Stop/Start engines, will starters become consumable items?
Discussion
Chatting to a chap at Avis the other week while picking up a hire car which had an eco stop/start engine. I was saying that I wondered if starters might become a point of failure in the future as they are being used far more with this technology. He mentioned that his 18 month old BMW 1 series with stop/start had already gone back to the dealer for a new starter under warranty.
As far as I know there's no difference between starter motor design pre and post this technology being introduced.
So what say you all? Are we going to see starters becoming 'consumable' items over the next few years?
As far as I know there's no difference between starter motor design pre and post this technology being introduced.
So what say you all? Are we going to see starters becoming 'consumable' items over the next few years?
Its my understanding that it is a different system on start/stop cars. It takes less effort to start the car than a conventional engine. I was curious about this because cars use more fuel to start than if they were left to idle for a few seconds/ minutes and how a stop/ start car can be justified. But what I found was that its not the same.
Stuart_D said:
Its my understanding that it is a different system on start/stop cars. It takes less effort to start the car than a conventional engine. I was curious about this because cars use more fuel to start than if they were left to idle for a few seconds/ minutes and how a stop/ start car can be justified. But what I found was that its not the same.
Mazda's i-Stop uses combustion to aid the starter and speed up the restart, but it still uses the starter. I'm not familiar with any other methods which do away with the starter altogether. Mazda's SISS in 2008 was purely experimental but never went into production. That stopped the engine at a specific point in it's rotation and then used solely ignition to restart it. AFAIK, that's the only non-starter based system.Well its been a good 6 years since the systems first started to appear in the likes of the MINI and Golf Bluemotion and there haven't really been a huge number of reported issues. All Start/ Stop cars have uprated components to handle the technology so its a different alternator and battery etc.
Typical Stop-Start systems have a design life of around approx 250k starts.
The starter isn't "upgraded" so to speak (in terms of performance) but it is designed to be more durable (better material for the solenoid contacts, better bearings etc). The Vehicle battery will be a higher capacity one, but not because of the starting, but because of the need to run "hotel loads" when the engine is off. The wiring layout to the starter will be beefed up, to reduce resistive losses and hence heating when multiple starts are carried out in short succession.
BUT, having said all that, unless you are actually a London minicab driver, most privately owned cars actually don't do that many "extra" Stop-Start events every day!
The starter isn't "upgraded" so to speak (in terms of performance) but it is designed to be more durable (better material for the solenoid contacts, better bearings etc). The Vehicle battery will be a higher capacity one, but not because of the starting, but because of the need to run "hotel loads" when the engine is off. The wiring layout to the starter will be beefed up, to reduce resistive losses and hence heating when multiple starts are carried out in short succession.
BUT, having said all that, unless you are actually a London minicab driver, most privately owned cars actually don't do that many "extra" Stop-Start events every day!
Had a BMW 120d M-sport ( had to put that in) a couple of years ago as a company car. Very average thing for a £25k car and this was the only occasion I've come across stop-start technology.
Did assist with the economy, but every time it restarted in traffic it was like a tractor - used to shake the gear knob like you wouldn't believe. Became such a pain that at the start of every journey I'd press the button on the dashboard to disable the eco mode and problem solved.
Did assist with the economy, but every time it restarted in traffic it was like a tractor - used to shake the gear knob like you wouldn't believe. Became such a pain that at the start of every journey I'd press the button on the dashboard to disable the eco mode and problem solved.
nct001 said:
This stop start system most likely wears out the engine as well, its good for a turbo charged engine to idle after a drive but this stop start system won't allow it to idle and extra stress on engine from stopping and starting instead of just being left to idle.
First thing I do is switch the bloody thing off, saying that, it does seem to have a mind of its own when left on. Seems to be a common trait on my model.Oh, and ref the Turbo thing, I am with you 100%, let me leave this old pic here (again)
Motorists have been told for decades about how stop start driving is bad for cars and that city based stop start driving wears cars out... but now lucky punters we have this glorious new stop start system and like sheep they buy it.
Anyone remember VW umwelt? First stop start system??? And abandoned?
Aside from hybrids do manufacturers make stop start petrols?
Anyone remember VW umwelt? First stop start system??? And abandoned?
Aside from hybrids do manufacturers make stop start petrols?
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