critical in carbureted engines.
Being a mechanic is a full time job that requires contant education to keep up with the latest innovations from the manufacturers. Please don't give out bad information under the guise of a mechanic, as it gives us a bad name.
I love to talk to hobbyist mechanics, but not when they get angry. I'm sorry I offended you.
I love the fact that you don't have any information to back up what you're saying. I think it's a matter of pride for you now. I'm done arguing with you, as this conversation has lost all reference to the commented upon instructable.
Also, I disagree with the idea of changing the oil every 3k miles. If you run a good synthetic oil, that is beyond excessive. If the goal is to be environmentally conscientious, then using that much oil is not the way to go. Refining the oil is energy intensive, and the need to refine more is worse for a carbon footprint than keeping the same oil a little longer.
Yeah, changing your oil every 3k is a bit excessive if you're running your car like it's meant to be run, not stop and go traffic, down a dusty road, or around town. Synthetic oils do withstand heat and shearing much better than conventional, but every oil will trap contaminants. Contaminants are things like tiny bits of metal and little bits of burnt stuff, both of which feel like sandpaper in large enough quantities.
So, if you're running on the freeway commuting more than 30 miles at 60mph, yeah, change your oil a little less often. But, it's not the number of miles that wears out oil, it's the number of times the engine rotates. 3k miles in 1st gear would mean a lot more than 3k miles in 4th gear. Yeah?