restarting a car, takes alot of fuel?
May 30, 2007, 07:09 AM
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restarting a car, takes alot of fuel?
Ok, just wanted to bring this up to get something straight. Yesterday i had a discussion with my girlfriend about letting a car idle vs. turning it off and starting it back up. My girlfriend will always let her car run for 5 min whenever she just has to run in and do something real quick, i hate that, i always see it as wasting gas and since gas prices are terrible, so i shut the car off, well she hates wen i do that because she says that since cars are fuel injected that it takes more fuel to restart the car than it does to just let idle for 5 min. If she is right? i'll be proud of her for the knowledge 
so wats your opinion about this??
so wats your opinion about this??
Last edited by bvdawg13; May 30, 2007 at 07:49 AM.
May 30, 2007, 07:28 AM
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I saw a video recently where one guy claimed to inclease gas mileage by turning his car off at red lights. I'd probably just turn if off for wear and tear sake, the gas is just an added bonus if your obsessive compulsive enough to care.
May 30, 2007, 08:06 AM
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she is correct in assuming that there is more fuel used in startup then there is in normal idle operation. however, it will take very little time to more then make up for the extra fuel used starting, by turning the car off for any reasonable wait period. for instance, hybrids usually turn off the gas motors as stop lights because it is more efficient to not use fuel then.
the mythbusters actually had a good episode that sort of relates to this. the myth was that light bulbs use more electricity in start up then they do normally running. they tested a number of different types of lights, and it was generally true, they do use more energy during startup, but it was for fractions of a second. thus it was more efficient to turn the lights off if you left the room then to leave it on.
the mythbusters actually had a good episode that sort of relates to this. the myth was that light bulbs use more electricity in start up then they do normally running. they tested a number of different types of lights, and it was generally true, they do use more energy during startup, but it was for fractions of a second. thus it was more efficient to turn the lights off if you left the room then to leave it on.
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May 30, 2007, 11:46 AM
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seems like my gas gauge would go down every time i restart the car, but then goes back up after a while of driving. i have this same question when i have to wait for a long time in the in-n-out drive through.. probably better to leave the car on for a min or two than to restart the car.
May 30, 2007, 12:28 PM
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you're pretty much always better turning the car off when it comes to saving gas.
however... it does put more stress on the motor to keep stopping and starting it.
so anything more than like 2 minutes and you'll want to turn it off... but every light is a little excessive.
however... it does put more stress on the motor to keep stopping and starting it.
so anything more than like 2 minutes and you'll want to turn it off... but every light is a little excessive.
May 30, 2007, 12:43 PM
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I would be willing to bet that in the end, it all evens out in the wash.
No matter what you do, you can spend $150 at the end of a few years for a new starter because of all the wear and tear, or you can spend that money for the gas you burn while thinking you are saving the wear and tear on the starter.
Speaking of wear and tear on the starter, I happened to be at the powerwash a few days ago, and a really hot chick commented on the EVO, and as the conversation was getting to an end, I hit the remote starter button, and the car started. She then made the comment how cool it was to have one, and how it's nice to have because it saves wear and tear on the starter.
I told her I had to go then....
No matter what you do, you can spend $150 at the end of a few years for a new starter because of all the wear and tear, or you can spend that money for the gas you burn while thinking you are saving the wear and tear on the starter.
Speaking of wear and tear on the starter, I happened to be at the powerwash a few days ago, and a really hot chick commented on the EVO, and as the conversation was getting to an end, I hit the remote starter button, and the car started. She then made the comment how cool it was to have one, and how it's nice to have because it saves wear and tear on the starter.
I told her I had to go then....
May 30, 2007, 01:24 PM
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I remember reading somewhere that the amount of gasoline used in an average car when starting it up (assuming that the car is already at operating temperatures) is equivalent to the amount of gas the motor would use when idling for about 30 seconds. But of course this varies from car to car.
Then again, shutting your car off would probably save you less than a dime in gas each time, but as mentioned before, you'd create more wear-and-tear on your ignition system.
Then again, shutting your car off would probably save you less than a dime in gas each time, but as mentioned before, you'd create more wear-and-tear on your ignition system.
