Should You Leave Your Car's Engine Idling? Myth Busted

Car engine idle. Should you leave your car's engine idling for a long time, myth busted with Scotty Kilmer. Does idling your car for a long time damage or hurt your engine? There are many myths about letting your engine idle, and I'll tell you the truth about the matter. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 50 years.
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This is the people's automotive channel! Learn how to fix your car and how it works. Get a chance to show off your own car on Sundays. Or show off your own car mod on Wednesdays. Tool giveaways every Monday to help you with your own car projects. Or enter your own DIY car fix to compete in the best fix of the week contest every Thursday. We have a new video every day! I've been an auto mechanic for the past 50 years and I'm here to share my knowledge with you.
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[@scottykilmer]

⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 3. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 4. Wrench Set: amzn.to/2kmBaOU 5. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2CthnUU 6. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR 🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend: www.amazon.com/shop/scottykilmer ► Subscribe and hit the notification bell for all new videos: kzbin.info Scotty on Social: Facebook ► facebook.com/scottymechanic/ Instagram ► instagram.com/scotty_the_mechanic/ Twitter ► twitter.com/Scottymechanic?lang=en

[@briangalvin3584]

Hey scotty, great video, I sit in my car at lunchtime in work and listen to the radio, about two months ago the battery died and the car wouldn't start (without a push). I've been running the car ever since while I've been sitting in it and haven't had a problem. How should I test the battery to see if it needs changing? I have a multimeter if that's any good. Car is a euro 1.8 valvematic gasoline Toyota avensis.

[@ratedss2109]

Scotty Kilmer pls compare headlamps halogen vs led vs hid

[@heat9open404]

Do a video of What happens when you Putting Gasoline In A Diesel Car or vice versa

[@aladdinabdelrahem6163]

Brian Galvin Hay Mr. Brian I'm not a car expert but i always hear Scotty and all people like him advice others to go to batteries shops and there they will check it for you for free .

[@nicolem6242]

Scotty Kilmer what if it's cold? Could u start it and let it idle for eh 20 or 30 minutes then shut it off?

[@Trev0r98]

i love how Scotty dances with his arms as he talks... he actually looks like he's conducting an invisible orchestra -

[@livefreeordie4850]

Trev yep

[@shahirani4762]

Frank. T he is Germanic.

[@Jademyheart]

Ha ha 😂🤣🤣 good one!!👍

[@xinlinwu4572]

hes like one of those dramatic cartoon characters that i used to like

[@benson2873]

Trev0r98 mute the vid and watch him

[@jacksagrafsky4936]

Thanks for your advice especially about the catalytic converter. As a retired fire fighter went to many car fires because the red hot converter was parked over dry leaves, you know from trees well many a car was burned beyond recognition because of the driver leaving the car run while they ran into a store or whatever. Live and learn Scotty, thanks.

[@davecrupel2817]

Agreed. I put an OBD gague on my dash that shows various things including cat temp. I've seen it go between 900 and 1500⁰F. That is _serious_ heat. Far and above the ~200° your car engine is kept at.

[@robertt9342]

@@davecrupel2817. That’s how catalytic converters work, they need to be far hotter.

[@davecrupel2817]

@@robertt9342 yeah I never knew that until I installed that gauge and saw it for myself.

[@bluecolumbine]

Last night I had a nightmare my engine blew up just sitting in the driveway idling... then this was in recommended videos. KZbin algorithm is creepy accurate sometimes.

[@robo5677]

No way.

[@BANE.-.]

A horrific nightmare.

[@itsahmed8864]

May the engine with oil be with you

[@rickkrockstar]

How many people came here on a hot day.

[@abnermoran599]

May 25th 2024 palm bay Florida, its 90° and sunny as hell.

[@rey3396]

113° here in Lucknow, India.😂

[@MrJoe2022]

🙋🏾‍♂️😂

[@brann2911]

⚰️

[@dennisjasperse7377]

113 degrees f northern California

[@dougn2350]

When I've had a stressful day I watch Scotty for an hour and I feel better.

[@Mrbadassovrhere]

Scotty is going down as a legend.

[@DeadlyDre]

Scotty is a Legend

[@Cambaudio]

He has legended

[@madmotorrepair1748]

Scotty taking 1M people to school again today

[@SuperAceuno1]

I hadn't noticed he gained that many subs until seeing your comment

[@TWOxTONE_773]

Right. It's like a free education.

[@harrisonfowler4461]

How original.

[@ivanmeza5287]

Looks like 900,800 people didnt show up to school today.

[@Scribles]

Mad Motor Repair yep

[@but531]

I wish i could meet a mechanic like Scotty. Scotty is like a second father for us that we have cars and we want to keep our cars for decades .

[@JuanMoreno-pv3jt]

That celica went from 240,000 miles to 250,000 in less than two videos

[@limon106]

Juan Moreno so 1 videos then

[@trysplendid56]

Does it really matter? Its thereabouts

[@Tahara-Aichi]

Juan Moreno went from being illegal alien to an asylum refugee y lest than two videos?

[@JuanMoreno-pv3jt]

@@Tahara-Aichi "lest" 👌

[@jopisano67]

I know right. I don't think he drives that car anymore.

[@duradim1]

Don't lift your hood as my buddy Scotty said to do. You will forget at some point then "WHAM," your hood flies open before you get to 50 MPH.

[@ffhjvbuydb78eb]

Actually your hood won't fly open. I sometimes pop my hood to check the oil on my 98 ram for the next morning. One day I forgot it was slightly open and I was going down the highway and I noticed it was kinda shaking and I remembered I didn't shut it all the way so I pulled over and closed it. No big deal. I noticed it at first because I have a grill guard on my truck and I noticed I couldn't see it so that was a suspicion. Another thing your hood won't fly up because its still latched and you have to pull the handle under the hood before it will go up.

[@lc7192]

@Fox-E Exactly. Every car or truck I've ever owned has a hood latch that you have to depress, slide or lift in order to open the hood. I've never heard of any person's hood flying off if it is engaged in the safety catch but isn't closed completely.

[@v6mustang551]

Fox-E (Bonzai) well it kind of is, I was with a friend in his 67 Mustang and the hood wasn’t closed all the way, the safety release eventually gave up and it shattered the entire windshield and bent the hood in half

[@heinzletzte.6385]

open it all the way so you wont forget to close it

[@Goodywagon]

@@ffhjvbuydb78eb Oh it will though. Maybe not on newer cars but happened to my Mom in her '93 Plymouth Acclaim. Thankfully she was taking back road home and not the interstate like she usually would. A very scary day. It just isn't a good idea. It was the first thing I thought of when he said that. Otherwise, long live Scotty and thanks for all of the tips and entertainment, don't really watch much on KZbin anymore except for Scotty and old Dead shows lol.

[@thesehobbiesofmine7280]

This is a hanging question in my mind. I idled for 2 hours waiting for a barge. You gave me a sigh of relief knowing that putting an AT in neutral is ok. Thanks scotty.

[@raven4k998]

yeah neutral or park both are good for it drive for long periods is bad for it if you do it a lot scotty is saving people tyranny's by telling them to put it in neutral or park for sitting while the engines running for long periods of time

[@NewGoldStandard]

easily one of the best car channels on KZbin. thank you for the quality content!

[@gavintai1]

This video value is diamond!

[@aggie7756]

Some people never look at their car's instrument panel. The only gauge they seem to be familiar with is the fuel gauge.

[@edubb2491]

I know people not even the fuel Gage..lol

[@tostadatheviking7828]

CastleBravo That’s not true. I look at the Tachometer occasionally

[@damianhawk3]

Because it takes along time for new cars gauges to start actually telling them things though most old cars gauges are very accurate because it’s been literally used lol

[@iwantmooredudley]

I wish my car had oil pressure and temperature gauges. My previous vehicle did and I tried to keep an eye on both.

[@monexchannel9827]

Lol

[@reno145]

My cousin had a diesel VW Rabbit. He would plug it in at the hospital when he was on ambulance duty. It kept blowing the breaker in the hospital so he was told to stop. SO, in the middle of a good Iowa winter, he would report to work and just leave it running. 12 hours later his coworkers had cold cars (if they could get them started) and he just hopped in the VW and motored home. His record was 8 straight days of never turning it off.

[@ioa5842]

that’s wild, thank you for sharing🙏

[@hanzkrupps7463]

He hit a million!! CONGRATS!! 💓

[@scottykilmer]

Thanks for the support 👍

[@liveandletlive2894]

@@scottykilmer lmao almost 2 now!

[@davidgriffiths7696]

Carbon build up in Diesel engine?

[@liveandletlive2894]

@@davidgriffiths7696 huh

[@davidgriffiths7696]

live and let live combustion temperature lower at idle, cylinders glaze over extended periods and more smoke clogs Egr and exhaust, is a commonly held opinion I have come across. Sitting there idling for long periods in a diesel is said to cause accelerated engine wear.

[@adegres]

I revved up my 94 Celica engine and wrote a clean, non-offensive comment.

[@AccordionJoe1]

I think it is a good idea to rev the engine a little every so often to make sure oil is getting to every corner of the engine.

[@fargeeks]

I gotta do that in a gmc envoy just to keep the air conditioner working effectively

[@MmmMmm-rl8ws]

A friend of mine idled her car 8+ hours a day! In a few months the electric fan cycling burned out a fuse. Which cycled the AC compressor a huge amount due to heat and AC pressure switches. Which burned out the compressor clutch, which seized. The belt went bad, ruined the tensioner, over-headed the Head. Half hour idled ok, 10 hours a day, better be a police car! Your are the most informative and valuable producer here, thank you

[@rjaj3276]

Sounds like your friend had more issues before hand. Any modern vehicle can idle in definitely so long as the cooling system etc as explained in the video is in good condition. As long as you have enough gas you can idle forever. Take care of your vehicle and you won't have to worry about it blowing up because you let it idle lmao.

[@fargeeks]

Went throughout the entire tank of gas in 1 day?

[@Tbird761]

Speaking of rising temperatures, I had that happen in my 1994 Camry for a few weeks. Going even a mile to home, I would see the temp gauge start rising upward. I had never seen that gauge move past the middle for the first five years I'd owned the car. I never did figure out what was causing it, but it eventually stopped tending to overheat as suddenly as it began. It hasn't done that again in the ten years since. Love that car.

[@captiansparkles8139]

Start/Stop systems wear out the engine, transmission, starter etc. Can you make a video on this please.

[@scottykilmer]

good idea, thanks

[@restlessjack0042]

I bet those idiotic Start&Stop systems wear out battery and starter faster as well..!

[@Tore_Lund]

Just to add to the discussion: I don't own a Stop N' Go car, but I've tested killing the engine every time rolling to a red light in city driving and it saves 10-15% gas compared to idling during the course of a tankful. Typical my trip computer logs 4 hours idling per fill-up so that is around 2.5 liters saved. So the extra wear on the starter and transmission is more than offset by the cost of saved fuel.

[@captiansparkles8139]

Tore Lund it depends on the car too, especially on the fuel it uses,the size of the engine, how long you are at the lights etc. As Scotty said if you own a diesel car then the savings are negligible. If you live in America where the traffic lights are much longer then it would save you more fuel than in a European country.

[@captiansparkles8139]

RestlessJack 00 they do make the car use more electricity as the starter has to work every time it turns on the car but the battery is in use anyway as it is powering the radio, gauge cluster etc.

[@habib0346]

lol i love how as soon as something goes wrong in a car Scotty suggests buying a Toyota i think Toyota should sponsor all of your vids

[@Tore_Lund]

Toyota, Mazda, Ford.. Lots of the spare parts are interchangeable, so getting a part for the right price is easier too. If you find the model independent SKU number for your spare part, you'll notice 20-50 different cars using that part. Then suddendly, finding something at 1/5 the price for a 10 year old VW to put in your BMW makes you feel very smug.

[@MrWilliam.Stewart]

Of all the cars Scotty could own, he chooses an old reliable, durable, inexpensive fuss free machine. He really does know his cars.

[@habib0346]

Tore Lund I’m not talking how reliable or finding parts is I’m saying that I love how Scotty gives up on any car and says Toyota Toyota thousands time yeah it’s reliable but what is the fun of driving a Toyota except supra ofc and also note finding parts in Europe for Toyota is a bitch like VW is more reliable then Toyota in some countries

[@jerseyneil1]

Toyota makes sense to me. I have 6 cars in my household between my wife and I and the kids. They include newer models of Infiniti, BMW, Mitsubishi, Acura, and Volvo. However, my daily driver is a 98 Corolla I bought for my daughter to learn to drive on. I bought it used. It was cheap, great on gas, dependable, retains its value, and needs very little maintenance. When I need parts, I can find aftermarket parts on Ebay very cheaply. My next car will be a Lexus.

[@Tore_Lund]

Sorry this was just a stray thought on my part too, but this is the internet and varying opinions are always promoted to life and death arguments ;).

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I agree...I always put in neutral and use parking brake instead of holding brakes.

[@danielguest7841]

I lived in my 2014 camry for a while. I went from summer to winter so I had to leave it running at night so I didn't die.

[@madphatdopeyo742]

Same. My Corolla didn't get hurt by having the engine on idling for hours.

[@dannyracker6283]

I live out of my 1999 Toyota Avalon, 289,721 miles and counting. I delivered pizzas with it and use it to get me to and from school. I put 100-200 miles on it practically daily. Blessed to be able to have a reliable source of transportation, plus being a Avalon it’s quite roomy sleeping in lol. I have let my car idle for 6+ hours daily. When I use to work security I would let my car sit at idle for 8-14 hours daily. And the car still runs like a champ, paid $2000 for it with 275k miles when I first got it. Original engine and transmission. I have had it for about 9 months now and put about 15k miles on it since I have owned it and countless hours of idling. But I just change the oil religiously and the car just keeps going. After owning this car, it’s definitely Toyota 'til the death of me lol. I wouldn’t consider buying anything else but a Toyota!

[@dontaybreadgangtv5305]

@@dannyracker6283 if you ever experience the thrill of a muscle car you’ll forget you even had a Toyota. I used to feel the same way about my Chrysler 200

[@allisonacton7268]

My old car doesn't reverse anymore, so I use it to just drink or smoke inside of it with the music playing. I don't move the car but only turn it on for the ac/heater and to play music and chill. Its like running a small generator in a small house with ac/heater and a great music system.

[@beamerzonyt]

@@allisonacton7268 why not just get speakers in your house? 😂

[@kentonkirkpatrick5225]

Question: What cases more wear-and-tear on your transmission: At a red light, keeping your car in "Drive" or shifting to "Neutral" then back to "Drive" when the light is green? Thanks

[@atalzazai5132]

Shifting it to neutral then to drive of course

[@spiritualisrael007]

Thank you, Scotty! I needed this... I have a habit of sitting in my car with it idling for a long time and just wondered yesterday if I was possibly damaging the car. I waste a lot of gas. Lol. I live with a big family and sometimes I will go outside and just sit in my car or drive around for no reason just to be alone.

[@sidewayzsrt706]

SPIRITUAL ISRAEL Ay if you have the money for gas go for it 😂 nothing is more relaxing than driving around by yourself

[@bitcoochie4093]

you should worry about the environment not your motor

[@spiritualisrael007]

@@bitcoochie4093 Yeah, while big industrial plants literally pollute the air and water everyday, you want to tell me that an idling car is destroying the environment. 😂

[@Michael-ys5cn]

@@bitcoochie4093 La Palma volcano has been erupting for 71 days now and put out billions of tons of carbon emissions, more than a couple years worth of an entire countrys c02. That is just one small volcano, now multiply that by the 31 volcanos currently erupting and you will see how this change in climate is a natural cycle. If humans never polluted it would be the same

[@ThomasFromTN]

@@Michael-ys5cn I've always been confused by the climate change debate I'm getting the impression that some people are arguing that climate change is not occurring at all and then you have people who argue that it's people who are creating the climate change. I think that the argument about climate change has been come really kind of convoluted

[@SilverSun0]

1 MILLIONS SUBSCRIBERS !!!!! CONGRATS 🎉🎉🎉

[@scottykilmer]

thanks for the support!

[@cecilhosein4387]

I always wanted to know this. Thanks Mr. Kilmer

[@chazzftw9313]

Currently watching this while sitting in my car with the engine on

[@daniellegossett5856]

Same! Lol

[@erinfink6056]

Same.

[@joancarlopimentel3263]

I’m sitting in the car but the car is off lol

[@inquisitorfederov5470]

@@erinfink6056 hahahahaha

[@LuisRamirez-vv8dh]

This is why I looked the video up while eating my sandwich lmao

[@GeeeBeeee]

Scotty, love the information as always! Cars with automated manual transmissions (or Dual Clutch transmissions) such as the VW DSG or Audi S-Tronic tend to disengage their first gear when you come to a standstill and you see the RPM needle drop very steadily. You'll feel the vehicle sitting as if in Neutral. My 2016 VW GLI will keep the gear engaged, however, if you light-foot the pedal even on a stop. If you don't push your foot on the brake about 60% in at least, it will keep the gear engaged and add wear to that clutch (you also hear it). Idling with the foot on the brake is about 810RPM with this vehicle and about 900RPM with the AC or heater on.

[@alanjm1234]

A dual clutch stationary in drive with your foot on the brake will have first gear selected, but the clutch fully disengaged. In a manual sitting with your foot on the clutch isn't good, because it keeps the throw out bearing loaded. But dual clutch transmissions actually only load the bearing when the clutches engage, which happens when you release the brakes. So sitting in gear doesn't cause any real wear, but if it's a wet clutch it will use a little extra fuel and shorten the life of the oil slightly as it gets sheared between the clutch plates.

[@membersonlydave]

Rev it up Scotty!

[@2lazeblue]

I could never do a cold start and go, I always let it idle till it smooths out, usually around 800 RPM

[@jonathanrangel7036]

Same, my 04 mustang and 02 camaro are nice enough to let you know when they’re good to go after starting

[@rdsamfrench]

You're right, the car will calm down within a min of idle time then its ready to go. Good rule of thumb

[@zaccorpseman7366]

lol mine idles at around 500

[@derekbigpowers1993]

Kronx 6.0 too huh? Lol

[@tharpeaddy]

I just go. Never had a problem. I mean unless you own a mclaren or something I can understand but just a Toyota or Honda never saw the point.

[@JonnyDIY]

Ive been wondering how fast those *Auto start* cars are going to wear out their starters?

[@wildbill23c]

I don't believe they have a starter, its a combination starter/generator type setup in those, but yeah it'll definitely wear out faster as will the engine.

[@ferwiner2]

Starters in these cars are modified to start the engine in less time and to wear much slower. In fact, even if you believe you will disable that system in your car, it is good to buy it in a new car. That way you get a car that is actually harder to break. And you may always decide that fuel consumptions is in fact worth using it. The difference in city traffic is huge.

[@d-boyz3786]

they also crank at about 1000rpm compared to the conventional starters that crank at 300-400 rpm to get the engine started

[@d-boyz3786]

(thats why they start so quick, like one crank)

[@lc7192]

I've rented a couple of those cars with that feature. I just can't get used to it. You step on the foot pedal and expect to go right away and it takes a second or two for it to start and move forward. By the time it goes, it launches forward because you instinctively put more pedal into it to make it go.That drives me crazy...literally and figuratively. I say to heck with the little gas it saves. Its not worth my sanity.

[@nightryder16]

I have a 07 police interceptor as a weekend warrior to play around in. It's nice and it has all heavy duty parts including a heavy duty oil cooler.. It runs below the middle between hot and cold.. I love it..

[@stephenthompson4749]

Scotty owns the best voice of reason I have ever seen on a KZbin channel . Bro you rock

[@B.12.T]

I feel like I just switched to a random channel on the dimensional tv from Rick and morty

[@Wren4123]

I've seen girls at university sit in their brand new kia or nissans for hours with the engine and AC on in the parking lot. 😂

[@kuukuyankson2033]

Or homework/ assignments to do?

[@josezaragoza6405]

Ask the girls to invite you

[@stpbasss3773]

Major Tom for hours?? Lol

[@AA-bs3iy]

Major Tom He must have a girls at university sitting for hours idling there kia or nissan in the parking lot with the ac on fetish

[@necessaryevil8615]

Why are the girls there for hours...?

[@johnricciojr.5324]

I have a 2000 dodge. Idles forever and has 455,000 miles. Runs great. Use Lucas and change engine oil when needed or sooner.

[@zoezzzarko1117]

Lucas for gas or oil?

[@johnricciojr.5324]

@@zoezzzarko1117 oil

[@zoezzzarko1117]

@@johnricciojr.5324 ah ok thanks! I used to use the lucas for gas all the time and my car loved it. I didn't really know what the oil product does....

[@buddythelittletinyrescuedo5114]

Scotty I have several friends that are Master mechanics they are completely sick and tired of me asking them questions I love cars and pickup trucks I like cars from the 1990s up until about 2002 you are the best every time I open a video of yours I get an answer thanks and keep making them

[@hotshot2472010]

You have some great videos! I was wondering this myself because when I go to pick my daughter up from school, I let my car idle but it idles in park. Thanks for another great video! I've learned a lot from you and because of that, I'm able to fix certain things on my car now without having to take it to a mechanic for every little thing. Keep up the great work!

[@DashCamJournalsPH]

very informative Sir. keep it up. Watching from the Philippines

[@scottykilmer]

Thanks for the support 👍

[@DashCamJournalsPH]

Nope, but we ride a jeepney most of the time. most jeepney drivers here are reckless drivers. you should watch our bad drivers of the Philippines series,hehe

[@seannilagan1608]

I am a subscriber from the Philippines too. Hello Scotty!

[@0011clem]

Sitting in traffic in Manila would be very common .

[@DashCamJournalsPH]

0011clem raptor hehe you got that right.

[@flyingmunk8956]

Also. I had this happen. If you have an older car with not so good brake lines and you wait for the train with it in drive. Keeping your foot on the brake for so long keeps pressure up in the brake lines and you can blow a line. Lucky I was only like 2 blocks away from my house when this happened

[@wildbill23c]

That's why you put the vehicle in park when sitting for long periods of time.

[@flyingmunk8956]

Yeah that's for sure. I live in a town with one of the highest train traffics in the country. I always put in park now and most of the time shut it off right away

[@Kraitze]

if your brake line is that bad, you should be lucky, that it blew while not moving.

[@flyingmunk8956]

Kraitze yeah no kidding. That was a 18 year old me. I'm 29 now and know better lol

[@kdub9198]

flying munk89 Colton CA?

[@RedneckManWV99]

Don't forget about modern diesel engines with a DPF. Sitting and idling for long periods of time and not driving and allowing the system to "regen" will plug up the DPF and EGR coolers with unburned soot. The newer Cummins will increase the idle speed when idling for long periods of time to try and compensate for this, but it can only do so much, it needs to be driven to regenerate properly.

[@Manakuski]

RedneckManWV99 this is not a problem as long as you remember to drive the car hard sometimes and make sure to let the DPF regen properly. At least not in european BMW:s, we've had 6 BMW:s with no issues with DPF, they were taxis and run idle constantly even during winter. Only one had a slightly clogged up DPF, which was cleaned without issue and did not need replacement, this was after 200 000 kilometers driven (mostly in the city), i don't even want to know how many hours it had ran idling (i can tell a lot). 7th one going strong at 89000 kilometers, except for Adblue pissing into the SCR catalytic converter too much and the dealer/factory having to replace the whole exhaust system + the adblue injector... Adblue is bullshit. Still waiting for those replacements, warranty will cover, but it takes time to get the parts. Whenever possible, i drove the cars hard, when the engine was warm and the speedlimit wasn't too low. Driving a modern diesel hard occasionally keeps it healthy as long as you remember to let the DPF regenerate completely before turning the engine off.

[@BrianNC81]

I have an older truck 2005 with no DPF but the guys I know with newer trucks replace the exhaust system from turbo back and tune out the DPF and EGR. They get better fuel economy afterwards and it sounds like a Cummins again.

[@RedneckManWV99]

Best thing to do IMO. As long as your state doesn't check emissions! Luckily mine doesn't.

[@BrianNC81]

RedneckManWV99 I unplugged the EGR on my pre-DPF old diesel truck. No codes show up and oil stays cleaner. NC is the same way, diesel exempt from emissions test but gas motors are subject to it.

[@krazi77]

on our peterbilts at work we have the dpf filters cleaned once a year when the truck goes in for inspection.

[@kryptomiadeathmetalizer8628]

Thank you for giving peace of mind for most of us here LOL, I've been doing this once a week just to circulate and charge my battery, because most of Dr. Google's suggestions is "DO NOT" "NOT RECOMMEDED" " IT WILL TEAR WEAR ENGINE" . now I am relief. Thanks Scotty!

[@dirkdiggler2624]

He also forgot the number one ambulance engine failure, cracked exhaust manifolds. Thats why large diesel engines have segmented manifolds to control heat distortion, whereas most gas engines don't and extended idling doesn't provide good cooling. Installing headers eliminates the problem for the most part.

[@gearsofwar3xXx]

Which is why most traverse engines for front wheel drive have the exhaust manifold on the engine front - right where the fan air can hit it.

[@utakatikmobil]

fully agree with opening the hood slightly to let hot air escapes. in some places, the scorching summer heat is there all year long. even better if you could park under a shade let say a tree.

[@All2Skitzd]

I used to leave my car running 8+ hours a day when I was a courier, then I would go deliver pizza when I got off. I'd get a oil change every 2 weeks (3000 miles + long idle time). If your CC or EM is glowing red you need new spark plugs on its possibly restricted

[@jerseyneil1]

Several years ago, I returned home from work, pulled my 06 Montero into my driveway. Just then, the mailman pulled up to the front of the house. I put the car in Park and went to get the mail and a package he had for me, forgetting to shut off the car. The next morning, I come out of the house and see the engine was running. The car had been idling for 14 hrs. Remarkably it did not overheat or leak any fluids. Today's vehicles are much tougher than the old days.

[@EvertGuzman]

Sunil Thomas Indeed I was completing a 13 hour drive in a Chrysler Sebring. Got to a rest stop and fell asleep before turning it off. 9 1/2 hours later the gas gauge had only dropped by a quarter.

[@Boz1211111]

Yeah, cars are made to run and its not harmfull to the engine, its actually small amount of load and cars tend to have mixtures with lots of air at ide so it doesnt wash off cylinders like some say, at least for fuel injected vehicles

[@wildbill23c]

If your car is properly maintained idling in neutral or park will not cause it to overheat regardless of temperatures. You just burn a bit more fuel. Starting and stopping and city driving are worse on your car than idling or just driving on the highway or freeway.

[@kdub9198]

Evert Guzman Don't warm your car up in the snow without first making sure your tailpipe is clear of snow. Families have died of CO poisoning trying to warm up in an idling car that has an obstructed tailpipe.

[@rc8839]

Sunil Thomas, I did something similar when I got my new Mazda 6 which had a push button start-stop. For decades I was used to driving with ignition key, park, pull the key out and walk away. Old habits die hard. Returned from work in the evening, parked my new Mazda 6, got distracted by some random thoughts, stepped out of the car with home keys and walked away forgetting to push the start-stop button. Next morning at 8 am found the car still running and low fuel light had come up. It was continuously running 14 hours and I thought that must have damaged the engine or something. Its been 5 years since and put 50K miles, the car still runs like new. Scotty is right one cannot damage these new cars even if you leave them to idle for extended period of time.

[@davidbeaulieu4815]

Also this is something people in New England don't have to deal with it and don't even know about but few people down south when it start snowing do you know to put your windshield wipers up?

[@anaustralian268]

2:00 in the video. That shifter is for an AU falcon. Nice to see it included In this guys video as they do not have falcons

[@HonestFinance]

I love the short intro

[@chris2790]

If you going to pop the hood, I would recommend just lifting it all the way. That way you avoid forgetting that it is unlatched and driving off. If the safety latch malfunctions you will end up with a really bad day.

[@Carlos.Rivera]

Congrats on the 1mil subscribers

[@newfie-dean5803]

Good tip on the transmission at idle!

[@crayoneater68.5]

You have an answer to every question I have

[@scarystories6459]

Great content. Always learn something from every vid I watch. I admire you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with so many individuals needing helpful tips. Keep up the good work. Also, great editing. I can tell you don't just throw a raw video out. You take the time to keep peoples attention and truly make it understandable to everyone. Keep up the amazing work on cars and in the studio. You deserve every advert dollar you get. As an Uber/Lyft driver this is one questions I always had. you have saved me a lot of headache/ time/ and dough. My hat's off to you sir. Everyone, you need to rev up your engines and listen up to this fine gentleman. You will learn something.

[@scarystories6459]

Owner of 07 Toyota prius with 220,000 miles and Scotty's help. Still getting over 50mpg and runs like the day I purchased it. And trust me... Uber takes it's toll on a vehicle. Race to get the passenger, then stop and go in my market. Tons of idle time.

[@TwntyUp]

I like to take my work breaks inside my car, I really need to find a new spot to chill AWAY from my coworkers

[@zacharyoneil9856]

1 tip.. Install intercooler without turbo

[@izifaddag8221]

Thank you. This answered a question for me. I have a 2004 Mazda MPV minivan. 65,000 miles and in perfect condition. I baby it. I have in the past slept in it. I have run the engine for AC and heating. I had no problems. Of course it uses fuel but I would sooner pay for gas than a hotel. It was about $20 a night. A hotel $50 at best.

[@thatsallfolks3115]

I've been sitting at the mexicali border for more than 2 hours twice a month with my 06 sierra in drive . Hopefully no damage

[@MrWilliam.Stewart]

A Toyota with 250,000 miles, that's not high millage, that's run in 😀

[@intentionaloffside8934]

Break in!

[@vollkerball1]

Semi new car.

[@great159]

Casey Stoner stop lying to yourself💯

[@juansolo1617]

I have a Toyota RAV4 with 275k miles. The engine runs like a top. The only problems are with accessories, and that's normal with any car. The engine is even slightly neglected, but still runs very well. I'd prefer a Honda for ease of repairs. The Toyota is way too overly-complicated and has a compact engine bay.

[@jodyroper]

305K 2011 Tundra and only basic maintenance done to it.

[@isaicarrion1911]

Facts

[@benjaminwayneb]

5.7 l Chrysler/Ram engines have lifter roller failure that destroys the camshaft if the engine is idled extensively such as in Police use.

[@eugeneperkins1828]

I always tell people to open the hood. As soon as they do the ac runs cooler and temp goes down. I watch U all the time.

[@tamm_mf]

when I drive for 400 km, I am idling with air conditioner on while having a short nap when feel sleepy at a gas station , and it’s hot weather here in Saudi Arabia. So, I laugh my heart out, when You mention keeping an eye of the engine coolant temperature, because once I walk up from my nap I check two things Time, and The Engine Temperature.

[@G_Confalonieri]

Modern cars do not really need warming up. Just idle for about 45 sec so that oil pressure reaches its maximum. This is to make sure all higher parts of the engine are already lubricated. Then, drive gently. Within a mile or less, according to the engine, it should be running at appropiate temp.

[@dougn2350]

Good advice! On very cold days my 2018 car will high speed idle(1600 rpm) for about 30 seconds then slows to about 1000 rpm. All computer controlled of course. I let it idle another 15 seconds than drive slowly until I see the temp guage start to rise. By the time I reach the highway its warmed enough I can drive it normally. In summer the engine idles down from a cold start within 15 seconds. And I drive easy until temp gauge shows some heat. When its fully warmed I know I can drive it like I stole it. LOL

[@Cheese_1337]

Scotty is the bigest teacher with 1 million students

[@ozzstars_cars]

Thank you for this info Scotty. I'm glad to know it's ok to idle my car.

[@BalooUriza]

Well, in the sense that it's not doing damage to the car, just your wallet and the air we all share...

[@ozzstars_cars]

Damage to my wallet and air? I'm looking at both right now they look okay to me.

[@friedchicken1]

if you can see air, that's probably not good air lols

[@BalooUriza]

Yeah, this is why Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, BC all have anti-idle ordinances. Force of habit from living in Portland and learning to drive in Vancouver, I shut down if I've been sitting for about a minute or so. I don't shut down immediately because all three of those places are in desert states/provinces, and I understand leaving it run for a little bit with the A/C off to give things the opportunity to cool off. Plus I moved from somewhere a place where it went from 37°c to -20°c in 12 hours (February 2011), and went from the hottest, most humid place I've lived to the coldest, snowiest place I've lived (with a record 57.15cm in that same event that saw the temperature extremes above, February 2011). I also have a truck with a 6.2L v8 engine, so leaving it running longer than I need to is stupid expensive even though we only pay about 57¢/l on average here in Tulsa, OK. Basically, I don't run the A/C if I'm on a trip that is only on city streets if it's under about 35 or 40°c and even then, I turn it off if I'm approaching egregiously long lights or known-to-be-slow drive-throughs. Even at our cheap gas prices. I grew up in metro Portland, OR where having A/C in cars is rare and 40°c is basically an every-summer thing.

[@kinggzz]

uhm, guess what, on any v8 or diesel the a/c has no effect on the engine idle at all or the gas mileage whatsoever. and it takes more fuel to start an engine than to just letr idle as designed. this is oldschoolidous nonsense.

[@klepetar]

here is Kanada.. we are having the worst stupid winter ever.. it's between freeze your butt off or it's raining .. the roads are attrocious..it's dangerous.. even the ski resorts have no idea what is happening.. but when it darn cold..i let my car run 3-4 minutes before i take off.. my honda doesn't sound right when i leave and it's cold as ice.. and besides..i have to let the ice unstick from the windows in order to break it off..otherwise, i snap my wiper blades.. after 215 k's .. still running well .. 2006 element

[@BasedJake1999]

I have an 02' Chevy Blazer and it has a HUGE fan attached to it that goes to the pump directly and doesn't stop, it keeps the engine plenty cool!

[@branon6565]

How did those Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor's sit idle like they did/do with over 300,000 miles on it? I mean, they sit idle for long periods of time, on top of havin the throttle mashed a lot of the time too, with the A/C runnin sometimes, why can't all vehicles be that robust?

[@mikecastellon4545]

Why? Because they are the toughest , most durable , car ever made.

[@RipnDip561]

Because they are made by Ford.

[@gpcaraudio]

Don't forget to CLOSE the hood if you pop it open to let hot air out, its hard to see when your hood blows backwards over the windshield doing 60 mph

[@RoyalKingA73]

Thank you for answering my question. I have been wondering about that for a while because I DO have an old truck in Arizona and the heat here is rediculous. The only thing is, I don't have a thermostat in my engine. Do I need one at all or no?

[@TheDox451]

Thermostat will limit coolant flow when engine is cold or not under stress to keep it in optimal temperature. If needed it will open fully and let full cooling power to the engine. Without it you always have full cooling power. Adding one wont make a difference in terms of preventing overheating, only preventing the engine from going too cold. If you are worried about overheating on idling, best upgrade would be an electrical fan and flushing the coolant system. Shouldnt have any problems after that.

[@alcrats]

RoyalKingA73 U don’t hv one (is ur truck so old it didn’t come with one?) or it’s not working?

[@bandccoresohio]

Alcrats someone took it out and is a cheap ass obviously......

[@DrFruikenstein]

If your truck has a large radiator, and an electric fan, you'd probably be okay idling, and at lower RPMs... However, my experience is that most vehicles will run cooler in warmer climates with a proper thermostat. If everything else in the engine is in fair condition, a thermostat will keep the engine temperature steady, which also helps the engine last longer. So, while it may be okay without one, it would be best to have a good thermostat rated between 190° and 200°F. Your engine will thank you for it, too.

[@fredflintstone4715]

I had LOTS of heating problems with my old truck. Tried all kinds of ways to cool it down. With no thermostat the water ran too fast thru the radiator, and didn't have enough time to cool down properly. The 430 Lincoln motor it had came originally with 3 thermostats, but the rebuild kit came with restrictors for the ones that were originally in the heads. But, again, if it works, don't fix it.........

[@davidhunter1538]

I used to live in my 2009 car for some time and sleep by the roadside laying in the back with the engine idling and AC going for about eight months (six hours a night). Used about $25.00 worth of gas per night. Thanks to good planning I had a wagon. Six years later the idling doesn't seem to have done any harm.

[@grape1829]

Hope you're doing better now, but dude, that's $750/mo., you could've rented a place?

[@davidhunter1538]

@@grape1829 it was a temporary thing while it was hot. Not 7 days a week. Before that I was so broke I couldn't even afford the gasoline. I'm real good now.

[@jamesheina3337]

I read in manuals that diesel with turbochargers must idle before shutting down due to the scavenging of oil in a still spinning turbocharger.

[@jdrobinson3468]

I haven't seen your eyes yet, you always wear sunglasses.

[@salsa5948]

JD Robinson there’s only ONE video that I’ve seen where he shows his eyes. They’re a very light baby blue

[@dieseldouche7735]

@@salsa5948 you didn't even bother to tell us what video that was?

[@salsa5948]

Diesel Douche I’ve watched so many I don’t know!!

[@External29]

@@dieseldouche7735 Why does it even matter how his eyes look?? That's not the reason why you're watching his videos to begin with.

[@loganking2373]

Greil Mercenary stfu

[@AmericanConstellation]

Thanks for this. I take a nap for 30 minutes in my car, at lunch when I'm at work. I run the engine and AC.

[@mexi9787]

Pelt Down Posse same bro same !!

[@johnjafon2410]

Very useful i needed heat as im a overnight security guard and it got COLD. All i had was a light jacket. So now im using my modern car as warmth for like 4 hours thanks!

[@terryedgerton7513]

G/Day Scotty. Greetings from OZ. Good article but crikey what about the lack of cylinder lubrication when idling for long periods due to no oil spray from the crankshaft. Blimey, I remember a Volvo Diesel glazing the bores because the driver had a snooze on a hot night and left the engine idling with the AC on. Cheers. 🇦🇺

[@livefreeordie4850]

Terry good point

[@MitchGrooms]

Great vid again.. You crack me up..

[@kenek3924]

Mitch Grooms I agree I I really like his videos.

[@joeyjenks2971]

Thanks again Scotty your the Best ...

[@ternak001]

Just remember to close your hood when you start driving again

[@juliosanchez4036]

perfect ma man

[@albieoval1657]

And put the car in drive

[@sidharthchand8072]

I use that hood trick when I was doing security at a parking lot and forgot to close it opened on the freeway thanks, Scotty

[@nephetula]

Thanks for the tip about idling in "drive"! I've had so-called "mechanics" tell me it makes no difference, but anyone with good common sense knows better.

[@carljohnson4503]

I like idling my car in my car garage while it warms up listening to my tunes.

[@OottaBot]

😂😂😂😂

[@dukenukem7043]

Make sure to have the garage door open XD

[@swagger1930]

Duke Nukem nah u gotta let the car soak in the garage’s atmosphere

[@abnnuzzinicholasclay686]

that's how I sleep every night

[@douglaslane6184]

Thatss dangerous!! You need to at least open the door, or you'll get carbon monoxide poisoning from the car running, and polluting the garage. And yes, thats happened before...

[@AlaskanFrontier1]

Here in Alaska, during the cold months, we let our cars idle to warm up.

[@wildbill23c]

Do they ever warm up at all up there? LOL.

[@Lincolnator721]

Life In The Taiga someone told me Michigan is often times colder than Alaska.

[@treverduvall3351]

Lincolnator facts Wisconsin to it hits negative 40

[@0011clem]

Lisa , ice road truckers drives her trucks to the limits. then goes home to a house full of animals.

[@pilgrim666butters]

I knew a guy in Minnesota who would just never would turn his car off over the night

[@delvinal5583]

Great vid. Piston rings get oiled by sling out oil from the crankshaft con rod big end onto the cylinder walls. That requires some RPM to do, maybe more than base idle rpm. you can lose your rings early in a boat diesel I know for sure with lots of idle time, so bump the idle to at least 750-800 and blip it to 1200 once in awhile just to put oil all through it for sure. Bring it to a dead idle before shifting into a gear. Cars? The great one just said it.

[@dontefoster2927]

I like your channel and thanks for so much info. Idling your engine is hard on the timing belt, your engine most likely won't be at optimum temp so your oil could get contaminated with gas and in diesel's over time your cylinder walls will glaze causing premature blow by so idling long periods over time will shorting any engine life.

[@norm1815]

If it's glowing red drive a bit to cool it down from under car airflow.......same if the engine is starting to overheat...don't turn it off drive it down the road and cool it down

[@fat_dorito2332]

Awesome video! Keep them coming!

[@konandr]

What about oil getting more use when idling. Won't this affect the intervals of oil changes?

[@semihiseri]

A.K0nstant every hour of idling equals 33 miles/50km of driving on oil according to some internet source that I saw some time ago. It's written on the internet so it must be true

[@Boz1211111]

Ideal would be if you changed oil depending on amount of burned fuel, that way it takes everything into account

[@Stratocoaster08]

I think there's an EricTheCarGuy video on this very subject. I can't remember exactly what was said, but basically if you're a civilian, then USUALLY you're not idling enough to make a difference. Again, the keyword there is usually. However, if the engine is running for hours at a time (like with Police Officers) then it can significantly effect oil change intervals. I can't remember the specific numbers to consider, but it seems the other replies have the right idea! :)

[@stevenp3176]

Technically it does effect this though typically most people don’t monitor it. Today’s oil life monitors do take this in to account. Fleets will monitor engine hours just for this purpose. Do I think the average person needs to? No I just change at the heavy usage interval that’s typically found in ones owner manual. Opinion based but has never let me down.

[@konandr]

So what oil schedule do you propose for a 2001 opel vectra b car (1.6 16v) that A) is supplied with semi-synth 10w40 oil and has a normal oil service schedule of 5000km but B) burns a significant amount of oil C) is driven at low speeds in the city (it doesn't cover a lot of ground and usually doesn't reach 5000km in a year and gets serviced and oil changed once a year) D) because of the city driving its fuel economy sky-rockets to 12Liters/100km when it should sit around 7lt-8lt/100km Should the oil be changed significantly earlier or you would stick to once a year interval?

[@myverynow]

you rock sir. the only mild disappointment is about when you recommended the computer update, based on $1500+ interface hardware (and, yes, software engineer here). keep up the great work! thanks

[@royborgersen8092]

How about cars with a turbo? Should one wait to start driving and to stop the engine after driving, to secure the oil flow to the turbo, as was recommended in older cars?

[@humanandroid8099]

You should still do that, yes.

[@lamoona4269]

Yea but 30 seconds before and after is well enough time for that matter

[@Cobra6Gaming]

And let's not forget it's terrible for the environment to let your car idle for a long time, just switch it off and open the windows.

[@gearsofwar3xXx]

Do that in Arizona in July and see how long you last.

[@Cobra6Gaming]

@@gearsofwar3xXx If you need to stand still for that long, you might as well get out and get a coffee.

[@desertrose0601]

Depends where you live. When it’s 100+ degrees that’s a terrible idea.

[@jonkvh]

High compression diesels do not like idling. Glazing the bores is what eventuates.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

That's right !

[@tails300]

Well it’s a good thing diesels are dead in America nowadays. Except for big semi trucks.

[@belindamanning9851]

I had a mechanic tell me that carbon builds up on the pistons or cylinder walls when idling too much. Any truth to that?

[@matthewnikitas8905]

That very well could be true because when an engine idles the fuel doesn’t get burnt up completely and could leave some remaining carbon deposits on the engine that doesn’t get burnt up through the exhaust.

[@Stalicone]

Power outage - using my car as a backup generator, running an inverter. Im powering lights, fans, and a phone charger with a 400w inverter. Idle time will be about 8 hours. Thats why im watching this video. Thanks for the info!

[@raymondray3232]

Scotty you are the best. I don't even have a car and I still watch your channel

[@ArabianKnight7771]

Scotty gained 50k subscribers in one week wow

[@livefreeordie4850]

IKR