Remote start bad for engine?

[VAMike]

For sure! Totally different animal.

But it's good advice still. "An ounce of prevention..." and what not.

But unnecessary steps aren't prevention, they're superstition. I mean I could say the reason I got well over 200k miles on my last turbo (still going) is that I wear glasses. You can't prove that I wouldn't have had engine problems if I didn't wear glasses, but I'm pretty sure anyone who puts on glasses to get high mileage is going to waste their time. Is the glasses example ridiculous? Of course--but other cargo cult practices are just as ridiculous even if there's a seemingly plausible rationale attached to them. Just because someone always did something doesn't mean that thing was actually useful, even if they have a theory about why is important or even if it actually was important once upon a time. Almost certainly they didn't do controlled trials or have any means to exclude the null hypothesis. To really understand what will help we need the guidance of people who do actual long duration testing...and those tell us that we don't need an extended shutdown routine for a small modern turbo.

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[D Fresh]

But unnecessary steps aren't prevention, they're superstition. I mean I could say the reason I got well over 200k miles on my last turbo (still going) is that I wear glasses. You can't prove that I wouldn't have had engine problems if I didn't wear glasses, but I'm pretty sure anyone who puts on glasses to get high mileage is going to waste their time. Is the glasses example ridiculous? Of course--but other cargo cult practices are just as ridiculous even if there's a seemingly plausible rationale attached to them. Just because someone always did something doesn't mean that thing was actually useful, even if they have a theory about why is important or even if it actually was important once upon a time. Almost certainly they didn't do controlled trials or have any means to exclude the null hypothesis. To really understand what will help we need the guidance of people who do actual long duration testing...and those tell us that we don't need an extended shutdown routine for a small modern turbo.

But the question is, does the elephant repellant hurt your vehicle? If it doesn't, but provides a person some peace of mind, no harm no foul.

 

[VAMike]

But the question is, does the elephant repellant hurt your vehicle? If it doesn't, but provides a person some peace of mind, no harm no foul.

If someone derives personal pleasure from doing something objectively unnecessary, great! Most things that give people pleasure are objectively unnecessary. But if they expect that nobody will point out that it's unnecessary, they're bound to be disappointed.

 

[cclayton]

I use my remote start because I want to be warm when I get behind the wheel. Never gave it much thought beyond that, haha. Interesting discussion...

Same here...

 

[PierreD]

What costs more, running the block heater all night or 10 minutes of gas?

10 minutes of gas is more.
Another thing to consider: less engine wear because the oil is not as 'thick' and freely flows right from the start with a block heater.

" The block heater costs about 7¢ per hour to run at the national average electrical rate of 10¢ per kWh. "
" Two minutes of idle time uses the same amount of fuel as driving a mile. Warm up your engine by driving it, not by idling. ... The vehicle's engine warms twice as quickly when driven. "

 

[PierreD]

the thing to remember of conventional coolant block heaters is that they warm the coolant, and it doesn't circulate it. (there are however types that connect into a hose and do circulate fluid with a motor. they also use more electricity)

any heating is radiant outward from the source

that means the furthest away is still pretty cold compared to the source.

if its super cold and windy, that heat loss is more evident on the extremities. the oil pan is considered an extremity, as its thin metal that doesn't transfer heat well, or at least at a sufficient rate..so the oil still does not get heated the way you think it will. it may be warmed, but its not at a temperature to make claims is not thick and slow moving molasses still.

do block heaters help your engine start on cold days for reasonably cheap? yes. does it warm your heating system quicker, yes. does it save your engine from premature wear by heating your oil ? debateable.

get an oil pan heater type if you want to save your engine.

Not to argue. but this is what I figure.
People who start their engines before going out (and let it sit for 10 minutes) are the ones who are trying to "heat up the cabin", not really to get the oil at operating specs.
So a block heater is much better than an oil pan one for this purpose. The main reason for the block heater (saves money and the idling for the environment).
I have full synthetic now in my engine, it is not critical for it (oil) to be heated to prevent engine wear, but it will still flow a bit quicker in a warmer engine block that is heated....

 

[port43]

 

[THLONE]

Years ago when I lived in Iowa we had heaters that were connected to the heater hoses. If you mounted the heater low the coolant would circulate. I dont know what the scientific name is but hot things rise and it creates a flow. I dont know if they are available now because I dont need one now.

 

[jss81258]

Years ago when I lived in Iowa we had heaters that were connected to the heater hoses. If you mounted the heater low the coolant would circulate. I dont know what the scientific name is but hot things rise and it creates a flow. I dont know if they are available now because I dont need one now.

Thermosyphon

 

[Canadian Ranger]

Hay Amsoil dealer, do you care to share an independent lab testing the viscosity of your miracle product that the viscosity never changes hot or cold. I am calling BS to this claim.

They're all over YouTube.

 

[Canadian Ranger]

I suspect that AMSOIL products are mostly comparable in quality and performance to like products from other oil companies. I will never even consider buying them, though, because of their multi-level-marketing business model. Every automotive forum that I’ve joined, going back to the days when all communication was by plain text email, seems to have one or more AMSOIL salesmen who capitalize on every opportunity to make a “recommendation” for AMSOIL products. The effect of this behavior is no different from making a telephone call, and being interrupted by a sales pitch from a third party who surreptitiously monitors the conversation and inserts advertising based on the words being spoken.

Agreed, totally. But, you can buy it from their website without getting involved in the MLM aspects.

 

[VAMike]

Agreed, totally. But, you can buy it from their website without getting involved in the MLM aspects.

Or, decide not to reward the way they choose to market and buy some other oil that will be just as good. ?‍

 

[CB750F]

Remote start is great, having the block heater on a timer is an added bonus.
It's been yrs since I used a block heater.

 

[Canadian Ranger]

Or, decide not to reward the way they choose to market and buy some other oil that will be just as good. ?‍

It was actually the competing oil companies that forced them into the MLM business form. They all colluded against them out of fear.

 

[ElSolo]

As a kid growing up - and I'm not thaaaat old (36) - my dad always taught me to warm up the engine on cold mornings. I think there may be differing opinions on this, but I tend to trust Popular Mechanics. They essentially said that it's no longer necessary (except maybe in extremely cold weather) with modern engines. That said, I still sit in the car for about a minute before driving away when it's cold out (Southern California cold, in all fairness haha). I guess habits are hard to kick. Plus, every time I think to warm it up, I have a moment of remembering my dad telling me to do it (he's since passed). Anyway, to each their own, I guess.

Here's the link to the article: https://www.popularmechanics.com/ca...ng-up-your-car-in-the-cold-just-harms-engine/

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