What to Do If the Car Was Left Running for 14 Hours Without Turning Off the Engine?
1 Answers
If the car was left running for 14 hours without turning off the engine, it is recommended to drive at a moderate speed for a certain distance. Why idling consumes more fuel: During operation, the cylinders consume fuel, and idling is equivalent to doing useless work. According to the law of energy conservation, the fuel is converted into heat and dissipated, while the car does not move at all. The reasons for increased fuel consumption are as follows: when the engine speed is very low (idling is generally the lowest point), the leakage of the valves and piston rings increases. Additionally, the prolonged contact time between the combustion gases and the cylinder walls increases heat dissipation losses, leading to higher fuel consumption. For gasoline engines, because the intake airflow is relatively weak during idling, it is difficult for the carburetor to disperse the fuel mist, requiring a richer air-fuel mixture, which also increases fuel consumption. Hazards of idling: Under idling conditions, due to incomplete combustion in the cylinders, the exhaust contains a large amount of harmful and toxic components such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. During the emission of these harmful and toxic components, some may deposit in the cylinders. During idling, the lubrication pressure of the engine oil is relatively low, worsening the lubrication conditions of moving parts. Unburned fuel washes the cylinder walls, the intake vortex is weak, and fuel combustion is incomplete, making it easy to form carbon deposits. The above factors will accelerate the wear of moving parts. In addition, when the coolant temperature drops below 60 degrees, combustion byproducts in the cylinders may react chemically with water, forming acidic substances, which increases cylinder corrosion.
