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Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr
As long as the oil pressure builds up quickly enought to provide lube for the valvetrain, and eventually the engine is fitted with a pressure-sensitive valve that decreases the drain flow when the engine is shut off in order to retain some oil in the head for the subsequent start, there might be no further damage.
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I don't believe the Insight's engine has such a valve. It simply hasn't been an issue for any of the engines Honda and Toyota use in their hybrids, for whatever reason. They're still among the lowest failure rate and longest lasting component in the drivetrain. So whatever the theory, it has proven a non-issue in practice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr
That's a good excuse to get a starter-generator, which is also going to eventually provide some mild-hybrid abilities like that BAS-Hybrid system. And there are also the full-hybrids that get rid of the starter and the alternator at all. So in mid to long term any concern about starter wear associated to idle shut-off might become outdated.
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Yeah, ultimately these are all just electric motors, and it's not hard to build an electric motor that can outlive any gasoline engine it's bolted onto. It's probably cheaper to have just a single motor/generator than having separate starters and alternators anyway.