stop start traffic

[clayton4115]

hi all

i use my car mainly to drive to work and back in very heavy peak hour traffic, i know this is not good for the engine but what tips you think i should do in order to mitigate this,

is you think i should take it out for a drive on an open road every 2 - 3 mths so the engine can run freely?

what are your tips?

[EuroDude]

Idling the engine for too long is not recommended. But in traffic you are revving it every so often anyway so it doesnt matter. If you get stuck in the same spot for a long time, stick it in neutral and rev it up to 3000rpm for a few seconds so the carbon buildups can exit through the exhaust.

If you have a Manual Gearbox, avoid riding the clutch too much, coast along slowly at 1000rpm instead of disengaging and engaging the clutch too often.

[clayton4115]

yea thanks for this tip, i do not sit idle at one spot for too long, only at traffic lights, its like on the freeway where everyone is doing like 20-30km/h,

also i heard that you should switch off the ignition if you are going to be stopped for more than a minute, is this advisable?

[Bayani]

I wouldn't advise it.

[80057]

yeh i wouldn't either, only when you gonna stop for say more then 4-5 minutes.

[rawr]

If you have a Manual Gearbox, avoid riding the clutch too much, coast along slowly at 1000rpm instead of disengaging and engaging the clutch too often.

i don't get this ... so i should just leave it at 1st and just kinda let it roll?

[Rasputin]

Yeah. And instead of moving forward every time traffic shifts 30cm, only move every second time, or however often you have to to keep your place.

That can reduce the amount of clutch use by a huge amount, and you wont lose any time.

[EuroDude]

i don't get this ... so i should just leave it at 1st and just kinda let it roll?

basically keep the revs as low as possible so you dont have to engage/disengage the clutch too often.