Will it hurt an engine to idle it for longer than 10 minutes? If so, why?
When it's warm, no. Police and taxis idle all day long.
It's not a good idea to do when cold. Metal shrinks and expands with temperature. A cold engine (below 200F) doesn't seal properly, and you will have fuel leaking past the pistons, washing the oil away, and causing metal on metal wear in various parts.
Try it with a modern Hemi and get back to us with the results.
@chucktobias don’t have one of those. Just a Kia and two fords
The point is a lot depends on the design of the engine. cooling system, etc. The Hemi, for example, has inadequate cam lubrication at idle and lengthy idling can cause damage.
@chucktobias ok. Thanks. It was a random thought I had and saw it as an opportunity to learn something new
Will it hurt an engine to idle it for longer than 10 minutes? If so, why?
Well personally I wouldn't do it. It can put a lot of strain on many of the engines systems.
