running engine whilst static

After the thread on Sorning the van, can you tell me something please.

I will need to go up and check on my van in outside storage in order to check no mice have decided to take up residence... but I need to start the engine to keep the engine battery up to scratch. I can't drive the vehicle round the farmbuildings, and if it is sorned cannot go on the main road... I read somewhere before DO NOT RUN YOUR ENGINE WITHOUT DRIVING THE VAN THINKING YOU ARE KEEPING THE BATTERY GOING .. and then it gave some reason to do with the oil in the engine I think... I can't remember ... Can you give me advice please if I can run the engine or will I be doing damage.. if the latter maybe I can't put it on Sorn after all. Thank you.

 

Not a good idea Joy ..

Running at tick-over speed can polish the cylinder walls, this can result in a loss of compression.. does the engine no good whatsoever..

also, if you don't get it up to running temperature you can get emulsion forming in the oil .. you may recall seeing it around the oil filling cap on older cars , we called it mayonnaise ..

Better to keep it taxed and go for a decent run every month or so.. or not at all.

 

Hi Joy you can simply leave it -or if you think you need to run it then leave it running for a good 15 mins simply to put back into the battery that you took out to start it -your solar should keep the battery charged and leaving the engine for a few (2/3 ) mths won't do it any harm -I have started engines that have been stood for yrs without problems Of course there will be someone come on who thinks you should run the engine every 2/3 weeks and have all sorts of techy stuff to back up the theory
terry

 

Thanks both of you.....

 

There are as many "let it idle, it won't cause any damage" as there are" don't let it idle, it will cause damage" stories out there, but I have never read one which I actually beleive, either for or against. As far as I know, an engine is designed to run. Taxis idle for hours on cold nights and seem to run forever. HGV's idle for hours and run forever, buses idle for hours and still work, but one thing they are all damaging is the environment!
Allan

 

some interesting reading on 'bore glazing'

Most engine manufacturers warn against the potential problem. Sabb and Lister-Petter are in surprising agreement on the subject, as shown in their operator's handbooks. In each case the wording is identical: “Long periods of light or no-load running early in the engine's life may lead to cylinder bore glazing and high lub oil consumption.” Cummins, Perkins and MAN all have issued directives limiting the run time at idle to prevent bore glazing.


http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Boreglazing.aspx

 

We left our last MH from April to Oct this year until we took it for trade in, started immediately, solar panel did its job. no point to this just to say what we did

 

yes indeed.. , as I said.. 'or not at all'

when fulltime and we were working, I never started the RV for nearly 6 months.. wouldn't dream of idling just to charge a battery... engines don't have a memory ..

 

Perkin Elmer! So if we've got a Cummins, Perkins or MAN powered motorhome we shouldn't be idle, or bored by glazing - got it!

 

My Dad used to work for the Alvis. He was involved more in the fighting vehicles but Alvis made cars too. All the cars they sold had the engines "run in " before they left the factory. I guess this meant they were run for hours from new at light throttle loads so customers could enjoy full performance as soon as they bought their cars. All these cars and engines were hand built by craftsmen, they never worried about bore glazing or loss of compression.
Maybe new engines are different
Allan

 

Not sure , but I don't believe petrol engines suffer from glazing .. modern engines don't require 'running in' as they are built to higher tolerances.

compared to petrol, diesel engines have much higher compression ratio which is critical to running.. unlike a petrol engine that will run with little or no compression.. a diesel engine must have good compression to start, whereas any old bag of nails petrol engine will run if it has a spark and fuel.

as for taxis , buses and coaches idling, they are generally doing that when hot .. not when cold when glazing occurs

My RV had a Cummins Engine, and the manual gave a warning about running at idle when cold..

 

I believe that is correct until the engine is run in (which I suppose could be a long time on a new MH). the key phrase is "early in the engines life".

 

I personally agree with the "engines don't have a memory" comment.
The engine will start after months of inactivity if the battery has been maintained by a solar panel, or simply removed from the vehicle and looked after at home with battery maintainer/charger.

 

If you're going to leave an engine unused for some time you do need to check the quantity and quality of the oil and other fluids before starting. You probably already knew that.. I would do tyre pressures and light check as well.

Actually I would be more worried about flat spots in the tyres than anything engine related. I know some people store on axle stands to prevent that or take it for a drive periodically....

 

I'm in the don't do it bed here Joy, but only because as Terry says you will have to run the engine for a good while just to put back in what you have used to start it

Better to buy a jump start pack just in case it ever does go flat, buying one myself after recent flat battery issues

 

Of course there are those people who need to start the engine in order for the bloody Eberspacher heater to start up.

Paul.

 

We take ours for a run every couple of weeks and also run the air-con and diesel heater for about 10 mins each.

 

Hi Geordie, I am talking about when you are parked up wild camping.

Paul.

 

Yeah, but Joy was asking about running the engine at idle in storage. I was making the point that both the air-con and diesel heating should be run for say 10 mins every couple of weeks. Or you may find that when called upon to work.................they don't !!

 

Yes I know Geordie.

I was just making the point that sometimes we have to run the engine just to start the heater, even though some are saying it is bad for the engine.

Paul.