do you warm up your engine before driving?

[Superbuick96]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
I start the car, when it kicks off of fast idle I put it in gear and start my normal driving, except in the dead of winter, then I slowly take off and try and give the ATF and differential fluids time to warm up a little.

+1

 

[fsskier]

-25C is only -13 f, I have never had a car do much different at that temperature..

Averaging over many cars, most of my cars start down to about -22F with 10WXX, about -30F with 5WXX, -35 to-40 with 5Wxx synthetic (Mobil 1) , everything has always started at -40F to -47F with Mobil 1 0W20.

Below that, ask somebody from Alaska!

The noises get terrible at -40 and below.

 

[grease_monkey]

I usually wait about two minutes or until the valve train chatter goes away

 

[gregester]

mime stays in the garage....start it up and back out, i have 1 mile of easy low speed driving till the interstate.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Bamaro
In the dead of winter, just long enough to buckle the seat belts. Then drive gently for the 1st mile.


That's about right for me too...

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I start up and drive away gently. I warm up by driving. The only exception being if I have iced windows or other climate control issue.

 

[wgtoys]

I pretty much start and drive. I do take it easy until the coolant temperature gauge has gotten up to its normal point. I've read that the key thing is to warm up the engine as rapidly as is reasonably possible without stressing anything. This is certainly optimum for fuel economy and exhaust emissions.

 

[1 SX]

Most of the time, no, just start the car up, put seat belt on, put it and drive and keep it low in the RPMS in till it is warm....

 

[Mobil1Fan77]

My Suby will fast idle at 1500 rpm for about a minute, this in the 20 degree morning's we've been having. Once it kicks off the fast idle, I roll out. This thing warms up FAST too, within about 3 miles.

 

[ADFD1]

I like to wait till the idle slows below 1000 rpms like a few others said. No point slamming into gear or burning up a clutch to save a few ounces of gas. The newer engines kick down pretty fast, and warm up in half the time of the older engines.

 

[GMFan]

I turn it on and immediately rev up to 5,000rpm and dump the clutch....20w50 oil FTW!

For the record, my above statement cost some idiot I know his 2001 Honda Civic's engine in the dead of January. This was a fairly common practice with him.

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: GMFan
I turn it on and immediately rev up to 5,000rpm and dump the clutch....20w50 oil FTW!

For the record, my above statement cost some idiot I know his 2001 Honda Civic's engine in the dead of January. This was a fairly common practice with him.


I believe it, I had a friend back in NY that insisted in running 20W50 dino oil in his SB Chevy. Start it up, idle it for about 30 seconds then gun it, to "warm it up faster". This pig was blowing oil after about 15,000 miles, and he had the apples to say Chevy sucked. I laughed, that was the easier thing to do.

 

[Geonerd]

Even in the dead of the Aridzona summer, I'll give it ~5 seconds before easing out of the driveway. In the 'winter,' when temps can hit the mid 20F range, the engine gets ~20+ seconds.

After that it takes me about a minute, putting along at fast idle at 10~15mph, to reach the main road. Then it's < 25% throttle/RPM 'till warm.

Running Syn - M1 10W-30HM. A little thick when very cold, but it also has a very low PP so it shouldn't glop up under any conceivable circumstances.

 

[Nick R]

When it is started cold, if the gas is touched much for the first 20-30 seconds, it makes a nasty kinda of sound, I don't even know how to describe it. It has lessened since switching to the full-syn 5W-30 (prev 10W-40 maxlife which is thicker than normal).

 

[demarpaint]

My neighbor has a habit of starting her car and immediately flooring the gas pedal. I've noticed this habit for the 12 years I'm living across the street from her. Their cars are leased so I guess to them it makes no difference. I feel bad for the guy/girl that buys their lease returns thinking he/she is getting a good car, because it is a certified lease return. LOL

 

[21Rouge]

Originally Posted By: il_signore97

But when it gets down to -40F for a few weeks in Jan, then I'm really careful about letting it accumulate at least a bit of heat before driving off (gently).


il signore, your location shows Toronto Ontario. But your -40F spell in January must be somewhere else, waayy far north or very far west...say the northern most part of the prairies! I bet the GTorontoArea has *never* seen any temp lower than say...
-30F.

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
My neighbor has a habit of starting her car and immediately flooring the gas pedal. I've noticed this habit for the 12 years I'm living across the street from her. Their cars are leased so I guess to them it makes no difference. I feel bad for the guy/girl that buys their lease returns thinking he/she is getting a good car, because it is a certified lease return. LOL


Me too as there really is not way to tell that this was done.

I see people all the time start up and have it in drive as they're releasing the key, driving away with the foot to the floor with water blowing out of the tailpipes. My GF used to do this. Now she waits at least 5 seconds to floor it lol.

 

[jcwit]

I get in the car and the very first thing I do is start the engine. Then I situate myself in the seat, old folks have to do this, never used to but do now. Then I attach the seat belt, and do whatever else needs doing before driving. Not really a warm up, probably only less than a minute but it long enough for the oil to get up to pressure and the engine to settle down.

 

[DragRace]

Yup,always have.

Just long enough for the idle to settle down and seat belt light to go out.

IN the winter months,I'll wait alil longer,as it takes longer for the idle to settle down,on those minus-whatever night time temps.

 

[Mobil1Fan77]

I also live about a mile from a main road, its a dirt road. This gives the car about 2 minutes at 30 mph/2000 rpm before I hit the pavement. The way my Suby is geared, pretty short, I'll be doing about 2900 rpm in 4th at 50 mph, once I hit the main road. The road is hilly, so I can't hit 5th and drop the rpm's. I'm as easy on it as I can be, I don't get into the throttle any more than I have too, until its warmed up.