Cars Idle too Low?

[Slash]

I was just looking around and I was curious to see that most cars idle at only 500 rpm...I know most in real life idle at about 1500 RPM...

 

[jkt008]

I was just looking around and I was curious to see that most cars idle at only 500 rpm...I know most in real life idle at about 1500 RPM...

Which cars category of cars are you talking about? (Supercars, Family Cars etc.)

 

[Slash]

Everything, not just one category.

 

[Camaroyenko]

1500? From my experience, the only idle half that. Unless, of course, GT5 didn't turn the idle screw far enough.

 

[Jubby]

I don't know about your car, but my last 3 cars idle between 700-1100 RPM depending on conditions. Maybe 500 is a bit low, but I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Slash]

I was riding earlier, and my bus for school idles at 1500, our 3 home vehicles idled at 1500, my grandparents trucks idled at 1500, everything. In game, even supercars at at 500. It kind of annoys me considering that it's not real, so if I give it gas, the idle sounds a bit better. Usually in game at about 3100 RPM is what the car sounds like in real life at 1500.

 

[RocZX]

Do you have the car in gear or is it in neutral ?

 

[ParkourVeyron]

If you look closer at the tachometer in GT5 it always seems to be at about 700 RPM; I know for a fact that trucks and SUVs idle at about 700 RPM, so for a V8, it seems right.

 

[Camaroyenko]

Never heard of a 1500 idle in real life.

But yeah, it annoys me that you can't even hear the cars idling.

 

[Slash]

You can't put a car in nuetral in GT5, and IRL I've tested both. In my automotive class the cars all were between the 1200-1500 range. My other problem is that because of the low idle, the cars sound quiet, and I have to crank my guitar amps to hear them. Then when I rev the car it's too loud...

Now iI see it, it's more 700 but still, 200 RPM isn't much, and they sound like poo. All the car's I've seen around around 1500, carbed and are jetted perfect, even fuel injected are this way.

 

[Camaroyenko]

Yeah, IRL if you're in neutral you'll idle higher. The you put it in gear and the idle with drop slightly.

 

[Slash]

Park is the same, idles higher. Gear, it can drop dramatically sometimes.Sometimes to the point were you can hear the dip really clearly. I've seen a truck with a 3 type of idel at once type thing were it idles at different RPM's...Start up, decent RPM, not low but not high, gear, dramatic drop, park, really high, gear, srop again, start driving, fine.

 

[Camaroyenko]

That only happens on automatics, because of the torque converter. Kind of hard to explain on the internet though xD

 

[ParkourVeyron]

Now iI see it, it's more 700 but still, 200 RPM isn't much, and they sound like poo. All the car's I've seen around around 1500, carbed and are jetted perfect, even fuel injected are this way.

Specifics please, regarding the displacement, number of cylinders and aspiration.

And all the cars in the game don't sound like "poo," the Shelby Cobra sounds awesome at idle.

 

[Slash]

That only happens on automatics, because of the torque converter. Kind of hard to explain on the internet though xD

Well obviously yes, but I was just making a point. =P

 

[another_jakhole]

You can't put a car in nuetral in GT5, and IRL I've tested both. In my automotive class the cars all were between the 1200-1500 range. My other problem is that because of the low idle, the cars sound quiet, and I have to crank my guitar amps to hear them. Then when I rev the car it's too loud...

Now iI see it, it's more 700 but still, 200 RPM isn't much, and they sound like poo. All the car's I've seen around around 1500, carbed and are jetted perfect, even fuel injected are this way.

Do you stand back 15 feet from them with a microphone? and then listen to them back? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I am trying to be smart. And I mean no offence.

 

[Slash]

Well maybe they need to get up just a bit closer lol. None taken, I see where your coming from. But still. Point stands.

 

[another_jakhole]

Well, actually, they probably record them from just a few feet away anyway. Not 15. Disregard my previous statement.

 

[Slash]

Will do =P

IDK it just bothers me...

 

[MasterFocus]

You can't put a car in nuetral in GT5, and IRL I've tested both. In my automotive class the cars all were between the 1200-1500 range. My other problem is that because of the low idle, the cars sound quiet, and I have to crank my guitar amps to hear them. Then when I rev the car it's too loud...

Now iI see it, it's more 700 but still, 200 RPM isn't much, and they sound like poo. All the car's I've seen around around 1500, carbed and are jetted perfect, even fuel injected are this way.

Actualy you CAN put cars in neutral in GT5 but you need a wheel with a clutch.
And also, no stock production car idle @ 1500rpm when the engin has reach his running temp. It is usually around 600-700rpm. Only time it will idle at 1200/1500rpm is when the engine is cold, the computer will tell to run faster so it could heat faster.
Also, dont take the car in your "automotive class" as normal every day car, since those cars have been played with wiring and what not by people learning how to, so it is totally normal for those cars not to behave like they where supposed to.

And btw, I'm a certified mechanic so, I think I know something or 2 about car

 

[savage388]

Actualy you CAN put cars in neutral in GT5 but you need a wheel with a clutch.
And also, no stock production car idle @ 1500rpm when the engin has reach his running temp. It is usually around 600-700rpm. Only time it will idle at 1200/1500rpm is when the engine is cold, the computer will tell to run faster so it could heat faster.
Also, dont take the car in your "automotive class" as normal every day car, since those cars have been played with wiring and what not by people learning how to, so it is totally normal for those cars not to behave like they where supposed to.

And btw, I'm a certified mechanic so, I think I know something or 2 about car

Exactly. And I've only seen very new cars that have increased idle speeds when cold. I've driven a car that idled high when it was cold(about 1100rpm), and using the clutch was extremely awkward so I couldn't imagine the 1500 rpm you describe. I could take off without touching the throttle, even on hills.

 

[rankings18]

^^^ agreed (last 2 statements).
now a formula car/supercar is a different story.

 

[MasterFocus]

And at 1500rpm when hot, you could probably see the gaz dripping from the exhaust

 

[Camaroyenko]

Also, if you have a choke, wouldn't that make it idle higher if it's closed?

 

[niky]

I'd like to know what cars you're looking at.

Most modern cars idle at 700-800 rpm. Close to 1000 rpm with the AC on and the idle air control valve open.

Diesel generators don't "idle" they sit at 1500 rpm at base load and go up to 3500 rpm when necessary.

But most diesel motorvehicles "idle" at under 1000 rpm.

For older, carbureted cars, it's possible that the idle has been adjusted upwards to prevent choking. The choke control creates high idle for the first several minutes of use (on EFI engines, it's the IACV or actuated by the electronic throttle). This may be what you're seeing, as when cold, cars often idle at 1200-1500 rpm, but when up to operating temperatures, the idle goes back down.

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Don't know about GT5, but in GT4, they correctly reflected the idle of the Toyota GT-One as being around 2000 rpm.

 

[crossup]

Hate to be a know it all but depending on how you want to class exotics etc. a 1500 rpm idle isnt so far fetched. My american muscle antique V-8 is computer controlled to idle at 1000 rpm. Its so insistant about maintaining it, one can let the clutch out slowly without feeding any gas.
Anyway, a big factor in idle is the camshaft and once you get to race engines, well F1's idle at over 4 grand...even big street motors can need 2000 rpm to keep lit...so there are plenty cars in the game which should idle over 1500. Basically, the older and racier, the more radical the idle will be. Modern computer controlled engines can have much lower idles even with big sticks and huge intake tracts.
Overall, GT5 totally misses getting idles sounds and transitions right.

 

[savage388]

Hate to be a know it all but depending on how you want to class exotics etc. a 1500 rpm idle isnt so far fetched. My american muscle antique V-8 is computer controlled to idle at 1000 rpm. Its so insistant about maintaining it, one can let the clutch out slowly without feeding any gas.
Anyway, a big factor in idle is the camshaft and once you get to race engines, well F1's idle at over 4 grand...even big street motors can need 2000 rpm to keep lit...so there are plenty cars in the game which should idle over 1500. Basically, the older and racier, the more radical the idle will be. Modern computer controlled engines can have much lower idles even with big sticks and huge intake tracts.
Overall, GT5 totally misses getting idles sounds and transitions right.

Since your getting into real world modifications, if a motor has enough cam in it that it idles at 2 grand then it's hardly a street motor. You may drive it on the street but it's more at home on the track. Race cars don't count as they are not intended to idle for any length of time. In fact just a couple of years ago the only f1 teams that could idle there cars when at temp were Ferrari and mclaren. As far as older motors racy motors go the idles were very lopey and rough so the rpm wouldn't really stay constant anyway, and gt5 definitely doesn't reflect any of that.

 

[niky]

Not far-fetched... and I've had cars that had to be idled high or the (oversized) carburetors would choke... but the OP claims that every single car in the family and every engine he's looked at idles at 1500 rpm. Unless he's stuck in the 1960's and his family drives around nothing but V8s, I can't see how that's possible. Carbureted cars from the 80's and 90's don't need to be idled anywhere near that high...

 

[MM1000]

Specifics please, regarding the displacement, number of cylinders and aspiration.

And all the cars in the game don't sound like "poo," the Shelby Cobra sounds awesome at idle.

Yup. Love the way GT5 sounds. And I think the idle is fine, but it is clear there are some liberties taken here and there.

And it's not the case that all cars idle at 1500 rpm. In fact, I'd say 95% of cars sold today idle substantially lower. Both my cars idle at 600 rpm. 600-1000 is typical.

 

[MasterFocus]

Not far-fetched... and I've had cars that had to be idled high or the (oversized) carburetors would choke... but the OP claims that every single car in the family and every engine he's looked at idles at 1500 rpm. Unless he's stuck in the 1960's and his family drives around nothing but V8s, I can't see how that's possible. Carbureted cars from the 80's and 90's don't need to be idled anywhere near that high...

My first car, an '86 Chevrolet Nova, was idling @550rpm