Turning off the car engine at long red lights?

Question

I heard that you can save gas by turning off your engine at red lights, if the light will stay red for at least a certain amount of time. I know this depends on many variables, but is there a good rule of thumb for the minimum time?

Answer 1

No, not at all. You need to suck more gas starting an engine then letting it idle.

Answer 2

If you know the light will be red for twenty seconds, then maybe it's worth it.  But consider this:  Every time you start you car the starter motor has to work, it gets hot itself, and you can overheat the starter.

Also, when the motor is running and pumping oil, a thin section of oil separates the surfaces of the bearings from one another; when the engine is turned off, the oil pressure falls and the bearings are in metal to metal contact with one another and they grind together when the car is being started until the oil pressure rises and forces the lubricant between them again.

I've read that the amount of wear on the engine at every start up is the equivalent of 500 miles of driving.

You can reduce the amount of friction between the parts by using an engine treatment like "SLICK 50" or any other brand that will put a protective coating on the metal surfaces.

So, you can save gas but you increase the wear and tear on the motor.

Answer 3

you,ll end up spending more on starter motor,s than you could ever dream of saving in gas.