Do you cool your car after use?

[spidermanUK]

I've seen lots of discussion on other forums about starting procedures, but I haven't seen any discussion about cooling the car after use.
After driving my 355, particularly in hot weather or heavy traffic, I always switch the ignition back on after stopping, to check if the fans want to continue running. If they do run, I sit there like a wally waiting for them to stop!
Why aren't they designed to continue running regardless of whether the ignition is on, they are obviously required?


I do the same with the 360, but I don't recall it ever needing it!

Am I the only one to do this? And am I wasting my time?

 

[tonyh]

I'll open engine cover after a long run, that's about it tho'.

 

[tabletcounter]

I just tend to take it nice and steady for the last couple of miles, but don't do much more than that.

 

[panterasteve]

running the engine whilst fcar is stopped (ticking over )will induce more heat as the fans cut in at a hotter temp than normal driving conditions.personally i do same as tony if its a hot day.
try this when youve switched of the engine and go back and just switch on the ignition and have a look at the temp without the motor running ,you get heatsoak ,you will see the temp as soared .

 

[ric355]

I'm no expert, but;

After you stop your engine, heat continues to come out of the block and into the coolant. This tends to make the coolant a higher temperature than the point at which the fans will kick in, thus if you put the ignition on again then the fans will of course kick in as you've observed.

As there is no water pump running when you put the ignition on, the only part of the coolant you are reducing in temperature is the part in the radiator. Granted the heat will spread out of the block back to the cooled section, but the cooling effect is nothing like it would be if the water pump were running. To get the system cooled down properly you'd have to keep revisiting the ignition.

Because of this I don't think there is any benefit to letting the fans run after shutting the engine down, unless the water pump were running as well. It certainly isn't getting any hotter, so there is no additional heat stress on the engine beyond that when it was last running.

I just shut the engine off and shut the garage door.

Cue some mechanic to shoot me down in flames...

Ric.

 

[Steve L]

When I put it in the garage after a run i always leave the main door open to let the air circulate and allow the heat from the engine disperse without any restriction. Havent a clue if it does any good but after seeing a couple of 355's go up in smoke, just a precautionary measure which makes me feel better!

 

[ferrari-spider]

If i get caught in the rain and i put the car away running for a few mins to cool it down but also the car is dry in no time at all, and can be waxed in hours.

 

[spidermanUK]

running the engine whilst fcar is stopped (ticking over )will induce more heat as the fans cut in at a hotter temp than normal driving conditions.

I don't re-start the car, I simply switch the ignition on to check if the thermostatically controlled fans cut in. I recall that many Renaults of the 80s used to have the fans run on even after you'd locked the car and walked away, so they were obviously wired permanent live, I thought there was a reason, but I'm obviously wrong!

 

[steve f]

what does dale do after using the car :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[tabletcounter]

I don't think Dale has anything to worry about.

 

[spidermanUK]

In a similar vein, have you seen this on PH re: a salesman's treatment of a car on a demo?

I'd very much like to find out who it is and ask for Dealer Principal's comments:thumbsdow

http://www.pistonheads.it/topic.asp?action=bookmark&t=219536&h=32&f=63&p=

 

[F355GTS]

Clive

the reality is it's not really worth it, all you are doing is cooling the coolant in the radiators not cooling the engine as the coolant is not flowing round the system

 

[F355GTS]

Should also add that on cars with Aircon they are almost certainly sharing the fans to cool the gas for the A/C system if it gets too hot the gas pressure increases and the system tells the fans to cut in to cool it down reducing the pressure, you'll often hear the fans come on soon after startup even though the coolant temp is nowhere near hot, I say fans I think 348's and 355's use left side only for an Air Con condenser, not sure about 360's

 

[Hud]

I have a team of bikini clad women that i found on a desert island just off of Hawaii. They gently wave banana leaves at it and then smear me in aloe vera.

actually i just get out, lock it and shut the garage door.

 

[steve f]

I have a team of bikini clad women that i found on a desert island just off of Hawaii. They gently wave banana leaves at me and then smear me and vera from coronation street in ky jelly

a

nice

 

[Hud]

i like it up the bum

ooeerrr mrs

 

[stevew]

I just open the engine cover and leave the garage door open.

 

[rmdferrari]

Bit of two answers for me:

1. Last mile or so, take it very easy (like an in lap on a trackday)
2. As Tony, lift engine cover 20 mins or so.
3. Put away when cool.

 

[999plunger999]

Luigi was right? Not required to run on?.

I've seen lots of discussion on other forums about starting procedures, but I haven't seen any discussion about cooling the car after use.
After driving my 355, particularly in hot weather or heavy traffic, I always switch the ignition back on after stopping, to check if the fans want to continue running. If they do run, I sit there like a wally waiting for them to stop!
Why aren't they designed to continue running regardless of whether the ignition is on, they are obviously required?


I do the same with the 360, but I don't recall it ever needing it!

Am I the only one to do this? And am I wasting my time?

I also sit there like a wally in my 348 but after reading these other replies will not follow this practice anymore. (That's unless some tech expert comes up with a good reason to keep the fans running)
Don't forget it's a little bit warmer in Italy and surely to goodness if Luigi wanted the fans to run on after turning off the ignition then he would have done so? :sweatdrop


My mechanic told me "I couldn't repair the brakes so I've made the horn louder!!"

 

[steve f]

I just pull up get out the car then lock the door and walk away