how long can youkeep a car idling?

[look 171]

A modern day car, let just say. We use to leave it running with the AC on as our little baby sleeps while my wife goes into the market and do her shopping. Usually no more then 1/2 hour. Carbon monoxide worries me a little bit, but on a modern car?

[rattlsnak]

Well, two answers. I have walked into the shop on Monday morning and realized that a car was left running all weekend. But, as far as shopping, I cant imagine its any different than being stuck in a traffic jam for at least that long....

[Rusty Heap]

On a performance engine, with high-pressure valve springs and big cam, at idle, for long times = low oil to the cam and premature wear.

If you're hauling a rug rat in a mini-van with a soccer mom, interesting question as to your intent?

running it for a baby while you're in shopping? ummmmmmmmm?

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

running it for a baby while you're in shopping? ummmmmmmmm?

Ha!, i thought the same thing, then realized, HE is out in the car also while the wife is inside shopping..lol..

[azasadny]

As long as the car isn't in an enclosed area and the bottom of the car isn't rusted out, I wouldn't think CO would be a problem...

[Rapewta]

Probably forever if the automobile does not over- heat or run out of gas.
I have heard of stories about cars idling all night in a parking lot for whatever reason and
no harm. Maybe autos from the early days might not like it but today... cars can sit for hours
and run at idle with not problems. Give it a shot. leave your garage door open, set your
security cameras and fire up the car and make sure it has plenty of gas. Get up in the morning and check the water temp. You should be good. Let us know. Thanks.

[Oh Haha]

Unless you are in an enclosed space, the carbon monoxide really wouldn't be a concern.

[RWebb]

is an adult in the car with the baby??

some states will prosecute if a baby is left alone in a car -- even for 10 minute, much less a half hour

[TimT]

I worked in the sandbox for years... We left some of the Euclids, and TeRex earth mover running 24/7 for months at a time

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by RWebb

is an adult in the car with the baby??

some states will prosecute if a baby is left alone in a car -- even for 10 minute, much less a half hour

I was thinking the same thing but I believe he meant HE stayed inthe car while the wife shopped.


At least I hope so.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Rapewta

Get up in the morning and check the water temp. You should be good. Let us know. Thanks.

Water? Oh yeah. There are those.

[hardflex]

I've heard it's impossible to commit suicide with a modern car, they burn so much cleaner. if you deplete the oxygen it would kill the car too.....

I think long term idling would be better on a car that has a belt driven fan, not an electrically controlled one.

[Grog]

Until it runs out of gas.

[VaSteve]

Post this in the 911 forum. Lot of guys can't get them to idle at al.

[Laneco]

When I worked for the State of Oregon, the remote scale stations are run from the inside of a vehicle - a running vehicle. So you would drive out, park, setup, work for 6 hours, break down and drive back. The cars idled for 6 hours at a time with zero issues. Never once, in all those years, with all the different cars we had, was there an overheating problem or any other problem for that matter.

There was a fellow here in town who had a customer bring a 944 into his shop on a Friday afternoon. The car had a problem with starting - not running just starting. The shop kid who parked it left the engine running so move cars around and forgot the poor thing. It ran until it ran out of gas, then died. They figured it probably ran for about two days straight at an idle. The car still runs fine, some ten years later.

Now that said - let me share th dark side. We had a manager who let the vehicle run while his wife was shopping (and he was snoozing nicely). About two hours passed. When they started to drive, they could smell something burning. The cats had gotten hot enough to catch something on fire in the engine bay. The vehicle burned to the ground. It was a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse - not a cheap vehicle. I hired a fire investigator who concluded the cats had overheated, but could not conclude what item in the engine bay specifically had caught fire - though obviously the fuel system was afire... $30,000 down the drain. Absolutely nothing covered by warranty.

So a few minutes, even 30 minutes while you're sitting in the car with the baby - probably never a problem. The longer it sits, the more risk you run, particularly if the cats are crowded into a narrow place (as with most FWD cars). The cats cool by air movement. When you're stationary, there is none.

angela

[id10t]

When we had no power for 8 days after a hurricane we kept the fridge, some lights, and some fans going via an inverter hooked up to my '99 altima for 6 hours at a time, no issues.

[look 171]

Of course I was in the car with the baby. I should be more clear. every chance I get, I try to see what's going on here. With speed typing (that's 10 words a minute for me), speed thinking, screaming at god know what, and my wife on my case about getting the BBQ started for dinner, I make too many mistakes. Sorry guys. OUr little guy just turned four. There are times during the summer last year he will doze off in the middle of the day in the van so we wait in the parking lot. We like to have him sleep in the afternoon so we can have somewhat of a peaceful dinner. Hopefully by next summer, he will grow out of napping so we wouldn't be running the AC as he sleeps in he car.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by id10t

When we had no power for 8 days after a hurricane we kept the fridge, some lights, and some fans going via an inverter hooked up to my '99 altima for 6 hours at a time, no issues.

THAT is awesome.

"For the guy who doesn't need/want a generator."

Please describe the whole setup, rating/capacity of the inverter, etc. I would like to use it next time we have an outage.

[aigel]

Cop cars idle for years on the side of the road.

I don't think a modern car is hurt much by it - I can't imagine it being worse than driving it for the same amount of time.

On older cars with carbs I can see it running too rich on the idle messing up the oil with fuel and putting carbon build up on the valves and plugs ...

A diesel probably would be the preferred setup for serious weeks of idle due to the lack of plugs ...

George

[livi]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Post this in the 911 forum. Lot of guys can't get them to idle at al.

Touché!