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How long can a car engine run at idle until it overheats?

J

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Considering the level of gas is monitored and refilled when low, how long can the engine run at idle until it overheats. The only cooling it has is its own cooling system and no air is being blown into the engine compartment. The engine and cooling system is in good running order and the car is placed in a 80 degree environment.
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Considering the level of gas is monitored and refilled when low, how long can the engine run at idle until it overheats. The only cooling it has is its own cooling system and no air is being blown into the engine compartment. The engine and cooling system is in good running order and the car is placed in a 80 degree environment.
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The only cooling it has is its own cooling system? As in the radiator fans that cool the radiator? 😕 Why wouldn't it run?
 
Assuming properly functioning systems, it should get to operating temperature and stay there until you run out of gas. (Then, it'll cool down to ambient again 😉 )
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Armitage
It should run indefinitely.
Click to expand...

So the cooling system is efficient enough to keep the engine cool even without air moving to the engine?
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RADFAN FTW! You don't need much airflow at all to keep an idling engine cool.
 
All modern water cooled cars have radiator fans. Only air cooled older VWs and V-twin motorcycles will overheat if left idling.

Your car will simply run out of gas if it's in good repair and functioning properly.
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Armitage
It should run indefinitely.
Click to expand...
So the cooling system is efficient enough to keep the engine cool even without air moving to the engine?
Click to expand...
Only if there are fans to pull air through the radiator. There absolutely must be airflow through the radiator for a car (in very cold weather, some semi trucks may not need this because their cooling systems are massively over-engineered in order to be able to stand pulling several tons through places like AZ in the summer at 80 mph and 130 degrees, but I'm not sure).

The fans in an engine compartment are not to blow air on the engine, they are to pull air through the radiator.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Armitage
It should run indefinitely.
Click to expand...
So the cooling system is efficient enough to keep the engine cool even without air moving to the engine?
Click to expand...
Only if there are fans to pull air through the radiator. There absolutely must be airflow through the radiator for a car (in very cold weather, some semi trucks may not need this because their cooling systems are massively over-engineered in order to be able to stand pulling several tons through places like AZ in the summer at 80 mph and 130 degrees, but I'm not sure).

The fans in an engine compartment are not to blow air on the engine, they are to pull air through the radiator.

ZV
Click to expand...

I can attest to not needing it. Our Jetta TDI, hell I could drain the radiator I swear, if its under...ohhh....20 degrees or so. get around 0 and you'll be at your destination before its warmed up. 🙁
 
It should not overheat when running at idle. If it does, there's something wrong with it.

I've sat in a 100 degree parking lot in the sun with the windows up and the A/C blasting for a good 30-40 minutes in my Maxima while my son slept in the back. The gauge never moved up past normal.
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Armitage
It should run indefinitely.
Click to expand...
So the cooling system is efficient enough to keep the engine cool even without air moving to the engine?
Click to expand...
Only if there are fans to pull air through the radiator. There absolutely must be airflow through the radiator for a car (in very cold weather, some semi trucks may not need this because their cooling systems are massively over-engineered in order to be able to stand pulling several tons through places like AZ in the summer at 80 mph and 130 degrees, but I'm not sure).

The fans in an engine compartment are not to blow air on the engine, they are to pull air through the radiator.

ZV
Click to expand...


Yes, I know the fan is not meant to blow air to the engine but to draw air from the outside and through the radiator to cool the coolant. I just wasn't sure if this was efficient enough to keep the coolant cool for an extended amount of time.
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Considering the level of gas is monitored and refilled when low, how long can the engine run at idle until it overheats. The only cooling it has is its own cooling system and no air is being blown into the engine compartment. The engine and cooling system is in good running order and the car is placed in a 80 degree environment.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an experiment!

Try it and report back.
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: Armitage
It should run indefinitely.
Click to expand...
So the cooling system is efficient enough to keep the engine cool even without air moving to the engine?
Click to expand...
Only if there are fans to pull air through the radiator. There absolutely must be airflow through the radiator for a car (in very cold weather, some semi trucks may not need this because their cooling systems are massively over-engineered in order to be able to stand pulling several tons through places like AZ in the summer at 80 mph and 130 degrees, but I'm not sure).

The fans in an engine compartment are not to blow air on the engine, they are to pull air through the radiator.

ZV
Click to expand...


Yes, I know the fan is not meant to blow air to the engine but to draw air from the outside and through the radiator to cool the coolant. I just wasn't sure if this was efficient enough to keep the coolant cool for an extended amount of time.
Click to expand...

A typical internal combustion engine operates at a temperature of between 190 and 200 degrees F and should be able to idle for an extended amount of time without overheating in most conditions. Unless it's a British car of course. 😛
 
Originally posted by: Amused
All modern water cooled cars have radiator fans. Only air cooled older VWs and V-twin motorcycles will overheat if left idling.

Your car will simply run out of gas if it's in good repair and functioning properly.
Click to expand...
Even an old air-cooled VW should be able to run indefinitely at idle without overheating. There is a cooling fan, located inside the shroud, that is turned by the generator pulley.
 
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