Do you let your AMG warm up on chilly morning?
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
W211 E63
I dont understand how you can post those four points from the manual and find what Ive written incongruent with that information - Idling is the LOWEST load you can place on a motor while its on, and satisfies ALL the conditions listed; the fact that the car has safety measures in place to prevent further damage from cold running again highlights my point. As far as real world data/examples just looking at motorsport teams either have block heaters or water/oil pump heaters - which I stated already. This isnt some Honda 4 cyl that only needs oil every 200,000mi - Youve presented nothing but colloquial examples from motors that are not commensurate with the M156 and comparisons tech from 1880s that Benz himself patented.. It is argumentative its a debate.. and again if Ive been antagonistic I apologize but I dont believe I have.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 72
Likes: 13
2009 E63
A little necromancy.
The full paper cited in the vid is available for anyone who wants to have a read. Seems even a lot of the auto journos writing about start up and idle in the past missed this specific one. TLDW: continuous idle operation produces the same level of piston ring and cylinder wall/bore wear as running WoT at full operating temps. Likely manufacturers have been and continue to be aware of this and related studies, hence manuals stating to only let engines idle for a short time then to continue bringing them up to operating temps by driving, and ECUs being programmed for specific idle behavior based on start-up conditions.
Free will and all that so people can do as they please, but multiple scientific and industry studies conclude that running beyond a short window at idle both burns excess fuel and increases engine wear, with both worsening as ambient temperature decreases. Anyone who wants to believe AMG and other higher-performance engines exist in a realm where they aren't subject to these same interactions of metallurgy and thermal/fluid dynamics is also free to do so. Anyone who wants to imagine their AMG doesn't run rich at start up to get temps up and continue to do so while idling instead of being driven is, of course, free to do so.
Best way to keep engine wear to a minimum is to keep cold starts to a minimum regardless of the oil variant. If you're in an extremely cold climate then block & oil pan heaters may be a useful investment.
See you all in another few years.
The full paper cited in the vid is available for anyone who wants to have a read. Seems even a lot of the auto journos writing about start up and idle in the past missed this specific one. TLDW: continuous idle operation produces the same level of piston ring and cylinder wall/bore wear as running WoT at full operating temps. Likely manufacturers have been and continue to be aware of this and related studies, hence manuals stating to only let engines idle for a short time then to continue bringing them up to operating temps by driving, and ECUs being programmed for specific idle behavior based on start-up conditions.
Free will and all that so people can do as they please, but multiple scientific and industry studies conclude that running beyond a short window at idle both burns excess fuel and increases engine wear, with both worsening as ambient temperature decreases. Anyone who wants to believe AMG and other higher-performance engines exist in a realm where they aren't subject to these same interactions of metallurgy and thermal/fluid dynamics is also free to do so. Anyone who wants to imagine their AMG doesn't run rich at start up to get temps up and continue to do so while idling instead of being driven is, of course, free to do so.
Best way to keep engine wear to a minimum is to keep cold starts to a minimum regardless of the oil variant. If you're in an extremely cold climate then block & oil pan heaters may be a useful investment.
See you all in another few years.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 921
Likes: 163
From: Virginia
N/A
Take away..
1) If the outside temperature is under 40 degrees let the car idle a bit and warm up.
2) Keep the RPM's low until the car is warmed up.
3) Don't load the engine until the car is at operating temperature.
FYI: Every time I drive my car I open the hood and let it cool down, with a closed hood you are cooking everything for hours every time you drive it. It saves the plastic parts, the rubber parts etc. I let the car cool down completely.
The dealer actually noticed this.
1) If the outside temperature is under 40 degrees let the car idle a bit and warm up.
2) Keep the RPM's low until the car is warmed up.
3) Don't load the engine until the car is at operating temperature.
FYI: Every time I drive my car I open the hood and let it cool down, with a closed hood you are cooking everything for hours every time you drive it. It saves the plastic parts, the rubber parts etc. I let the car cool down completely.
The dealer actually noticed this.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,327
Likes: 586
2005 e55 AMG
Take away..
1) If the outside temperature is under 40 degrees let the car idle a bit and warm up.
2) Keep the RPM's low until the car is warmed up.
3) Don't load the engine until the car is at operating temperature.
FYI: Every time I drive my car I open the hood and let it cool down, with a closed hood you are cooking everything for hours every time you drive it. It saves the plastic parts, the rubber parts etc. I let the car cool down completely.
The dealer actually noticed this.
1) If the outside temperature is under 40 degrees let the car idle a bit and warm up.
2) Keep the RPM's low until the car is warmed up.
3) Don't load the engine until the car is at operating temperature.
FYI: Every time I drive my car I open the hood and let it cool down, with a closed hood you are cooking everything for hours every time you drive it. It saves the plastic parts, the rubber parts etc. I let the car cool down completely.
The dealer actually noticed this.
If it is really hot I run the fan on hi speed with my over ride swirtch for 30 seconds or so to bring the temps down.
