How long do you let you car warm up?

[Artem]

Most cars i've owned or driven for a few days would have the cold idle drop considerably about roughly 30 seconds of idling.

With my personal cars, i wait until the cold idle drops from the initial 1,500rpm down to 1,200 (takes 30 seconds max) during the summer (120F coolant temp on my scan gauge 2) and during the winter, the same thing obviously takes longer if the coolant temps start out from 30F or so.

I also drive very gentle, keeping the rpms low (3k shifts) until coolant temps rise to normal (190F) then i'll increase my shift points to the normal 4-5k shifts for another 5 mins of driving to allow more time for oil temps to rise as well and then i'll drive it like i stole it.

 

[RamFan]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
With the cruze, when it's warm, I wait until I have buckled my seatbelts and the gauges have finished with their test sweep on startup. Waiting for RPMs to come down isn't feasible, because even when it's 80 degrees it can be up to a minute for the revs to come down from 1500RPM. (Pretty sure it's a PZEV thing, not really sure).


Same here, most times my rpm won't decrease below 1k on the charger. So I just buckle up, get my cell put into the cup holder and put it into gear, however once I put it in gear I hold the brake since that's when the rpms drop down. They drop to about 500 instantly regardless if I put it in neutral, drive, or reverse. Then I release the brake and drive gently shifting between 2000-2500 rpm. This is done at all time of year.

 

[mechtech2]

Never in warm conditions.
I let it run while I scrape snow and ice off of the car, however.
But there is nothing better than driving to get up to temp fast.

 

[Cristobal]

Around here all year long I start the engine, put it in neutral, coast backwards about 8 meters down a little grade in the driveway, put in drive, idle up to the electric gate, and off I go.

I always give it time for oil to get to the gallaries.

In winter, if I am in the local high deserts or mountains, North Arizona, Central Nevada, or the Sierra I will let it warm up till the temperature needle starts inching upward, and then go.

 

[Scorch]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: Scorch
I

I see it as more of a safety issue than anything, 95% of the time when I go out to my car in the winter every single window is glazed with ice/frost.


I forgot all about that. I DO allow the car to warm up if it's bitter cold out and I've got more than just a thin layer of frost on the windows.

Of course, you would think most people would either scrape their windows or allow their car to warm and defrost itself, but I've seen plenty of cars with inches of snow EVERY WHERE but a small port hole they scraped out on the driver's side of the windshield.

Precisely You guys were starting to worry me there that everyone was just jumping in and going blind!

 

[ahoier]

Basically, long enough to buckle myself in, clean my windshield with the bug wash, and flip the defroster on.....yes, even in FL, these last couple mornings (basically, ever since "Fall" has sprung onto us....) I've had treacherous "morning dew" fogged up all my windows......so I'll put the defrost on max, to help kill the dew/perspiration.....

 

[EricF]

when it's cold, I wait till the fast idle get to about 1000, 1100 if I'm in a rush.
in the summer, about 15 seconds..

this is only so I know the oil will be flowing. it's old school and a mechanics myth, but hey.. my cars are over 200k and never had an oil problem.. just a superstition I believe in.

 

[OldCowboy]

No warm up. Start and go. The first 2 minutes are down a long gravel driveway at 10-15 mph. The 30-40 mph for the next 3 miles 'till I get to the highway.

 

[mechanicx]

I start and drive off gently basically right away or at most a few seconds if it's real cold temperatures. I will let idle while I'm clearing a frosted windshield. I don't believe letting a car idle for any certain amount of time helps anything. I think if anything it does more harm than good and slows warm up time over just driving gently. I don't think putting the trans in drive at fast idle is harmful either.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

30 seconds to a minute in all temps except freezing and below, then 2-5 minutes until some heat starts flowing.

 

[svhanc]

In the summer I just hop in and go.
In the winter I usually start it up and then get out and scrape the windows.

 

[sciphi]

Hop in, wait for the gauges to finish their sweeping, then go. If any scraping has to be done, I do it before thinking about starting the car.

There are oil pan heaters on both cars, so warmup won't be a giant issue this winter.

 

[grampi]

I don't think it makes any difference either way. I like warming up the car in the winter just to have a warm vehicle and clear windows when I'm ready to leave...

 

[Bamaro]

Exactly. Unless I'm in the mood for wasting gas that day for no reason.

 

[itguy08]

Start it when I get in. Adjust everything and put it in R. Then Drive and drive away. It's about 5 minutes to the highway in our development with a couple stoplights. I tend to take it easy on the highway until the needle is in the middle.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Stewart Fan
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
As long as it takes me to get situated and put on my seatbelt.


Pretty much the same for me.


That, or as long as it takes the diagnostic process to end. Drive at reasonable low RPM-s until the engine reaches the optimal operating temperature if possible.

 

[rslifkin]

Anything above 45 - 50*, 10 seconds or so for the oil pressure to come up, then drive gently until it's good and warm. When it's colder, I'll give it 20 - 30 seconds. Below 20*, it usually gets closer to a minute (partly because I usually need the defrosters at those temps).

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I don't let it warm up without moving.

Even in sub zero weather I get in, start it, put on the seat belt and drive. It's 25MPH for half a mile, then downhill for a couple miles at 50 to get to the nearest real highway, so by the time I get to the main highway, even in sub zero temperatures the heater is blowing warm.

My wife treats the Subaru exactly the same way. My pickup has to back out of the shop if it's parked inside, and it takes about a minute for me to lock the shop back up when I use the pickup. If my wife is home then I simply leave the shop open and treat the pickup the same as the other vehicles.

If it's winter the vehicles are parked inside, so frost/snow on windows isn't an issue.

 

[D189379]

5 or 10 seconds. Turn key, put on seatbelt, plug in my phone, drive off. Unless its below -20, then I let it warm up for about 5 minutes (More for me than the car)

 

[DR Racing]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Never in warm conditions.
I let it run while I scrape snow and ice off of the car, however.
But there is nothing better than driving to get up to temp fast.


I read three pages before I saw this and it is the correct way.

The faster it warms up the better and a slight easy load does it best. My Tdi takes twice as long to warm up when compared to a gasser and twice as long again if it just idles. The owners manual says to warm up driving.

Just keep the revs low and drive it as soon as it has oil pressure. Dan