Does extended idling cause oil dilution?

[Nessism]

Wow, tons of thread drift here. My original question is pretty simple: can idling cause oil dilution? Apparently the answer is unknown, or possibly not enough to matter.

Regarding how to check the oil, the manual states to begin with a running engine and then shut down. Reasons seem clear: Honda wants oil to be distributed throughout the engine. Then the oil is to be checked after 3 mins to allow some, but possibly not all, of the oil to drain back. Seems reasonable to me.

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[Rickmeister 48]

Wow, tons of thread drift here. My original question is pretty simple: can idling cause oil dilution? Apparently the answer is unknown, or possibly not enough to matter.

Regarding how to check the oil, the manual states to begin with a running engine and then shut down. Reasons seem clear: Honda wants oil to be distributed throughout the engine. Then the oil is to be checked after 3 mins to allow some, but possibly not all, of the oil to drain back. Seems reasonable to me.

I hear ya, I asked a while back if running the car during remote start was exactly the same as idling it after fully starting it and never got an answer. I remote start it to get it up to temp to avoid fuel pollution, but then I heard letting it idle causes more, so I have no clue

 

[Design]

My original question is pretty simple: can idling cause oil dilution? Apparently the answer is unknown, or possibly not enough to matter.

I hear ya, I asked a while back if running the car during remote start was exactly the same as idling it after fully starting it and never got an answer. I remote start it to get it up to temp to avoid fuel pollution, but then I heard letting it idle causes more, so I have no clue

The short answer is no, not really. At least if you drive long enough to get the oil to operating temps.

The issue with idling (following a cold start) is that it takes much longer for the oil to heat up, which in turn is what is needed to help burn off excess fuel & water vapor in the crankcase. As long as your oil gets to operating temps at some point in your drive, the vapors should dissipate.

Side note: Checking for dilution by looking for changes on the dipstick is one of the most unreliable methods available. In typical cases, the level only rises a few mm, which is next to impossible to check consistently. Let alone ensuring your car is on a perfectly flat surface. In extreme cases, you'll smell the fuel as you pull for a reading, long before you actually read the dipstick itself.

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