Engine rev's to 2000 rpm at startup

[Drinker]

I've had my V6 for about a month. It hasn't been back to the dealer yet but when I bring it in I'll ask about this issue. When the car first starts the engine rev's to about 2000 rpm for a few seconds then settles down. I've never experienced this behavior with any other car and think it's not the best thing to be happening when the engine is in it's least lubricated state. Is any one else seeing the same behavior?

 

[tjc78]

Mine acts the same way, pretty common on most cars today.

 

[msitter]

Mine does as well. I think this is done to get the cats up to temp quickly.

 

[mikec]

I think this is done to get the cats up to temp quickly.

Bingo.

See this thread for a similar question & answers - some from a dealer & auto engineers: High Idle at Startup

Many "why did they do it this way?" or "why does this gizmo exist?" stuff on modern powertrains often can be answered by one (or both) of the following reasons:
1: improves fuel economy to help the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)... a US Federal requirement for car makers. With all the safety stuff being added to vehicles (by law or by customer choice) vehicles are getting heavier and heavier... beside the consumer's desire for bigger vehicles too. Added weight hurts MPG... so any technology that improves MPG gets used quickly: direct injection, 6, 7, or 8 speed transmissions, thinner oils, lower friction bearings, low-drag "ancillaries" on the engine (power steering pump replaced by electric, centrifugal instead of piston style air conditioner compressors), etc.

2: improves emissions. Often this and improved MPG go hand in hand... getting better MPG often comes from improved/more efficient engine combustion which is almost always cleaner combustion too. But other stuff, especially the explosion of port fuel injection two decades ago, can be traced directly to requirements to clean up exhaust pollution. Carbs just couldn't get the ideal air to fuel ratio all the time: temperature, throttle position, atmospheric pressure/altitude, various fuel + additive ratios/mixes, etc. "Feedback" technology, using the exhaust oxygen sensors and a computer of some sort, allowed the fuel system to adjust to these variables to minimize emissions. As a side benefit, MPG improved (better/cleaner combustion = more efficient combustion) and engines started easier, ran better at altitude, etc. because they could self-adjust a lot more than in the simple carburetor days. Catalytic converters do a lot to clean the exhaust... but they have to be bloody hot to work. So car makers employ tricks at engine start-up to help "light off" the cat converters getting them up to working temperature as quickly as possible. Volkswagen even showed a "heat storage system" years ago to trap cat converter heat when the vehicle was parked, using this stored energy to then quickly re-heat the converter. Others have looked at ways to save engine temperature/radiator water temperature and use that to get the engine warmed up faster.


Non powertrain stuff: Other than entertainment systems, much of the new stuff in car interiors can be traced to government crash requirements/safety mandates and consumer desire for certain safety systems: airbags everywhere, flatter surfaces that spread forces out if you whack into them in an accident, fat/wide handles on shift levers so they won't go all the way through your eye sockets into your brain in an accident, flatter & softer noses on the front of a car for pedestrian impacts, hoods that sit at least 4 inches above hard points in the engine compartment so the hood can "give" a bit if you do hit a pedestrian, etc.

mike c.

 

[PSL]

Bingo.

See this thread for a similar question & answers - some from a dealer & auto engineers: High Idle at Startup

Many "why did they do it this way?" or "why does this gizmo exist?" stuff on modern powertrains often can be answered by one (or both) of the following reasons:
1: improves fuel economy to help the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)... a US Federal requirement for car makers. With all the safety stuff being added to vehicles (by law or by customer choice) vehicles are getting heavier and heavier... beside the consumer's desire for bigger vehicles too. Added weight hurts MPG... so any technology that improves MPG gets used quickly: direct injection, 6, 7, or 8 speed transmissions, thinner oils, lower friction bearings, low-drag "ancillaries" on the engine (power steering pump replaced by electric, centrifugal instead of piston style air conditioner compressors), etc.

2: improves emissions. Often this and improved MPG go hand in hand... getting better MPG often comes from improved/more efficient engine combustion which is almost always cleaner combustion too. But other stuff, especially the explosion of port fuel injection two decades ago, can be traced directly to requirements to clean up exhaust pollution. Carbs just couldn't get the ideal air to fuel ratio all the time: temperature, throttle position, atmospheric pressure/altitude, various fuel + additive ratios/mixes, etc. "Feedback" technology, using the exhaust oxygen sensors and a computer of some sort, allowed the fuel system to adjust to these variables to minimize emissions. As a side benefit, MPG improved (better/cleaner combustion = more efficient combustion) and engines started easier, ran better at altitude, etc. because they could self-adjust a lot more than in the simple carburetor days. Catalytic converters do a lot to clean the exhaust... but they have to be bloody hot to work. So car makers employ tricks at engine start-up to help "light off" the cat converters getting them up to working temperature as quickly as possible. Volkswagen even showed a "heat storage system" years ago to trap cat converter heat when the vehicle was parked, using this stored energy to then quickly re-heat the converter. Others have looked at ways to save engine temperature/radiator water temperature and use that to get the engine warmed up faster.


Non powertrain stuff: Other than entertainment systems, much of the new stuff in car interiors can be traced to government crash requirements/safety mandates and consumer desire for certain safety systems: airbags everywhere, flatter surfaces that spread forces out if you whack into them in an accident, fat/wide handles on shift levers so they won't go all the way through your eye sockets into your brain in an accident, flatter & softer noses on the front of a car for pedestrian impacts, hoods that sit at least 4 inches above hard points in the engine compartment so the hood can "give" a bit if you do hit a pedestrian, etc.

mike c.

mike just dropped a knowledge bomb on us. Seriously, this is a lot of useful information. Thanks mike!

 

[ShoNuff]

I've had my V6 for about a month. It hasn't been back to the dealer yet but when I bring it in I'll ask about this issue. When the car first starts the engine rev's to about 2000 rpm for a few seconds then settles down. I've never experienced this behavior with any other car and think it's not the best thing to be happening when the engine is in it's least lubricated state. Is any one else seeing the same behavior?

Mine used to do the same thing but it doesn't now. The behavior changed after the throttle position sensor and fuel pump were replaced. Thus, I think the start up revs are adjustable by dealer. You might want to ask next time you're in there.

Also, you might want to go with a 0 weight synthetic (like 0-w-40) because that gives you the quickest lubrication at room temp and as others have noted this is when most of the engine wear is occurring.

 

[3 tons]

We've had our new 3.8 sedan for almost 2 weeks. Upon a cold morning start-up, the engine innitially rev's to almost 1500 RPM, and stays there for several seemingly very long minutes, until apparantly engine temperature rises to some sufficient level, nearly evidenced by an uptick on the temperature gauge....I hesitate to throw the transmission in gear at this rather high RPM, yet am unable (via a throttle tap) to cause the engine speed to drop-off...Thus, after several minutes of this warm-up, the engine will speed will finally begin to taper down to about 1,000 RPM or less, where I feel more at ease putting in gear.

I spoke to the dealer about this nuance (and a non-operable glove box light), and and though very accomodating, (and with their 'Genesis certified' technician) could not find any relative issue on the car or a TSB...

So (at about 0800hrs on this nippy morning) I asked if we try this out on another brand new 3.8 (on the lot), which we did and found the exact same issue. So we collectively concluded that this was a normal condition for this car...However, the dealer being most empthetic with even my slightest concern, informed me (after this brief check-up & lamp repair), that they had preformed a free courtesy wash of my vehicle and my car was positioned 'front & center' as if poised for my fleeting departure!!

Kudos to Momentum Hyundai (fairfield,ca). I left feeling that this was outstanding service!!

3 tons

p.s. I'am also very glad to have found this friendly community!!

 

[eugew23]

I think the high idle is normal. Mine idles at 1300 once started, maybe up to 1600 on a cold start. It has 31k miles on it and runs great. I also have a 1990 Integra db1 and it idles very similar to that.

 

[Mark_888]

Also, you might want to go with a 0 weight synthetic (like 0-w-40)...

All 0w-40 oils that I know about are European Formula motor oils and not appropriate for the Genesis. Even some 0w-30 oils are European Formulas (Castrol Syntec, for example). However, there is Mobil 1 0w-30 AFE (Advanced Fuel Economy) that would be just fine (and is what I use now).

 

[Lambda2]

During a cold start depending on soak time and temperature; the car will go into a cat lightoff to increase the cat temperature. When the car is put in gear, cat lightoff will be disabled. Your idle RPM will depend on the engine temp, P/N/D, and any other load that is put on the engine (AC,fan,etc).

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