Re: Cooling-off period for MV's:
All engines, gas and diesel, turbo and non, need to run for a few minutes
before being shut down, especially after having been run hard. This is
perhaps the one best thing that you can do for any engine. It allows all the
places in the block that have become hotter than the average to stabilize,
along with the oil and water, and the accessories, like the alternator, power
steering pump, etc.
Once an engine is shut down, of course, the center of the engine gets cool
first, with the result that the outer parts of the engine get much hotter,
then cool off. There is not anything you can do about this phenomenon, it's
just a fact of natural physics. An electric fan and a water pump that
continues to circulate coolant after shut down, might be the answer, but
would not be practical.
On "interference" engines, that is, those whose valves extend into the same
area of the cylinders that the top of the pistons do, be careful not to run
the engine at idle for more than a few minutes. (My Dodge Cummins, for
example, came with instructions to idle for only five (5) minutes). Carbon
can build up on the valves, and cause a collision in the cylinder, resulting
in permanent damage.
Just treat your MV (or any V, for that matter) the same as a race horse. It
needs to be cooled off before being bedded down.
Disclaimer to the flamer: "I'm not a mechanic, I just play one on the list"
apbloom
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue May 01 2001 - 07:42:41 PDT