I parked my car yesterday and was straightening the tires when I saw my RPM go up from about 700 to 1000. Why does it do this?
In: Engineering
If you were at a dead stop and turning the wheels, I would chalk this one up to the power steering.
When you turn the wheels at idle, the power steering pump requires more rpms to supply the hydraulics. Much like the when the A/C compressor clutch engages, the engine will compensate for the demand in power by increasing the engine speed. It’s less noticeable at speed because the rotation of the tires aid in turning, as opposed to the friction created between the rubber and the pavement at a stop.
A similar phenomenon happens when your home A/C starts up. The initial amperage required to start the compressor from a dead stop, is about 10x more than the amperage required to run it. That is why they are equipped with start components that help aid with that, but even with the start components working properly, there is a chance you will see the lights in the house dim because of the initial spike in amp draw.
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