How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (2024)

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (1) Team-BHP > Technical Stuff
Register New Topics New Posts Top Thanked Team-BHP FAQ Search


Page 3 of 6 < 12 3 456 >
Photos
Search this Thread How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (4)

197,619 views

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (5)23rd May 2011, 02:39 #31

sindabad.sailor

BHPian

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: Pune

Posts: 253

Thanked: 76 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

A ship engine can run for months can it not? But it has special cooling requirements

Yes indeed! Ship's engines can run for months but again has to stop while refueling.
I had once sailed 42 days at a stretch from Vancouvre to Mumbai with 10 hrs stoppage at singapore for refueling.
There are no special cooling requirements. These engines are also water cooled with chemicals dosed to make the coolant slightly alkaline and maintain nitrile reserves from corrossion viewpoint.
Any loss due to evaporation is topped up with plain distilled water and additional chemical dosing to retain nitrile levels of cooling water.
Only difference as against an automotive radiator seemingly is that automotive radiaors are aircooled and marine engine's coolant is cooled by Sea Water.

I have one four stroke engine used for running generator (4200KW) on one year old ship reading 7256 running hours today.
Bottomline is engines can run for quite a long time priveded well maintained.

Rgds.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (6)

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (7)23rd May 2011, 11:41 #32

IronH4WK

Senior - BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (8)

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: Bangalore

Posts: 3,468

Thanked: 4,147 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

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.

OT:
ROFL!!! bro, you shouldn't voice such opinions out loud or they'll they term you insane and lock you up.. as they did Sarah Connor How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (10)

back to topic:
is it safe to run non-stop distances in excess of say 300kms? the reason i ask is because i get this feeling (while driving) the engine might need rest and i stop the car for about 30mins before resuming the journey.

our car is a Getz GLS 2006 December model which has been regularly serviced every 6months. we're gonna be embarking on a Chennai and (two weeks later) Pune trip and i wanted to know if non-stop driving can affect the engine and its life.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (11)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (12)23rd May 2011, 12:14 #33

swiftdiesel

Senior - BHPian

Join Date: Apr 2011

Location: na

Posts: 1,015

Thanked: 1,354 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

I've done Chennai-Nagercoil, a distance of 740 kms in my Swift diesel non-stop. It was a duration of 10 hours. I've also done Kodaikanal-Chennai, Rameswaram-Chennai non-stop. I don't believe in stopping the engine during a refuel. In all these trips, the engine was as good as new. Ideally, I reckon, there's no reason for an engine to stop if all the parameters (fuel, coolant, oil) are met. Especially, diesels are built tougher and thereby last longer.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (13)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (14)23rd May 2011, 19:32 #34

ravikn

BHPian

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: Bangalore

Posts: 343

Thanked: 25 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

I have done 500KM non-stop from Bangalore-mumbai trip. nothing has happened so far. I hope it could have gone even more, but we were really tired and took a lunch brake at that time.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (15)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (16)23rd May 2011, 20:16 #35

dhanushs

Distinguished - BHPian

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (17)


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (18)

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Chennai

Posts: 4,261

Thanked: 9,780 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

...
is it safe to run non-stop distances in excess of say 300kms? ....
...... i wanted to know if non-stop driving can affect the engine and its life.

Hey IronH4WK, 300kms is perfectly fine for any modern car - As long as the essential fluids are up to the mark. Even now, I do Bangalore - Ernakulam non-stop. The last such trip was with the odo at ~95k kms. Engine and car is as good as new. How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (20)

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (21)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (22)23rd May 2011, 20:31 #36

thedreamcatcher

Senior - BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (23)

Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: Dubai

Posts: 1,204

Thanked: 66 Times


View My Garage

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Modern cars do not require that the car be switched off after a period of say 8 hours or so, or till the fuel lasts in the car tank, (one full tank cycle). As a caution, during long drives I always switch off the car during every stop I make and even at fuel stops. This is more during hill drives, where I prefer to stop and cool the engine a bit.

But considering the way modern cars are built, we can go on for prolonged periods, as the various systems like oil, coolant keep the engine cool and within effective operating temperature. But if the car is driven rashly, high speed driving, incorrect gear usage, excessive clutching and so on, and if it is a very long drive, this could have adverse effects. But this is again because of misuse, and not the fact that the engine cannot drive long continuously. Also, do give thought to the opposite scenario. How damaging it is to a car to do several small trips. Take two similar cars, run one for 10 hours daily for say 6 months and the other car making say 10 very short trips in a day for the same period. Leaving wear and tear aside, I am sure the car that has made the shorter trips will be more susceptible to engine damage.

Isn't this one of the goals of the Le Mans 24 Hours race; to test the ability of teams to drive their cars constantly for 24 hours without sustaining or limiting mechanical damage.

Now this is something I need clarification on. As a few have put here, that the car was left overnight and by the morning it was switched off, since it ran out of fuel. But isnt this obvious. A car needs fuel to run, and the second it is not there it stops. Are we attributing this in any way to say, the car is designed to run only to the extent of fuel it has in its tank, then switch it off, refuel and go? Thanks in advance for clarifying this

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (24)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (25)23rd May 2011, 22:02 #37

Fillmore

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (26)

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Bangalore

Posts: 492

Thanked: 578 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

If driven sanely,yes engines can run for longer periods without any problems,perfect example would be the diesel locos that run continuously for more than 48 hours even more(comparing as it to has a diesel IC engineHow many hours can an engine run non-stop? (28)) but again it depends upon a number of factors like engine oil quality,cooling efficiency etc etc

Talking about Diesel locos they keep them running even when fueling. It is a common practice to lock the engine and keep it idling overnight.
If you have been at any station (mostly Railway Junctions) in the dead part of the night, you might have witnessed this i.e. a diesel loco with the engine running , but no one inside all locked up and still going on.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (29) (1)Thanks
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (30)23rd May 2011, 22:45 #38

AVR

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (31)

Join Date: Apr 2008

Location: Ahmedabad

Posts: 978

Thanked: 847 Times


View My Garage

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Additional factor that need to be considered also include ambient temperatures. I have driven 450 kms nonstop in the Safari in the monsoons with cooler temperatures but last week a 250 km nonstop journey from 12 PM-4PM in the peak summer (~42 degrees) with full-blast AC on did get me a bit concerned as it surely would have stressed the engine more. The sound of the engine fan at idling before shutdown surely made me feel that the engine was cursing me quite badly How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (32)

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (33)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (34)28th May 2011, 16:59 #39

rakesh_r

Senior - BHPian

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: Pune

Posts: 1,905

Thanked: 2,744 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by swiftdiesel

. Especially, diesels are built tougher and thereby last longer.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (36)diesel mills can run longer because they are built stronger owing to the nature of cycle they employ(C.I).

Last edited by rakesh_r : 28th May 2011 at 17:00.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (37)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (38)28th May 2011, 18:02 #40

m-hawk

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (39)

Join Date: Feb 2008

Location: mumbai

Posts: 218

Thanked: 9 Times

I have driven on a stretch of 800 plus kms in one go except for just a pee break mind u engine was running then too. It did nt complain at all .Sir H V Kumar can put light to this provided he isn't rocketing to or from somewhere !!

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (40)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (41)28th May 2011, 18:42 #41

motor_brullen

Newbie


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (42)

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: RAIPUR

Posts: 20

Thanked: 0 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

First requirement for engine in Clean Fuel, Clean Air, & Proper Lubricants. Basically engine's enemy are Heat & Dust. If one ensures that it is safe from both, engine will run non-stop till next maintenance. This doesn't means engine will be best executed when started. Engines deliver best performance specific temperature range and RPM, i.e., best

However engine's life depends on maintenance and use of engine. Properly used and maintained engine would run for 2-2.5 lacs kilometers (depending on engine quality).

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (43)

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (44)28th May 2011, 19:42 #42

rahul4640

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (45)

Join Date: Feb 2011

Location: Calcutta

Posts: 525

Thanked: 427 Times


View My Garage

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Talking about Diesel locos they keep them running even when fueling. It is a common practice to lock the engine and keep it idling overnight.
If you have been at any station (mostly Railway Junctions) in the dead part of the night, you might have witnessed this.

Yes this is not an unusual sight. But I was once told that it was done mostly on long goods trains, to keep the exhauster running. Otherwise it would take a long time to raise the air pressure for the attached wagons to run, which might even take an hour, if there was any leakage in the pipes with no provision of any immediate repairs.
Regards,
Rahul Biswas
Calcutta

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (47)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (48)21st July 2012, 12:19 #43

rajeshchand

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (49)

Join Date: Sep 2008

Location: New Delhi

Posts: 271

Thanked: 84 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

I have done 26 hours non-stop in a Scorpio (except for fuel and loo breaks when the vehicle remained switched off) from Bhubaneswar to Siliguri via Kolkata which I believe is a 1200 km run, it was fun and the vehicle never complained.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (50)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (51)21st July 2012, 13:17 #44

raycers_honda

BHPian


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (52)

Join Date: May 2012

Location: mumbai

Posts: 303

Thanked: 521 Times


View My Garage

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Interesting topic.I too have always wanted to know how many hours it can go on for.But then whether the car engine is just idling or driving around continously, it all depends.Now when the Le Mans races are on i am guessing thats 24 hours continous at a stretch and that too at high speeds,strenous braking,accelerations etc.
It also depends on climatic conditions like if its a hot climate the engine could overheat.But has anyone ever driven their cars continously at a stretch.Which car and how much of time.

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (53)
How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (54)21st July 2012, 13:25 #45

R2D2

Distinguished - BHPian

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (55)


How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (56)

Join Date: Oct 2008

Location: Pune

Posts: 3,231

Thanked: 5,738 Times

re: How many hours can an engine run non-stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Talking about Diesel locos they keep them running even when fueling. It is a common practice to lock the engine and keep it idling overnight.
If you have been at any station (mostly Railway Junctions) in the dead part of the night, you might have witnessed this i.e. a diesel loco with the engine running , but no one inside all locked up and still going on.

Ship diesel engines run 24x7 for far longer - for weeks at a stretch when sailing across the Pacific Ocean that spans nearly half the Earth (>19k kms) from the eastern most point of Indonesia to Colombia in South America. That goes not just for the prime mover but the generators as well.

Last edited by R2D2 : 21st July 2012 at 13:31.Reason: Typo

How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (58)
Page 3 of 6 < 12 3 456 >

Most Viewed

Show More >

';var NOTWORKINGANYMOREmvItemjs = '

' + t.title + '

';var mvFlexContainer = document.querySelector("#mvFlexContainer");mvFlexContainer.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', mvItemjs);});});



How many hours can an engine run non-stop? (2024)

FAQs

How long can a car engine run without stopping? ›

In a vacuum (and with infinite fuel), your engine would continue to run forever. But in reality, several things might occur if your car idles for too long. To avoid running your car for too long, you should only idle your vehicle for a few minutes at most before either moving your vehicle or turning the engine off.

How many hours can an engine have? ›

However, as a general rule, most well-maintained delivery-type vehicles, such as semi-trucks and cargo vans, have engines that last 15,000 to 30,000 engine hours before needing a major overhaul or replacement.

How long can you keep an engine running? ›

Never let the engine idle while parked for longer than 30 seconds, according to the EPA. Realistically, 30 seconds isn't long enough to harm something, but several extended idles can. Overheating might result from running the engine for a few hours to a day.

How many engine hours is too much? ›

According to automotive industry experts, they may say that 1500-2000 hour is limit for gasoline engines, but it is hard to say without considering the quality of maintenance and service it gets throughout the lifetime.

Can you idle a car for 8 hours? ›

"You can safely leave your car idling for many, many hours," he says. "How long that is going to last depends on two things, the amount of gas in your tank and the size of your engine." Moody says on average, a vehicle burns about half a gallon an hour while idling.

What happens if I leave my car idling for 5 hours? ›

Leaving your car idling can damage your engine in multiple ways: It can cause carbon buildup on the valves and pistons, leading to engine knocking and poor performance. It can overwork the engine components, leading to premature wear and tear.

Can a car overheat from idling too long? ›

The engine may overheat if it remains idle for more than 10-15 minutes, particularly on hot days or if the air conditioning is running. If you are concerned about your engine overheating during heavy traffic, try driving with a lighter foot on the gas pedal to keep cool air circulating through the radiator.

What happens when an engine sits for a long time? ›

If you leave it longer, Engine components will start deteriorating. The engine seals and O-rings can dry up, the oil can start to leave residue. The battery will go flat and dried up, After leaving engine sit for more then 1 month engine can lead to “hard starts” .

How bad is it to leave your engine running? ›

Leaving your engine idle can also have serious impacts on people's health, particularly in built-up areas like towns or cities. Alongside CO2, vehicles emit carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons which are linked to cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.

How bad are idle hours? ›

The Negative Impacts Engine Idling

The ravages of idling can result in significant mechanical degradation and excessive fuel consumption. Many crucial components of the engine, such as the Engine Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) filter, can be damaged while the vehicle is idle.

What is the average lifespan of an engine in hours? ›

As a rough guide the average lifespan of a diesel engine can vary from 5,000 hours to 20,000 hours, assuming it's maintained properly. In terms of mileage, that equates to 300,000 miles to 100,000 miles.

What is an overworked engine? ›

Ray: When the engine is overworked, it overheats. The way it overheats is that the temperature inside the cylinders gets too high. When that happens, the gasoline-and-air mixture — which is supposed to detonate when the spark plug fires — detonates unpredictably at other times too.

How long can you sit with your engine running? ›

The Energy Saving Trust says: “Many newer cars automatically turn off when stationary in neutral. If yours doesn't, turn off your engine if you're going to be stationary for more than a minute.” It's best not to do this too often if you have an older vehicle, however, or a battery that's more than five years old.

How long can engine run without moving? ›

Many truck drivers think it is good for the engine and keeps up performance in the long-run. Many put their engine in idle mode simply because their peers do it. If performed for more than 10-15 minutes, idling your engine can have serious consequences.

How long can a car engine sit without being driven? ›

Experts recommend driving your car every two to three weeks to keep it in running condition. Ideally, you should not let your vehicle sit unused for more than two weeks. To prevent unnecessary repairs and ensure your vehicle is ready to go, start it up and drive it for 15-30 minutes a few times within the month.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6056

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Birthday: 1996-05-10

Address: Apt. 425 4346 Santiago Islands, Shariside, AK 38830-1874

Phone: +96313309894162

Job: Legacy Sales Designer

Hobby: Baseball, Wood carving, Candle making, Jigsaw puzzles, Lacemaking, Parkour, Drawing

Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.