What is the Start-Stop System? How does it work?

If you’ve bought a new car in the past few years, you’ve probably seen automakers feature new start-stop systems that help save fuel. The idea behind start-stop systems is simple; If you stop at a red light or a train track, you don’t need an engine; If the engine is not running, you are not running out of fuel. So technically how does this happen?

As the name suggests, the automatic start-stop feature stops the engine instead of idling when you stop the vehicle, and then quickly restarts the engine when you want to move off. If you are driving in traffic where you do a lot of stop/go, this feature means that you will have fewer emissions and you will save fuel because you will not idle for a long time.

Automatic start-stop systems involve a number of engineering challenges. Together with this feature, the electric starter motor, which is designed to fire your engine several times a day, has to run the same engine over and over again every time the car comes to a complete stop. Obviously, an electric starter designed for 50,000 start cycles cannot be responsible for more than 500,000 starting cycles, so automakers have had to use new and specialized starting systems to deal with this intensity.

In addition, frequent stopping and restarting of the engine can stress internal engine parts. In most engines, wear and tear occurs during start-up, so engineers have used bearings that are better self-lubricating and are more slippery in the normal engine bearing. Better self-lubrication means that the engine will be better protected after the engine starts until the pressurized oil comes out. In addition, engine oil technology, which has developed in recent years, prevents wear and creates a good protective layer.

How does Start-Stop system work?

The start-stop system is a system in most modern cars that shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stationary to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The engine restarts when the clutch is engaged or the brake is released or the drive is ready to move again.

The system uses a computer system to detect when the car is stopped or the car’s gear is in neutral; At this point, it stops fuel delivery and shuts down the engine. When the car starts to move or the clutch is pressed, the engine starts automatically and fuel delivery starts again.

The process happens automatically, but drivers can choose whether the system is active or inactive by pressing the vehicle’s start-stop button. The symbol for this feature is a symbol consisting of a capital A inside an arrow rotating clockwise.

How to use Start-Stop System?

With automatic start-stop feature and automatic transmission, pressing the brake until you completely stop your vehicle and then continue to press triggers this feature to activate. Taking your foot off the brake (and turning the steering wheel on some systems) will restart the engine and the engine will be ready to move from the brake to the accelerator pedal. With a manual gearbox, it usually shuts down the engine when you put it to neutral and release the clutch after stopping; When you want to move and press the clutch pedal, the work starts and when you put the vehicle into gear, your vehicle will be ready to move. Depending on the vehicle, if the climate control system requires additional heating or cooling, even if this feature is activated, it may start working again without you pressing the clutch; When the outside weather is above or below a certain temperature, the system may be disabled automatically.

Does this feature save thousands of pounds of fuel? It’s not unlikely, but if you live in a congested area, the few extra kilometers you can get from the fuel tank, plus the added benefits of fewer emissions. In addition, you do not have to worry about whether this feature will wear out the engine or shorten the life of the vehicle. Now vehicles and engines have engineered technology to cope with this new feature. Enjoyable rides.

Source:

• https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/stop-start-long-term-impact-your-car-s-engine
• https://www.carsomesg.com/news/item/What-is-Automatic-Stop-Start-System