[lejhoom]

I have been wondering how many hours a car can run non-stop? The precise question rather would be how many hours an engine can run without stopping? Is there any other parameters that one has to take care, say if one drives all day long? The cars I have in mind are small diesel hatch backs. Any inputs?

Thanks.

[bblost]

Not exactly an answer but
As a safety measure, the engine must be switched off during fueling.
Since most cars have enough fuel for just about 500 kms or 7-8 hours.

So in a way that places a limit on how long an engine can be ON continuously.

[Ricky_63]

An engine can run for as long as the fuel in the tank lasts. I have 1st hand experience of this in the early 90's..I got my Maruti 800's engine overhauled & the mechanic suggested that we leave it running at his workshop over-night, and we did that.

In the morning we checked the fuel tank was empty and obviously the engine stopped when the fuel ran out. So I reckon it must have run for atleast 8-10 hours if not more.




Cheers

[mercedised]

Have done 40 Hours of non stop (engine ON) ride in my Tata Sierra and 50-51 hours in my Safari. Basically AC was ON all the time and thus we did'nt stepped outeven at DHABAS for refreshements, took them all in car.:P

[MAS]

Originally Posted by mercedised

Have done 40 Hours of non stop (engine ON) ride in my Tata Sierra and 50-51 hours in my Safari. Basically AC was ON all the time and thus we did'nt stepped outeven at DHABAS for refreshements, took them all in car.:P

Wow that is something man. I get worried when my Fusion/Corolla runs non-stop between Bangalore/Chennai or Chennai/Trichy or Chennai Erode and viceversa.

I guess the quality of the engine (Manufacturer), its age and how well it is serviced & maintained play an important part.

[mgh]

If you are not running out of fuel, till oil change becomes due.

[tsk1979]

It depends upon the warranty. Till your engine is under warranty, it will keep running as long as there is fuel.
It will run quivalent of 80000 kms without oil change.
As soon as it gets to know warranty is over, it will die.

[mercedised]

Originally Posted by MAS

Wow that is something man. I get worried when my Fusion/Corolla runs non-stop between Bangalore/Chennai or Chennai/Trichy or Chennai Erode and viceversa.
I guess the quality of the engine (Manufacturer), its age and how well it is serviced & maintained play an important part.

Talking about the quality, Sierra did'nt had a very well proven and qualified engine or Does it? still it did run nonstop for a long duration and mind everyone the Sierra I owned was 1.8Lac kms old without any rebuild at that time of 1999-2000, again it all depends on how well a car is maintained irrespective of the mileage on the odo.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

It depends upon the warranty. Till your engine is under warranty, it will keep running as long as there is fuel.
It will run quivalent of 80000 kms without oil change.
As soon as it gets to know warranty is over, it will die.

I did'nt quite understand what you are trying to convey here? What has the warranty in similar with engine running? And how might it die in the event of warranty lapse?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by mercedised

I did'nt quite understand what you are trying to convey here? What has the warranty in similar with engine running? And how might it die in the event of warranty lapse?

Every engine is conscious. ITs self aware. Somewhat like skynet. (Infact, one day I think engines will take over the world).
So once its aware that warranty is over, it dies. Its a part of the great plan to increase stress in the owners, and make it easier to take over the world.

[mercedised]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Every engine is conscious. ITs self aware. Somewhat like skynet. (Infact, one day I think engines will take over the world).
So once its aware that warranty is over, it dies. Its a part of the great plan to increase stress in the owners, and make it easier to take over the world.

Really!!! Do they make parts that lasts only warranty periods? I think you're telling the same. Some parts maybe, but strictly talking about the engine, it must be the best part\system (after chassis) in a car.

Every engine is conscious. ITs self aware. Somewhat like skynet. (Infact, one day I think engines will take over the world).

Are you really talking about automotive world? or in anyway about current generation? Skynet was fiction and might be a reality but nothing todo with current car set-ups untill one is talking about super-intelligent cars, which IMO still undergoing research.

And if still we go deep into Skynet thingy, then do you think that manufacturers will programme the ECU to deteriorate the engine by some variation in technical parameters like fan cut-off, engine oil pressure, controlling engine inputs etc. Even if then not in the current generation cars, forget about the previous ones.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by bblost

As a safety measure, the engine must be switched off during fueling.

I do not do this. Turbo idling is the culprit.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

An engine can run for as long as the fuel in the tank lasts. I have 1st hand experience of this in the early 90's..I got my Maruti 800's engine overhauled & the mechanic suggested that we leave it running at his workshop over-night, and we did that.

In the morning we checked the fuel tank was empty and obviously the engine stopped when the fuel ran out. So I reckon it must have run for atleast 8-10 hours if not more.




Cheers

do not do that on modern FI engines. I have heard of fuel pump going bust when tank got empty.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

do not do that on modern FI engines. I have heard of fuel pump going bust when tank got empty.

It also leads to overheating.


Coming to the topic, my IKON at about ~95k kms, has done non-stop Bangalore - Ernakulam. ~10hrs and 550 kms.

[Sprucegoose]

I've done Bombay to goa with the engine on continuously till i ran outta petrol [luckily just as i parked my car outside the office]. Drove down via Amboli and got lost as well... so definately did over the stipulated 630 Kms.

Battery started giving problems... sometimes it wouldn't crank only.. but after a break of about 30 minutes it would work perfectly.

[akshay4587]

Few years ago, Od covered 3082 kms in an Alto in 24 hrs, I can't recall if they used to turn off engines for refueling or not.
Even the aircooled Karizma was able to pull off 2525 kms.
So I guess engines can surely outlast the time for which we can operate them continuously.