jvz@ccice5.UUCP (John V. Zambito) (12/04/85)
>>> 99% of your total lifetime engine wear occurs during the first 0 to 10 >>> seconds of operation, when the oil is drained off the parts and you have >>> pretty much raw metal rubbing against raw metal. > >> ... Or why isn't there some mechanism which, when you turn on the >> starter, first pumps up some oil for 2-3 seconds before kicking over >> the engine? Granted, we're talking about added complexity, but it >> sounds justified in this case. > >You can buy such a device, and plumb it into your car. It stores >a quart or so of oil under pressure, which you can release before >starting the car. > >Seems like the easy way to take care of the first problem is to use >an electric oil pump, and switch it on a few seconds before starting >the engine. I kick over my motorcycle a couple of times before I turn on the ignition, to start the oil pumping. The metal rubbing doesn't hurt when the starter is doing the moving. It's more of a problem when the engine starts right up and runs before the oil pressure is up. So I think putting an ignition kill switch on the car to prevent it from starting too quickly is a good idea.
mff@wuphys.UUCP (Swamp Thing) (12/09/85)
In article <959@ccice5.UUCP> jvz@ccice5.UUCP (John V. Zambito) writes: >>>> 99% of your total lifetime engine wear occurs during the first 0 to 10 >>>> seconds of operation, when the oil is drained off the parts and you have >>>> pretty much raw metal rubbing against raw metal. >> >>> ... Or why isn't there some mechanism which, when you turn on the >>> starter, first pumps up some oil for 2-3 seconds before kicking over >>> the engine? >> >I kick over my motorcycle a couple of times before I turn on the ignition, >to start the oil pumping. > I used to own a 70 Bug. When the ignition switch went bad, I replaced it with a toggle switch for the ignition, and a push-button for the starter. Before starting a cold engine, I would let the starter crank a few times before turning on the igition system. I believe this used to be pretty standard on early starting systems. Mark F. Flynn Department of Physics Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130 ihnp4!wuphys!mff "There is no dark side of the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark." P. Floyd
saf@bonnie.UUCP (Steve Falco) (12/12/85)
> [When] starting a cold engine, I would let the starter crank a few times > before turning on the igition system. I believe this used to be pretty > standard on early starting systems. > > Mark F. Flynn I can't believe this is any good for your engine! When you crank it without ignition, any gas vapor which is sucked into the cylinders will wash the oil off the cylinder walls. Gas is a poor lubricant compared to oil. I believe you will increase the wear by following this practice. It is also quite bad to "punch" the gas when shutting off an engine. I know a lot of people who do this, apparently to prevent run-on. They are in effect trying to flood out the engine. The problem is that once again, raw gas is being dumped into the cylinders. It washes down and dilutes the oil - NOT GOOD! An engine in good running condition should not need to be primed before starting. If you need to do this, there is something wrong. Old quadrajet carbs were notorious for this causing this kind of problem. The secondary jets are just pressed in. Eventually they leak, causing the fuel in the bowl to drain into the engine. Then, when you try to start the car, there is no gas in the carb. People "fix" this by adding a sealer (like epoxy!!) around the jets. Steve Falco
spw2562@ritcv.UUCP (12/16/85)
> let the starter crank a few times before turning on the ignition
How do you crank the starter without turning the ignition on???
==============================================================================
Steve Wall @ Rochester Institute of Technology
USnail: 6675 Crosby Rd, Lockport, NY 14094, USA
Usenet: ..!rochester!ritcv!spw2562 (Fishhook) Unix 4.2 BSD
BITNET: SPW2562@RITVAXC (Snoopy) VAX/VMS 4.2
Voice: Yell "Hey Steve!"
Disclaimer: What I just said may or may not have anything to do
with what I was actually thinking...rjb@akgua.UUCP (R.J. Brown [Bob]) (12/20/85)
Sometime back in the mid 1950s, American passenger cars converted
to a combined ignition/starter switch which is now key actuated.
As a boy I remember that I could mash the starter button on the dash
board of my Daddy's '51 Chevy and it would crank over but without
the key in the "ON" position, it wouldn't start. Of course that was
a while ago, and I could be remembering incorrectly. ??
Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb}ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (12/26/85)
> Sometime back in the mid 1950s, American passenger cars converted > to a combined ignition/starter switch which is now key actuated. > As a boy I remember that I could mash the starter button on the dash > board of my Daddy's '51 Chevy and it would crank over but without > the key in the "ON" position, it wouldn't start. Of course that was > a while ago, and I could be remembering incorrectly. ?? > > Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb} You are remembering correctly. Before that, there was a pedal (about the size of a half dollar) on the floor. Stomping on it engaged the starter. (Solinoid? Whats a solinoid?) -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.