In general, no, unless you use low-quality oils and don’t follow the prescribed maintenance plan. In actuality, cold start-up poses a greater risk of damage to internal engine components than auto start-stop. This is due to the oil still being cold and viscous during a cold start-up, which makes it difficult for it to enter areas with small clearances, such rod bearings. This prevents it from having a chance to immediately pressurize and lubricate the moving parts of the engine.
On the other hand, a cold engine does not activate the auto start-stop mechanism.
The engine must reach operational temperature before the function can start; to do this, the car employs electric water pumps to keep the engine at the ideal temperature even when it is stopped. Alternately, the start-stop system will automatically start the engine if it has been idle for a period of time that causes a considerable temperature drop.
What engine coolant temperature is ideal for BMW auto stop-starts, then? between 87 and 121 degrees Celsius for most automobiles (195degF to 250degF).
The oiling tubes may not be as pushed as in a running vehicle when it comes to oil pressure and lubricants, but they are still not permitted to discharge oil into the oil pan. In addition, producers coat the connecting rod bearings with polymers to reduce friction when the fluid isn’t under pressure.
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Does it really result in fuel savings?
Start-stop systems aren’t inherently harming your engine, but do they actually increase fuel efficiency? Simply said, absolutely. However, like with any fuel-saving technology, how much you save depends on your driving style and location.
Your engine won’t shut off if the HVAC system is functioning, as was already indicated. Thus, the potential fuel savings are reduced. Running the air conditioning resulted in “just a 2.9% boost in fuel economy,” according to Edmunds reviewers who tested the start-stop technology in a Mini Cooper. However, when it was off, the start-stop system increased fuel efficiency by 9.5%. Additionally, the start-stop technology was also used by the Jaguar and BMW, which were tested alongside the Mini.
In summary, stop-start systems won’t harm your engine and can aid in fuel conservation. So long as you can tolerate the restarts, it’s worthwhile to leave it on.
What about engine abrasion?
The most vulnerable moment for internal engine components is generally acknowledged to be during cold engine starts. It hasn’t had time to pressurize and lubricate all of the moving parts on the top of the engine because the lubrication is cold.
But because auto stop-start systems don’t use a cold engine, they don’t have the same risk of harm as cold starts. The vehicles use electric water pumps to maintain the ideal engine temperature when they are stopped in addition to having working engines before the stop-start system kicks in. The engine will automatically restart if it is turned off for a sufficient amount of time to drastically lower engine temperature.
Second, the oil in the passages hasn’t been allowed to completely drain into the oil pan since the engine’s oiling system isn’t fully pressured, as it is while the engine is operating.
Finally, manufacturers are tackling wear on parts like the main engine bearings using dry lubricants. Usually, engine bearings are made to survive 100,000 starts. There are currently bearings in use that can survive 250,001 to 300,000 start cycles. For cars with auto-stop/start systems, Federal Mogul, for instance, has been using polymers on the connecting rod bearings to lessen friction when the oil pump isn’t running.
Does stop-start promote fuel economy?
Yes, you will save the fuel that the engine would have consumed when the car is immobile in instances where you are stationary with the engine running, such as in heavy traffic or while waiting for the lights to change.
The amount of fuel saved is sometimes debated and mostly depends on the style of driving used when using the system. Naturally, longer periods of inactivity result in greater fuel savings. Additionally, there are times when stop-start does not function. For instance, if the engine is cold, the system is less likely to act in order to allow the engine to fully warm up. Additionally, it might not switch off the engine if the battery is low, if the driver doesn’t buckle their seatbelt, like with Volvo’s system, or if the air conditioning is turned on.
Although stop-start can reduce drivers’ fuel consumption, it is also intended to reduce emissions in metropolitan locations where traffic is more likely to stay stationary for extended periods of time. As a result, there are more advantages to the systems than disadvantages.
Visit What Car? and use the True MPG calculator to learn more about how much fuel your vehicle consumes.
Is an automobile engine harmed by auto start/stop?
There is no proof that automatic start/stop accelerates the deterioration of the starter motor or other engine components. Only when the engine is hot and starts easily does the mechanism operate. In some cases, compression is the only method used to start an engine.
Starting your car’s engine causes the most damage. The most wear-and-tear is, however, caused by the engine’s cold start. Similar to dropping a cold mug into a pot of boiling water, damage doesn’t occur as quickly when you start an engine after several hours or days of inactivity.
The auto-start/stop mechanism doesn’t start with a cold engine. The motor is still warming up and will start running again shortly after it just stopped. In addition, the system has protections in case the engine temperature begins to drop. As long as the key is in the ignition, the technology starts the automobile before it enters the danger zone.
Additionally, instead of the prior 100,000 start cycles, manufacturers have started inserting engine bearings in the motor that can handle 250–300,000 start cycles. To include this new technology, additional components have also been modified.
Technology is still developing, of course. The Auto-Start/Stop system is still being improved upon by suppliers, who are developing better procedures and more effective machinery. For instance, Mazda uses i-Stop technology, which is completely independent of the starter. It uses engine combustion to move things along instead. The engine starts using combustion rather than the electric starter motor when the driver releases the brake pedal because a fuel injector in one of the cylinders burns, sparking a spark plug.
However, there are many people online who will tell you how bad Auto-Start/Stop is for the engine. Of course, a lot of these people are by no means specialists and lack any supporting evidence. It is fair to presume that contemporary vehicles are built to withstand the effects of Auto-Start/Stop technology until proof to the contrary is presented.
Does Auto Start/Stop Shorten Engine Life? Is It Bad For The Engine?
An automatic system called auto start-stop turns off the car’s engine when there is a pause. The stop-start system aims to lower fuel consumption and emissions. When the driver accelerates or the transmission engages and the brakes are released, the engine restarts. Here is the solution to your question of whether auto start-stop is hazardous for engines.
Auto start-stop is harmful to the engine, particularly when used frequently. The largest danger the auto start poses to the engine is to the engine bearing. A large number of start-stop cycles might brittle or even crack bearings due to wear or friction.
Despite the fact that the auto start system addresses the need for lower fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, especially in congested traffic. The longevity of the car engine is decreased by prolonged use, and it is not completely safe. The negative aspects of auto-start systems are discussed in this article.