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jamin12369
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2018
Posts: 61
Location: LUFKIN,TX
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 Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:41 am Post subject: Is high idle bad? |
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| I have my idle set at ~1000rpm, With A/C on it drops to ~800. Is there any reason I should readjust for cooler weather when not using A/C? |
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theKbStockpiler
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Joined: July 07, 2012
Posts: 2316
Location: Rust Belt
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| Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:39 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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A high idle is annoying is it not? It's definitely wasteful on fuel. Factory cars with carbs came with a solenoid to raise the idle when the A/C was used so I would do the same.
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bluebus86
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31360
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 8:26 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| jamin12369 wrote: |
| I have my idle set at ~1000rpm, With A/C on it drops to ~800. Is there any reason I should readjust for cooler weather when not using A/C? |
1. I never re-set the idle for "winter" on my 1970 VW that had dealer-added AC. But I live in Arizona and our winter is very short, like from 1 day to 2 months, the remainder being summer.
2. I also have a 1988 Mazda truck with aftermarket Weber carb and AC. I leave its idle at about 950 rpm year round, as there's no idle up with that aftermarket carb (there was one on the uber-comlicated factory carb though).
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Multi69s
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Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 5363
Location: Lefty, CA
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modok
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2009
Posts: 26776
Location: Colorado Springs
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:21 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| It's bad for fuel economy, but good for the engine. |
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airschooled
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Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 12721
Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:59 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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Most idle settings were based in emissions regulatory la la land. Hot oil pressure increases with more cooling air at a fast idle soooo....
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bluebus86
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Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:00 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| Multi69s wrote: |
| bluebus86 wrote: |
more wear on motor and transmission,, more fuel consumption adjust it correctly.
Bug On! |
I don't see any way that it would add wear to the transmission. I also doubt that it would add wear to the engine as well. In fact I believe that in some engines, it might even be beneficial. Faster ideal = more oil flow through the engine. If it runs good and doesn't bother you, I'd leave it alone. |
High idle will cause more wear on the synchronizer mechanism, particularly in first gear. You have stationary parts and spinning parts come together, and when the speed difference is higher, more wear occurs.
I had a defect on my Bug that caused high idle, it made shifting difficult. Got it fixed.
Bug On!
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andk5591
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Joined: August 29, 2005
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Location: State College, PA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:29 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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If you had your idle at 1500, then yeah, that excessive. 1000 is just a little higher than factory. I set a lot of cars at 900-950.
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airschooled
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:51 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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Aside from the shifting issue which isn’t an issue if your clutch release system is 100%, a high idle can be frustrating when using any distributor with advance weights. (Aka anything except for an SVA/SVSA “vacuum only” distributor.) Mechanical advance weights can give you early advance with a slightly high RPM and truck your engine into a positive feedback loop of faster idle speeds.
Regardless of your chosen idle, it should be enough to give you 4psi of idle oil pressure MINIMUM on a worn out engine. Newer engines should show more due to tighter clearances. Most tachometers are only accurate +/- 100 RPM anyway, and at that point a high-end tach would be money down the drain compared to a nice road trip before you indict and engine for a rebuild.
Robbie
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bluebus86
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| asiab3 wrote: |
Aside from the shifting issue which isn’t an issue if your clutch release system is 100%, a high idle can be frustrating when using any distributor with advance weights. (Aka anything except for an SVA/SVSA “vacuum only” distributor.) Mechanical advance weights can give you early advance with a slightly high RPM and truck your engine into a positive feedback loop of faster idle speeds.
Regardless of your chosen idle, it should be enough to give you 4psi of idle oil pressure MINIMUM on a worn out engine. Newer engines should show more due to tighter clearances. Most tachometers are only accurate +/- 100 RPM anyway, and at that point a high-end tach would be money down the drain compared to a nice road trip before you indict and engine for a rebuild.
Robbie |
Even with a decent clutch, the issue remains of shifting at higher speed..
Bug On!
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Frodge
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| bluebus86 wrote: |
Even with a decent clutch, the issue remains of shifting at higher speed..
Bug On! |
You shift at a higher speed in every other gear once your moving. I think 950rpm has always sounded best to me. It’s also. I’ve to have a higher idle when you get off the highway after a longer run and you come to a stoplight or such. |
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Multi69s
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Location: Lefty, CA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:22 pm Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| bluebus86 wrote: |
Even with a decent clutch, the issue remains of shifting at higher speed..
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I don't get what you are trying to say. Unless your clutch is dragging, a couple hundred RPMs is not going to hurt the syncros. Also, while driving, and shifting gears, we don't allow the engine to drop down to idle speeds, because then you have fallen out of the torque curve of the engine. Then you end up with lugging and bucking which IS hard on the engine. if you were talking about a crash box (non-synchromesh transmission), then engine speed in relation to vehicle movement is critical (like driving home with a broken clutch cable). Aside from that, the transmission doesn't care about a couple of hundred +/- RPMs.
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kangaboy
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Location: St. Louis, Mo
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 7:25 am Post subject: Re: Is high idle bad? |
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| Multi69s wrote: |
| bluebus86 wrote: |
Even with a decent clutch, the issue remains of shifting at higher speed..
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I don't get what you are trying to say. Unless your clutch is dragging, a couple hundred RPMs is not going to hurt the syncros. Also, while driving, and shifting gears, we don't allow the engine to drop down to idle speeds, because then you have fallen out of the torque curve of the engine. Then you end up with lugging and bucking which IS hard on the engine. if you were talking about a crash box (non-synchromesh transmission), then engine speed in relation to vehicle movement is critical (like driving home with a broken clutch cable). Aside from that, the transmission doesn't care about a couple of hundred +/- RPMs. |
I agree. Plus a couple hundred RPM isn't going to cause that much wear on anything. I like my idle above 1000 to give better oiling as was stated several times above. I also have a crank trigger so I can idle wherever I want. People with distributors may have a little more trouble with the collateral changes involved (i.e. advancing too soon)
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