Has anyone installed a remote starter
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This may or may not still apply, but...
...I was always taught that the best way to warm up an engine is to start it and immediately drive away, treating the engine gently until warmed up. Most owner's handbooks seem to agree.
And that starting it and just letting it idle was not good for it - it would spend an inordinate amount of time running at low engine temps where wear is higher.
One might be willing to trade a tiny bit of engine wear for a toasty cabin, but its worth considering when making the decision.
...I was always taught that the best way to warm up an engine is to start it and immediately drive away, treating the engine gently until warmed up. Most owner's handbooks seem to agree.
And that starting it and just letting it idle was not good for it - it would spend an inordinate amount of time running at low engine temps where wear is higher.
One might be willing to trade a tiny bit of engine wear for a toasty cabin, but its worth considering when making the decision.
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Ran an auto start on my EM1 for 6 North Dakota winters. Never had a problem with "engine wear".
IMO that's an old wives tale.
I now have one on my E and love not having to get in a cold ass box in the morning.
OP, I don't know if you have a manual or an automatic, but they have autostarts for each. The auto versions are usually cheaper because you don't have to worry about reservation mode and clutch bypass switches.
See if you can find a Compustar dealer in your area. They'll be able to hook you up.
IMO that's an old wives tale.
I now have one on my E and love not having to get in a cold ass box in the morning.
OP, I don't know if you have a manual or an automatic, but they have autostarts for each. The auto versions are usually cheaper because you don't have to worry about reservation mode and clutch bypass switches.
See if you can find a Compustar dealer in your area. They'll be able to hook you up.
not real sure my four wheeler starter busted so now I got to pull the string.dont know where to put the string on an E:grin: but in all fair ness some automatic trans dont have any fluid pumping through all the bearings(bushings)to properly lubracate it in park. & can damage the trans,It can also over heat the cat.
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I had a remote start installed in my f-150 a few years ago and I love it! I had it done at best buy. It cost about $200 and I didn't need a relay installed. My E is another story! I'm going to need the relay and its going to cost about $400-$500 bucks. The reason I want them install it is that my warranty is still in effect on E and their install will not effect it. If I did it I could void the warranty.
I`ve got remote starter. there are a lot of security systems that have this function. except the warm car you`ll got the higher level of thief-protecrion, cause the stock system is well-known.
NB you should use gadget that turn off your stock immobilizer, and replace immobilizer to differrent one. it cost me about $300 to make an installation (Russia)
NB you should use gadget that turn off your stock immobilizer, and replace immobilizer to differrent one. it cost me about $300 to make an installation (Russia)
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Another option is to buy an inexpensive electric ceramic heater on a timer. Heat the cabin, not the engine. Of course, that's if you can get AC power to where the car is at.
As far as an Old Wive's Tale (concerning engine wear), let me check my owner's handbook to see what it says. Again, the logic is that the less time spent at low engine temps, the better.
May or may not make any appreciable difference for any individual owner. Most of us pass our cars on long before engine wear becomes an issue. Still, increased wear is a possibility.
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These cars aren't running for hours on end when they are remote started. There will not be any tranny issues. There are certain vehicles that.....aww hail, it ain't even worth explaining.....it's not an issue. As far as the cat goes, how is remote starting it any different than sitting in traffic?
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a remote start will not void your warranty. in fact it cannot legally due to the magnuson moss act. they have been thuroughly tested now on quite a few e's here on the forum and everyone has been able to get them installed themselves, either with or without a little help.
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^^Agreed.
Whenever I remote start my E',which is daily,it's only running for about 10 minutes/15 minutes at the max.;-)
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I always thought it was a matter of heating up the oil before you drive to increase it's slick-osity :grin:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4213313.html
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4213313.html
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A little off-topic, maybe but...
From the Popular Mechanics article:
"Shutting down an engine that hasn't reached operating temp will have zero short-term effect."
Maybe not on the engine, but certainly on the exhaust.
Water vapor is a byproduct of combustion. A hot exhaust vaporizes it. A cold exhaust doesn't.
So, a start/shutdown cycle without the exhaust getting hot enough will leave water vapor, and eventually liquid water, in the exhaust.
And that can partially account for an exhaust and/or muffler rusting from the inside out.
Just sayin'.
From the Popular Mechanics article:
"Shutting down an engine that hasn't reached operating temp will have zero short-term effect."
Maybe not on the engine, but certainly on the exhaust.
Water vapor is a byproduct of combustion. A hot exhaust vaporizes it. A cold exhaust doesn't.
So, a start/shutdown cycle without the exhaust getting hot enough will leave water vapor, and eventually liquid water, in the exhaust.
And that can partially account for an exhaust and/or muffler rusting from the inside out.
Just sayin'.
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The purpose of remote start is not necessarily to get the engine to operating temp, but rather to heat up or cool down the interior cabin. It's not going to crank up and then shut down, causing condensation, unless you don't get in and drive off. They automatically shut down after 10-15 minutes (12 minutes on mine).
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I'm not sure how this applies to a remote start application? We are not remotely starting the car so it can be shut down after it's run time. The intention is to start it to warm or cool the car and then get in and drive away. Even in the case that it shuts down before you actually take off, your most likely going to enter the vehicle and restart it and drive off.
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It doesn't, which is why I prefaced my post as "a little off topic".
I was ONLY referring to this from the linked article:
"Shutting down an engine that hasn't reached operating temp will have zero short-term effect."
Sorry for the hijack.
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The condensation in the exhaust CAN be related...I recently added a remote to my wife's newly-purchased 2009 partially to avoid exhaust rusting.
She has an 8-9 mile, 15 minute commute, which is barely enough to get to operating temperature (though we have noticed that the E warms up quite quickly). Such a short trip definitely isn't enough to drive the liquid condensate out of the low spots in the exhaust system, and her cars always go through exhausts behind the cats like they are regular replacement items.
Of course, she liked the idea of the auto-start to loosen the snow and ice from the windows, and to make up for the lack of heated seats that she misses from her previous car.
She has an 8-9 mile, 15 minute commute, which is barely enough to get to operating temperature (though we have noticed that the E warms up quite quickly). Such a short trip definitely isn't enough to drive the liquid condensate out of the low spots in the exhaust system, and her cars always go through exhausts behind the cats like they are regular replacement items.
Of course, she liked the idea of the auto-start to loosen the snow and ice from the windows, and to make up for the lack of heated seats that she misses from her previous car.
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So if you mess up the install and fry something out your covered?
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BTW, in the interest of full disclosure...
...I finally brought in my Owner's Handbook and attempted to find the part where it says to start the car and drive away immediately to bring it to operating temperature as soon as possible.
Problem is, its not there.
In fact, warming up the car does not seem to be addressed at all.
My bad.
...I finally brought in my Owner's Handbook and attempted to find the part where it says to start the car and drive away immediately to bring it to operating temperature as soon as possible.
Problem is, its not there.
In fact, warming up the car does not seem to be addressed at all.
My bad.
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