The classic game of telephonewe played as kids was always good for a laugh. After going through so many ears, what started as one thing could turn into another. Nevertheless, kernels of truth do find their way in the end, even if the message isn’t what it was.

Similarly, car myths go through this process. You may hear one thing, then say it to the next person. Over time, the information may warp (or it may be false to begin with), but it becomes a fact in everyone’s eyes. Today, we’ll debunk three common myths about diesel idling.

1) A Warmup Is Necessary

There is some validity to the belief that idling a diesel engine in the winter is necessary. Additionally, numerous auto experts agree that earlier automobiles, which used carburetors as a vital engine component, required a warmup to operate and perform correctly. Thus, an older vehicle won’t start if you don’t let the carburetor warm up to operating temperature first.

However, modern cars don’t rely on carburetors nearly as much as their older counterparts. Consequently, idling your vehicle accomplishes nothing useful and leads to significant and preventable expenditures in the form of wasted fuel. It also adds to the release of pollutants.

2) Idling Saves Fuel

Several people believe that frequent starting and stopping of the engine wastes fuel. Because of this ill-conceived notion, they decide to keep their car running if they are away from it for a short period. Let’s go ahead and put that narrative to bed today, shall we?

Again, this myth depends on the age of the engine. An older, less fuel-efficient engine might make some minor idling okay.

For modern engines, however, idling is utterly pointless. Idling with modern engines expends more gasoline than it saves. Furthermore, idling puts excess strain on the motor. Why add more strain to a motor if there are negative results? Myths—that’s why!

3) Driving at a Low Idling Speed Is Smarter

Most drivers know that driving faster burns up more gas because it puts your engine to the test, requiring it to work harder. While true, the inverse of idling speeds helping your engine is false.

Doing anything at half the speed will require a vehicle to work as hard to maintain its irregular pace. Compared to typical speeds, extended bouts of idling will put your diesel engine through the wringer.

Tips To Follow

You should keep a few things in mind that will further debunk three common myths about diesel idling, with the first being the 10-second rule. We have the 5-second rule regarding dropped food, but the 10-second rule applies to idling, implying that idling has no benefits if it’s more than 10 seconds. At the very most, 30 seconds should be the maximum.

There’s no need to turn your engine off in congestion or at a traffic signal. However, turning off the engine when picking up some grub from a fast-food joint or waiting for a friend in the parking lot is advantageous.

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