Excessive idling causing engine wear...

[waterinthefuel]

Ok, I know I'm not nuts. Several mechanics have told me don't let your engine, be it a boat, car, plane, whatever, idle for long periods of time because the engines vibrate more at idle, thus causing excessive engine wear.

Isn't this true? In a web search, I can only find where it talks about idling wasting fuel and causing fuel related combustion issues inside the crankcase.

I know I've heard this before!

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

Not sure of that specifically, but the marina in town here had two old metermaid / postal jeeps with very low miles, but those motors were very worn out. They idled a Lot!

 

[tommays]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

We have a 4.3 GM running a compressor at 1700 rpm it lasted 34000 hours

The roller cam had the most dammage a few lobes had a even 1/8 deep grove

I think if you change the oil more offen suit the type of use its a non-issue



Tommays

 

[ndemge]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

That's a lot of hours!,,, but that's above an idle and at a nice cruising rpm. Around 2 million miles though at 60mph

 

[shelikesit]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

According to what I read in this forum and also I believe in the manual. Excessive idling on a STERN Drive does not allow for lubricant to flow upward at the rate it should, thus wearing out the parts at the top of the drive.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even my salt cleanout isn't more than 5 to 7 minutes. This is very very important, especially since I may have read one of the higher echelon speak it.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

Please find some new mechanics. This is a myth left over from the days of carburetors and straight weight oil. If you let a carbed engine idle too long the oil can become diluted and the cylinders washed with gas. Even this is over rated. Aside from that, you can idle more or less forever. Think about all the cop cars and various other work vehicles that idle all day long every day.

According to what I read in this forum and also I believe in the manual. Excessive idling on a STERN Drive does not allow for lubricant to flow upward at the rate it should, thus wearing out the parts at the top of the drive.

Excessive idling might be bad for the outdrive, I have no idea, but the engine doesn't know whether it's in a car or a boat.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

What ZmOz says
The only thing to add is if you are going to idel for long times (like 6 to 10 hours at a time on a regular basses) get an hour meter.This is just to keep up on your services on you engine.

 

[DJ]

Re: Excessive idling causing engine wear...

get an hour meter.This is just to keep up on your services on your engine.

That's the key. People forget that idle time is REAL engine time. If you idle allot, you cannot go by miles for maintenance.

Boats, stationary equipment, heavy equipment, etc all go by hours for maintenance.

Auto industry standard is: one hour equals 33 miles. That standard is the same whether it is idle time or "work" time running a PTO.

Most automobiles/trucks today have hours stored in the PCM's (powertrain control modules).