battery charging

[crackthatoff]

I think the tracker is sapping the battery, will running the engine on standstill recharge it or does it have to move?
I have a trickle charger but the garage electrics are a little shady to say the least.

[crackthatoff]

hello ?

[kambites]

Idling it will charge the battery but it's not very good for the engine to be idled from cold.

[chrisstringer]

Heard that before, but could someone please remind me why it shouldn't be idled from cold ? I've been doing it quite a bit recently before jumping in as it's b@stard freezing here !

[jondude]

Idling is not good as it takes the oil ( and coolant )ages to warm up this way. Modern oils do not make this a serious concern, but the principle is the same - if you drive off immediately on starting ( with low revs and loads of gearchanges ) then you work the oil warm. This is what the oil likes, and so does your engine.

Idling from cold tends to creats hotspots in certain areas only, whereas driving gets the whole car and fluids bouncing along.

So if you idle for ten minutes and then drive as if the car is fully warm, you could do some serious wear on internal parts, not least the top end of the engine. ( The extended idle will mean extended choke periods, so the pistons and bores are getting a rich mixture, that is more petrol than oil...this is never good )

It is not much unlike the human body. If you gently jog, then increase your speed....you can then sprint with little effort and less worry of injury.

If you just rub your hands and arms, then try to sprint....well, dunno about you, but I would collapse on the spot!

[hueandcry71]

jondude said:

Idling is not good as it takes the oil ( and coolant )ages to warm up this way. Modern oils do not make this a serious concern, but the principle is the same - if you drive off immediately on starting ( with low revs and loads of gearchanges ) then you work the oil warm. This is what the oil likes, and so does your engine.

Idling from cold tends to creats hotspots in certain areas only, whereas driving gets the whole car and fluids bouncing along.

So if you idle for ten minutes and then drive as if the car is fully warm, you could do some serious wear on internal parts, not least the top end of the engine. ( The extended idle will mean extended choke periods, so the pistons and bores are getting a rich mixture, that is more petrol than oil...this is never good )

It is not much unlike the human body. If you gently jog, then increase your speed....you can then sprint with little effort and less worry of injury.

If you just rub your hands and arms, then try to sprint....well, dunno about you, but I would collapse on the spot!

cracking explanation and one that even i can understand. What makes your explanation even better is that you was either drunk when you typed it or have just finished a night shift judging by the time you posted???

[chrisstringer]

jondude said:

If you gently jog, then increase your speed....you can then sprint with little effort and less worry of injury.

If you just rub your hands and arms, then try to sprint....well, dunno about you, but I would collapse on the spot!

Er, no. I would collapse on the spot either way...

Thanks for the info.