1st gear CLACK

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Yeah. I've never shut off for traffic lights, but temporary construction delays on highways or clearing accidents on bridges etc... anything over 4 or 5 mins and looking to be longer sure.

My fear wouldn't be so much about getting in rear ended, as traffic has long backed up by this point, but losing all my oil flown as soon as I kill the engine. I get that you are also killing the biggest heat generator (combustion itself) but you are also effectively losing all your oil related cooling to the engine's hotspots.

Idling versus sitting dead, hot.

The oil contributes to cooling...WHILE MOVING. Stationary and idling, it just gets hotter.

Shutting down, the engine generates no heat. The inner hotter areas radiate to the external surfaces...but that's more an equalization of temperatures than it is, it getting hotter. It's a valid concern but it doesn't seem to me as if the momentarily higher temperatures inside the valve train, are going to be worse than the ever-rising temperatures of a long idle standing still.

Idling versus sitting dead, hot.

The oil contributes to cooling...WHILE MOVING. Stationary and idling, it just gets hotter.

Shutting down, the engine generates no heat. The inner hotter areas radiate to the external surfaces...but that's more an equalization of temperatures than it is, it getting hotter. It's a valid concern but it doesn't seem to me as if the momentarily higher temperatures inside the valve train, are going to be worse than the ever-rising temperatures of a long idle standing still.
If that helps you sleep at night, fine. When shutting down, your oil drains back to the sump. Every engine, at each startup there is a momentary oil starvation and it's an undisputed fact that that is when most engine wear occurs. You may think you're doing right by your engine, but you're not.

BTW- you're only guessing that your engine is entering dangerous temperature territory. Without exact readings in degrees, it's all guessing. Isn't there a warning light on our bikes for entering dangerous temp zone?

EDIT: I've seen in another post that our oil warning light comes ion at 342 F. That does seem high, but the API tests oil at 350deg for 100 solid hours, so, if you are using API approved oil... IOW- I don't know of a traffic signal that stays red for over 100 hours....

The oil drains back to the sump, true.

But on a hot engine, just shut down, the lubricated surfaces have a sheen of oil on them. And they are at operating temperatures. And starting up brings oil pressure right back up.

Compare your car, with its oil pressure gauge or light. Starting cold, it takes a moment to build pressure. Restarting after a quick stop, the light goes out almost immediately.

Likewise...you are correct that most engine wear is on starting. COLD starting. Warm starting has virtually no additional wear except to the starter system.

It's not a scientific test, but I have seen this. When I was in my twenties, I drove a cab for a suburban cab company. We used Ford Granadas, with 250 c.i.d. sixes in them.

The company bought them from Hertz, used. They'd have about 50,000 miles on them. We'd run them to about 500,000 miles. And RARELY would the engine let go. The Ford-O-Matic transmissions, yes - but not the engines.

Why not? Because they seldom were left to cool off.

They'd of course get shut down all the time. Stopped on stands. Meal breaks; waiting on fares. But never to cool down...the cabs were run, two 12-hour shifts every day except holidays. Even maintenance was done with them hot...in for an oil change and out 15 minutes later. Guy whose shift it was on would get a break on his lease rate.

All those miles. Even Toyota engines today don't typically go 500,000 miles. Not in typical private-owner use.

Because of the cold shutdowns. Not just any shutdown; but a shutdown to allow complete cooling and draining down of the oil.