I never turn my engine off at petrol stations!
Discussion
V8RX7 said:
Your engine is approx 6' from the filler, if you open the bonnet can you see a load of sparks - no.
Cars driving up to the pump opposite are running and possibly closer than 6' - so how dangerous is it ?
It's not.
Exactly this. I can't see the difference between an engine idling while the car's being filled up and the same engine driving up to the pump and driving away. Or another car doing the same right next to it on the other side of the pump. As he's pointed out, the car that pulls up right behind me to use the pump behind has its running engine far closer to my fuel filler than my engine is.Cars driving up to the pump opposite are running and possibly closer than 6' - so how dangerous is it ?
It's not.
The only problem I can see for the OP is that with his car's reputation for being thirsty the petrol pump is probably struggling to keep up with the idling engine so it's taking a lot longer to fill up.
thelawnet said:
Wacky Racer said:
Why? Are the pumps that heavy to lift?
The pumps are the same as here, but they only pay wages of around £100/month so you might as well have a dolly bird filling you up. Plus it's all government owned anyway. And I guess it discourages people from driving off without paying.I had a Lexus company car as an interim daily driver and used to forget to switch off the engine all the time at petrol stations because it was so quiet. Did it quite a lot when it was sunny and I couldn't see the instruments that well. Then I'd get back in the car and try to start it when it was already running.... screeeech!
matty6660 said:
Oh I didn't know I had to ask your permission before I bought my car.
By the way, the older RX8's don't start when hot even if the engine is healthy and brand new
The new RX8's start when hot because they have the uprated 2kw starter as opposed to the old 1.3kw starter in my model. And 2kw starters are on ebay for £100 not £300. You don't seem to know much about RX8's and yet you apparently own one? lol
By the way my last car was an MG ZS 180 2.5 which I sold for nearly double the value of this RX8 lolz
BullsBy the way, the older RX8's don't start when hot even if the engine is healthy and brand new
The new RX8's start when hot because they have the uprated 2kw starter as opposed to the old 1.3kw starter in my model. And 2kw starters are on ebay for £100 not £300. You don't seem to know much about RX8's and yet you apparently own one? lolBy the way my last car was an MG ZS 180 2.5 which I sold for nearly double the value of this RX8 lolz
t, my RX-8 is an early 2004 model with the original starter motor, i.e. low rpm one. And I got my starter price figure from the most well respected rotary parts website Mazda Rotary Parts:Genuine Faster Starter - £408: http://www.mazdarotaryparts.com/bgenuine-mazda-rx-...
Compatible Mitsubishi Faster Starter - £276: http://www.mazdarotaryparts.com/bmazda-rx-8-r3--mi...
So, the £300 isn't the exact number but it is in between the two. Anyway, you aren't wrong that several early RX-8's had faster starter motors fitted to them over time but not all of them did, like mine. Which reminds me, I should put an uprated starter on mine as a form of insurance.
Last week a friend who regularly filled up his little Honda petrol engined generator without bothering to switch it off was engulfed in a ball of flame as he topped up the tank.
He was extremely fortunate to escape with just burned legs and a knackered genny, lesson learned.
The filler on a car is not directly above the engine though, I wonder if filling cars with the engine running could be safer, due to the exhaust gas blowing any fumes away?
How many incidents a year of cars burning at the pumps are there?
He was extremely fortunate to escape with just burned legs and a knackered genny, lesson learned.
The filler on a car is not directly above the engine though, I wonder if filling cars with the engine running could be safer, due to the exhaust gas blowing any fumes away?
How many incidents a year of cars burning at the pumps are there?
Frankthered said:
It's a bit different with a mobile phone - it is questionable whether there is really an ignition source in a phone - again, this is probably only an issue if there is a fault in the phone that causes a spark. The main issue with a phone is that they aren't tested and certified for use in a hazardous area.
Can't remember where I saw/read it, but independent testing under any circumstances, even tampering with the phone couldn't get any sort of spark from it, certainly couldn't ignite fumes in perfect for ignition conditions. All the cases they could find where mobile phone started forecourt fires had started were in the US at stations where you could stick the pump in and leave it filling up to stop automatically. The owners had then got back into the vehicle, they concluded it was the owners amassing static electricity getting in and out starting the fire.However, Bear Grylls started a fire by smashing a phone battery...
ally3601 said:
Vipers said:
Some years ago in the highlands, the garage proprietor filled my car up, still smoking his pipe as he did so.
I decided to keep a safe distance just in case.
This might sound like a weird question, but can you remember where in the Highlands? My grandad used to own a shop up there and he was never without his pipe! I decided to keep a safe distance just in case.
Right, a few facts:
1. Healthy rotaries start fine when warm.
2. Healthy rotaries start fine when cold.
3. Healthy rotaries have issues starting when you run them for about 30s then turn them off: that's when they flood, that's when you get restart problems.
4. A rotary not starting when hot is a symptom of low compression.
5. A more powerful starter motor will help with this, but you're just masking the problem. It won't help for long.
6. A compression test would likely reveal figures in the 5's for your engine.
7. Your engine needs a rebuild.
But hey, let's not get facts get in the way of internet folklore, huh?
1. Healthy rotaries start fine when warm.
2. Healthy rotaries start fine when cold.
3. Healthy rotaries have issues starting when you run them for about 30s then turn them off: that's when they flood, that's when you get restart problems.
4. A rotary not starting when hot is a symptom of low compression.
5. A more powerful starter motor will help with this, but you're just masking the problem. It won't help for long.
6. A compression test would likely reveal figures in the 5's for your engine.
7. Your engine needs a rebuild.
But hey, let's not get facts get in the way of internet folklore, huh?
55palfers said:
Impressed at how calmly she dealt with it!HereBeMonsters said:
Snollygoster said:
I usually leave the engine running so you can see where abouts the needle has moved to as I'm one of those anal people who drive around with only up to half a tank to save weight 
Do you fold the rear seats down as well?It must be a bit embarrassing to have to do it OP? You're driving a knackered car AND just making people look at you in petrol stations and people there with their children etc will not like what you're doing, whether it increases the risks or not. You're told not to do it so its simplest to not do it.
Sort your car out rather than driving something broken!
To answer your question you will probably be ok, just like youd probably be ok if you redlined it everywhere for a day and jumped red lights but its not the right thing to do.
Sort your car out rather than driving something broken!
To answer your question you will probably be ok, just like youd probably be ok if you redlined it everywhere for a day and jumped red lights but its not the right thing to do.
Wacky Racer said:
thelawnet said:
In Indonesia, nobody turns off their engine at the pump. And these are manned (or womaned more typically, they hire 20-something females for the job) pumps.
Why? Are the pumps that heavy to lift?vikingaero said:
I had a Lexus company car as an interim daily driver and used to forget to switch off the engine all the time at petrol stations because it was so quiet. Did it quite a lot when it was sunny and I couldn't see the instruments that well. Then I'd get back in the car and try to start it when it was already running.... screeeech!
You leave the keys in all the time you're filling and paying? I didn't think anyone actually did that! 
Although it's just occurred to me that the OP does of course...
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